Then and now: The political landscape of Essex County Councilpublished at 08:49 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Summary
Updates for Friday, 5 May 2017
UKIP wiped off the county map with the loss of nine seats
Conservatives take 56 of 75 seats to retain overall control
Boy, 10, dies after bungalow fire
UKIP deputy leader to stand for South Basildon and East Thurrock
Family left homeless after fridge-freezer fire
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 08:01 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.
This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on XThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip X postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow X content?
This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of X postTories rampant as UKIP wiped out in Essexpublished at 08:01 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 08:01 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.
UKIP is wiped off the map in Essexpublished at 07:46 British Summer Time 5 May 2017
Conservatives take an extra 14 seats to increase hold on Essex County Council.
Read MoreOur live coverage todaypublished at 18:06 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.
Overnight weather: Largely dry and cloudypublished at 17:13 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weatherTonight will be largely dry and cloudy with a small chance of some light rain and drizzle, but most places should remain dry.
Lowest temperatures between 5-9C (41- 48F).
Tomorrow will be mainly dry and cloudy with some brightness and sunshine at times, with the best of any breaks in the cloud expected in the north of the region.
There’ll be a moderate to fresh north-easterly wind and highest temperatures inland about 15C (59F).
The weekend is still looking fine and dry with sunny spells and the rain staying to the south of our area.
From the archive: Taking to the polls of yesteryearpublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
As people head to the polls to cast their votes in the county council elections, here's a flashback to a polling station 67 years ago.
It was taken outside the village school at Stisted, near Braintree, on 23 February, 1950, for the general election.
More than one million people in Essex can vote today and there are a total of 362 candidates standing across the county.
Although if you live in Southend and Thurrock, you have no elections today until June when we all go to the polls for the general election.
Follow live updates on polling day here.
Image source, John Tarlton/Fox Photos/Getty ImagesHomeless man turns his life aroundpublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
A formerly homeless man has spoken of how he has turned his life around.
Image source, Emmaus ColchesterIan Goodwin found himself on the streets after a family fall-out.
Four years ago, he found accommodation with social enterprise Emmaus Colchester, which is home to 34 formerly homeless people.
He has now landed a job with the organisation, working as a van driver.
Mr Goodwin said: "After six years of being unemployed I decided that 2017 was going to be my year to get back to work.
"When I heard that there was a van driver position going at Emmaus I put myself forward, I was so pleased when I got offered an interview and over the moon when they offered me the job.
“This is a fantastic opportunity and I am now living independently, I love my new job and I hope to spend many happy years with them."
Two men threatened with 'handgun' in suspected hate crimepublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
Police are investigating what they have described as a "hate crime" in Southend.
Image source, PATwo Polish men were threatened by a man who was in a mobility scooter and reported to have a black handgun, Essex Police said.
Officers said the man in the mobility scooter, believed to be red with a black basket on the front, shouted a racially aggravated insult.
The incident happened on Queensway on 15 April, but police have only just made a public appeal for information.
The man, described as white and clean shaven with a bald head, made off in the direction of Southend High Street.
He is believed to be in his 50s, of medium build and around 6ft tall. He was wearing a dark top and blue jeans.
Cricket: Cook century as Eagles make strong startpublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
Essex have set Gloucestershire a decent target in their One-Day Cup match at Chelmsford.
Alastair Cook was out for 127 as the county finished on 315-8 in their 50 overs.
Gloucestershire have just taken to the crease.
Listen to the BBC's live coverage and follow updates here.
Image source, Getty ImagesVIDEO: Greater awareness of autism is neededpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 4 May 2017
The mother of an autistic boy who was asked to leave a doctors' surgery has said there needs to be more awareness of the condition.
As we've reported, Zoe Coupland's son Tommy, three, had a meltdown after becoming distressed by the waiting room buzzer at East Hill Surgery in Colchester.
Reception staff asked them to leave as "nurses could not hear what they were doing".
Ms Coupland said she hopes that people can start to understand that autism is a real condition.
The doctors' surgery has been contacted for a comment.