Andrew Segal
BBC South West

We told you earlier that some of the vote counting in Cornwall was happening in Truro Cathedral.

BBC South West political editor Martyn Oates has been reporting from there today and sharing some pictures.

Earlier he asked on Twitter if it was the most spectacular election count centre in the country.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

The Conservatives are ahead in the Cornwall Council election, as of 13:30, according to the council's website, external.

The Tories have had 13 out of 20 seats declared in their favour, compared to three for the Liberal Democrats, two for Labour and two Independents.

The county - which has the "second largest authority in the country", according to political analyst Adrian Lee - will see quite a different council after votes are tallied, as the number of seats has been reduced from 123 seats to 87.

The Conservatives previously had 46 seats on the then 123-seat council and were the largest party. But they formed the opposition because of a coalition between Independents and the Liberal Democrats.

Image source, Cornwall Council

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

The Conservatives are ahead in the Devon County Council election, as of 13:25, according to the council's website, external.

The Tories have had 27 seats declared in their favour, compared to five for the Liberal Democrats, four for Labour and three Independents.

Previously the Tories held 42 of the 60 seats.

Image source, Devon County Council

Mid Devon Council has said in a tweet it has seen election turnouts of between 34% to 50% in the wards that it is responsible for counting votes in.

Newly-elected councillors in Cornwall will be able to get on with official work immediately, with the unitary authority ready to issue them with new laptop computers as soon as they are voted in.

A Cornish choir has released a song called 'Gee Seven' in hope of "amplifying children's voices".

More services for London and the south of England are added to the latest timetables.

John Ayres
BBC Spotlight

The Conservatives have held on to a Devon County Council seat in Exeter.

Duryard & Pennsylvania saw a 44.46% turnout, with Tory Percy Prowse winning 1,370 votes.

Labour's Ivor Snow had the next highest number of votes with 1,201.

John Ayres
BBC Spotlight

Labour has held on to three wards on Devon County Council in Exeter.

In Alphington & Cowick, Yvonne Atkinson Lab polled 1,955, with Conservative candidate Katherine New getting the next highest number of votes at 1,700 in a turnout of 42.22%

In Exwick & St Thomas, Rob Hannaford won 1,828 votes, with the nearest contender, Conservative Jacqueline Cross winning 916.

Pinhoe & Mincinglake also saw a Labour hold, with Tracy Adams on 1,935 to Tory John Harvey's 1,333. Turnout was 38.72%.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Carn Brea Leisure Centre, in Pool, mid Cornwall, is one of two main locations doing the counts for Cornwall's elections.

As you can see above, the counts are being carried out in a Covid-secure way, with desks having plastic screens between them and those working wearing face masks.

Polling stations also had similar measures on Thursday after Cornwall Council’s elections team "worked closely with public health colleagues to ensure necessary arrangements" were in place to keep voters and staff safe.

Voters were encouraged to wear face coverings, bring their own pen or pencil, keep a safe distance from others and follow one-way systems, among other measures.

Mid Devon Council also tweeted it had similar measures in place to keep people safe at its counts.

John Ayres
BBC Spotlight

Elections for Devon County and Exeter City councils have seen a turnout of nearly 40% in the Exeter area, officials have said.

Both councils saw 39% of voters taking part in the city-held polls, verification work has determined.

Turnout for the Police and Crime Commissioner poll in Devon was lower at 36.7%, figures revealed.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) candidate Alison Hernandez suffered a dog bite on election day.

She tweeted a picture of a bandaged finger after she was bitten on the hand while campaigning in Paignton, saying that it was her "first ever dog bite" in "over 10 years of delivering leaflets".

She was treated at Newton Abbot Hospital's Minor Injuries Unit.

In a later tweet, external, she added she was "fine" and the medical staff who treated her were "so slick".

Conservative Ms Hernandez was seeking re-election to the post she has held since 2016.

Votes in Torbay for the PCC poll were being verified on Thursday night, ahead of the count taking place on Monday, when the result is also due to be announced.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Vote counting has started in Cornwall, the county's council has said.

Counts began in Truro, in the city's cathedral, and at Carn Brea Leisure Centre, in Pool, at 10:00.

The county - which has the "second largest authority in the country", according to political analyst Adrian Lee - will see quite a different council after votes are tallied, as the number of seats has been reduced from 123 seats to 87.

Results and reaction from council elections in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Mid Devon Council said verification of its ballot boxes was "well under way" less than two hours after polls closed on Thursday at 22:00.

It said the verification process was to check "the number of ballot papers in each box matches the number of ballot papers issued".

After that "then we can begin the count", staff said.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Good morning and welcome to BBC South West's round-up for the 2021 local elections.

We'll be bringing you the latest results throughout the day on our live page here from across Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly.

Several polls were held across the counties and the islands on Thursday to elect local councillors.

Voters were also choosing a Police and Crime Commissioner for the Devon and Cornwall constabulary.

Counting is getting under way on Friday morning for the larger councils.

Hundreds of patients with a rare but debilitating syndrome are concerned for a clinic's future.

Two of the UK's only resident killer whales are spotted in Cornwall for first time, experts say.

The campaigners will walk in relay from Cornwall to Glasgow ahead of a UN climate change conference.

The man in his 30s was taken to hospital with serious head injuries where he died on Wednesday.