Then and now: The political landscape of Essex County Councilpublished at 08:49 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Summary
Updates for Wednesday, 3 May, 2017
Red Arrows confirm two-day Clacton Airshow
Massive delays around the Dartford Crossing after M25 crash
17 people to face trial over Stansted Airport protest
Buglife plays down caterpillar 'invasion'
A dull, cloudy day, highs of 11C (52F)
Then and now: The political landscape of Essex County Councilpublished at 08:49 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
So, the results are in. But what about the General Election?published at 08:31 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporterThe Conservatives have just smashed the Essex county council elections. June’s general election looks like a great chance for the Tories to take all eighteen seats in Essex.
UKIP came second four years ago - now they don’t have a single county councillor after their vote collapsed, including in Clacton where the party won their only Westminster seat.
Labour were wiped out in Harlow in Thursday’s locals and the town is one of their best chances of getting an MP.
A Colchester comeback for the Lib Dems is possible, with former MP Sir Bob Russell standing, but they went backwards Thursday in their old backyard.
Essex turns its back on UKIP... Will the rest of East Anglia follow?published at 08:28 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondentFour years ago everyone was talking about Essex and UKIP. The party which, until then, had only ever done well under the proportional representation system of European elections, had suddenly burst onto the local political stage.
Once again the words Essex and UKIP dominate this morning's headlines.
The county which once boasted some of the strongest support for UKIP in the country has turned its back on the party.
"People can't get enough of Theresa May at the moment, she can do no wrong," one 'Kipper told me at the start of the campaign.
"It's a struggle getting our message heard at the moment," another told me only last week.
And from what I'm hearing, that picture is going to be repeated today across the east.
The other parties tell me that in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, the UKIP campaign has been virtually non-existent.
Voters in this Brexit-supporting region feel its purpose is done. Party workers are said to be disillusioned.
But while today's story may be the demise of UKIP, Labour should also be braced for a terrible day.
The Conservatives tell me that Labour voters are switching to them in large numbers, something borne out by the results from Essex. And at the moment there's no sign of the predicted Lib Dem surge.
In Pictures: The Essex County Council electionspublished at 08:20 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Laurence Cawley
BBC NewsHere's a montage of the various images sent in by our correspondents who were out at the counts across the county in the early hours.
'Given a mandate,' says council leaderpublished at 08:20 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Laurence Cawley
BBC NewsThe biggest majority on the night was won by current leader of Essex County Council, Conservative David Finch in the Hedingham ward.
He said: "I am delighted to have been given a mandate from the people of Essex to continue to carry on our work to make the county the best place to live and work, where our most vulnerable people are protected as well as given the chance to live independent lives.
“I am also looking forward to continuing to work in our new organisation as we restructure and change our culture in order to meet the challenges and opportunities we will face over the coming months.”
In Detail: Basildon Westley Heightspublished at 08:15 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Laurence Cawley
BBC NewsOne of the surprising results of the night was the huge majority won by former UKIP member Kerry Smith in Basildon Westley Heights.
Here's the result:
- Jack Ferguson (Lab) 546
- Andrew Schrader (Con) 1,329
- Kerry Smith (Ind) 3,341
- Banjamin Williams (Lib Dem) 294
Mr Smith, who stood as an independent, said the result was a reflection of his "hard work".
In Detail: Harlow Northpublished at 08:15 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Laurence Cawley
BBC NewsThe Harlow North election saw Mike Danvers, who was deputy leader of the Labour group on the county council, lose his seat to Tory Michael Garnett.
Image caption, Michael Garnett won the seat for the Conservatives
Result:
- Michael Garnett (Con): 2,512
- Michael Danvers (Lab): 2,036
- Lesley Rideout (LD): 379
'We are not a spent force,' says UKIP candidatepublished at 08:12 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
One of the headlines of the Essex county council elections was UKIP failing to win a single seat.
UKIP's Mark Ellis, who lost his Laindon Park and Fryerns division seat to the Conservatives, said: "People are listening to Theresa May - and she is pretty UKIP in my opinion - and unfortunately people are thinking UKIP is a spent force, which we are not.
"UKIP is here to stay."
Essex votes: The night in picturespublished at 08:11 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Richard Smith
BBC EssexHere are some photos from the election count in Essex, which saw the Conservatives retain overall control.
Image caption, The count in Colchester
Image caption, Dick Madden, second left, celebrates after keeping Chelmsford Central and Moulsham Street
Image caption, Kerry Smith gives the thumbs-up after regaining his Basildon Westley Heights seat as an Independent
Image caption, The count in Harwich
Image caption, Secret tools of the vote counters!
'A sea of blue' expands across Essexpublished at 07:59 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporterThis is how Essex looks this morning following the county council election. After 2013, we had a pretty blue county but there were certainly a few more blobs of colours other than blue in there.
While we now have some small pockets of other colours, Essex is now pretty much a sea of blue.
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End of twitter postTories rampant as UKIP wiped out in Essexpublished at 07:59 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Ian Puckey
BBC Essex Political ProducerWelcome to Friday's coverage, where we're starting with results of the county council elections.
The Conservatives have bolstered their hold of Essex County Council while UKIP has lost all nine of the seats it won in 2013.
In 2013, the Tories won 42 seats, while UKIP, Labour and the Liberal Democrats took nine seats each.
The Conservatives now hold 56 seats, the Liberal Democrats seven and Labour six. The Canvey Island Independent Party holds two seats, Independents two, Green one and Independent Loughton Residents Association one.
Conservatives hold Essexpublished at 07:59 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Image source, PAThe Conservatives have retained control in Essex, winning 50 of the 75 seats with a few wards still to declare.
Pictured is Councillor Dick Madden, who celebrated retaining his seat.
Our live coverage todaypublished at 18:07 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
That's it for our live updates for the day.
The Essex County Council vote is ending at 22:00 with the first results due in at about midnight.
Tune in to BBC Essex for a special election programme, starting from 22:00.
And join us again in the morning to find out all the latest news.
Have a great evening.
Man jailed for 20 years for sex offencespublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
A man has been jailed for 20 years for sex offences against four women.
Image source, Essex PoliceSaulius Zilinskas, 41, of Laindon, was found guilty at Basildon Crown Court yesterday of three counts of rape, two of attempted rape, two counts of false imprisonment, two assaults and one count of sexual touching.
Three of the women were assaulted in Laindon on 21, February 2015. Two of the attacks happened within 20 minutes of each others.
Yesterday's sentencing also related to the rape of another woman in London in January 2005.
Zilinskas was made subject to an eight-year extended licence.
Rail company denies large scale ticket office closurespublished at 11:42 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
Greater Anglia says it has "no plans to reduce the number of Greater Anglia ticket offices to seven".
It released the statement after the RMT union said this morning that 57 ticket offices were to close, with only offices at London Liverpool Street, Colchester, Norwich, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich and Stansted Airport staying open.
The rail company said it was "reviewing responses to a public consultation about proposals to close seven little-used ticket offices" at Walton-on-the-Naze, Thorpe-le-Soken, Alresford, Great Bentley, Dovercourt, Harwich International and Great Chesterford.
It added it would "continue to consult with our colleagues and the trades unions on any proposed changes to ticket office arrangements".
Greater Anglia said there would be "no job losses as a result of the current proposals to close seven ticket offices".
The RMT union has responded saying it stands by its statement.
Cricket: Essex Eagles aim for a hat-trick of winspublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
Can Essex Eagles make it three wins out of three?
They're taking on Gloucestershire at Chelmsford in the latest round of the One-Day Cup.
The unbeaten side has retained the same 14-man squad that was on duty for the first two matches in the competition. Victories there carried the team into second place in the South Group.
So far this morning, they've lost the toss and have been put into bat.
Listen to the BBC's live coverage and follow updates here.
Image source, Essex EaglesAutistic boy 'too loud' for GP surgerypublished at 10:13 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
A three-year-old with autism and epilepsy became distressed by the waiting room buzzer.
Read MorePolice arrest 126 motorists for drink and drug drivingpublished at 10:07 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
More than 125 motorists have been caught while under the influence of drugs or alcohol within a month.
Essex Police, external officers arrested 77 motorists for drink driving in April and 49 for drug driving.
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End of twitter post 2'Major implications for jobs' if ticket offices closepublished at 09:44 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
Alex Pope
BBC Local LiveAt the moment we don't know what impact the reported closure of 57 ticket offices across the Greater Anglia route would have on jobs, but the RMT union believes it's significant.
It says the 64 ticket offices that currently operate have 358 staff. The offices are being reduced to just seven, it added.
According to the RMT "Greater Anglia have revealed that they intend to introduce revenue staff and place ticket vending machines at all stations with major implications for jobs and services".
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End of twitter postWe've contacted Greater Anglia to find out more.
VIDEO: Autistic boy 'too loud' for doctors' surgerypublished at 09:25 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
A mum, whose son is autistic and epileptic, has spoken of her shock after she was asked to leave her GP surgery.
Tommy Coupland, three, from Colchester, became distressed due to the waiting room buzzer.
His mum Zoe said they were asked to leave the East Hill Surgery because he was "being too loud".
The BBC has contacted the surgery for a comment.