Election results from the South of England

1. Local election counts happening across Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire
2. Around half the councils in the South region declared during the early hours of Friday
3. Southampton is a Labour GAIN
4. West Oxfordshire is Conservative LOSS to NOC
5. Portsmouth is NOC HOLD
6. Oxford a Labour HOLD
7. Rushmoor is a Conservative HOLD
8. Fareham is a Conservative HOLD
9. Eastleigh is a Lib Dem HOLD
10. Hart is a NOC HOLD
11. Havant is a Conservative HOLD
12. Slough is a Labour HOLD
13. Wokingham is a Conservative LOSS to NOC
14. Reading is a Labour HOLD
15. Winchester is a Lib Dem HOLD
16. Cherwell is a Conservative HOLD
17. Gosport is a Conservative LOSS to the Lib Dems
18. Basingstoke is a Conservative HOLD

Good night

That's all from the South Live page on this day of local election results.

Thanks for joining us and have a great weekend.

Conservatives hold Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council

The Conservatives have held on to Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council.

The results were:

Conservatives - 29

Labour - 10

Independents - 8

Liberal Democrats - 7

Lib Dems retake Gosport from Conservatives

The Liberal Democrats have retaken control of Gosport after more than a decade, becoming the leading party in the town with a majority and 16 seats.

Every seat on Gosport’s council was up for grabs after the Local Government Boundary Commission redrew the ward map last year, which slashed the number of seats to 28, with two councillors for each ward.

Despite taking the lead early in the day, the Conservatives faltered as more counts came in – and in wards they did retain, the majority has shrunk significantly.

Conservative leader Graham Burgess said he felt "hard-done-by because it’s not the fault of the local candidates".

He added: "What’s happened in Westminster – not just partygate but also the rising living costs – has played a major party in the outcome.

"It’s not just the prime minister but the whole government that must look at what needs to change."

New council leader Peter Chegwyn said: "I’m over the moon, absolutely delighted and very grateful to the people of Gosport for putting their trust in us – we won’t let them down."

Lib Dems keep control of Winchester

Tristan Pascoe

BBC Radio Solent political reporter

The Lib Dems have retained control of Winchester City Council, gaining one seat that was vacant after the previous incumbent died.

The Tories lost one seat to the Greens, whose candidate Malcolm Wallace won Central Meon Valley to become the party's first ever councillor on the authority.

The results were:

Lib Dems - 27

Conservatives - 15

Independents - 2

Greens - 1

Tories hold Cherwell with reduced majority

Labour increases majority in Reading

In Reading, where Labour has increased its majority, its main opponents will now be the Greens rather than the Conservatives.

Final results:

Labour - 32

Greens - 7

Conservatives - 6

Liberal Democrats - 3

Jason Brock, the borough council's leader, said it had been a "tense time" but he was "really pleased that residents across Reading have put their faith in Labour to continue running Reading Borough Council".

Surprise result in Winchester as count continues

Tristan Pascoe

BBC Radio Solent political reporter

The Green Party is celebrating after stealing a seat from the Conservatives.

Of the eight results declared so far, four have been Lib Dem holds, while the Conservatives have held three.

But the biggest cheer was for the biggest surprise result, Green Party candidate Malcolm Wallace winning the Central Meon Valley seat from the Tories - to become the first ever Green councillor elected in Winchester.

It won’t be long before the full picture emerges with the remaining results still to be declared, but the Lib Dems are on course to retain control of the council, while the Conservatives lick their wounds.

Reading council results starting to come in...

The local authority is revealing the results as they come in on its Twitter feed.

What does Reading Borough Council do?

Covering the largest town in Berkshire, Reading Borough Council delivers services for over 160,000 people.

There have previously been 46 seats on the council, but boundary changes mean that this year there are 48 seats up for grabs.

Of the current 46 seats, 29 are held by Labour, nine by the Conservatives, five by the Green Party, two by the Liberal Democrats and one by Battle Independent.

The council has a net budget of £149m for this year, with £104m coming from council tax.

Reading Borough Council results expected soon

Matthew Treacy

BBC reporter

For the first time in 18 years, all of the 48 council seats here in Reading are up for grabs. That’s because of boundary changes.

Labour goes into this election with a strong 12-seat majority and senior party figures have been telling me they are hopeful that may be expanded today.

The Conservative opposition says a good day for them would be holding on to their existing nine seats.

They say on the doorstep they were often asked about national issues such as "partygate" and they’re concerned that voters will use these local elections to send a message to the prime minister.

BBC

What does Wokingham Borough Council do?

Wokingham Borough Council serves a population of more than 170,000 who live in an area including Finchampstead, Sonning and Twyford.

As part of this year’s local elections, 18 seats were contested. .

The council expects its total expenditure to exceed £144m this year.

Around £125m came from council tax in the 2019-20 financial year, according to the most recent figures seen by the BBC.

All smiles for Lib Dems in Wokingham

The Conservatives have lost control of Wokingham Borough Council after two decades in charge.

The local authority now has no party in overall control after the Tories lost five seats, the Lib Dems gained nine and Labour picked up one.

The Conservatives remain the largest party in the constituency, which is held by Tory MP John Redwood.

BBC

All change in Wokingham as Tories lose control

Patrick O'Hagan

BBC Berkshire political reporter

The Liberal Democrat councillor who had his best pair of shoes resoled three weeks ago, so he’d look his best when knocking on residents' doors, will no doubt be giving them an extra polish tonight.

The Conservatives are still the biggest party in Wokingham but for the first time in two decades they’ll have to work with their opponents to get things done.

As you’d expect, the politicians are making all the right noises about being happy to work as one united council on behalf of residents, promising to put their egos aside for the greater good.

The first big test of how well everyone gets on will be where to put all the thousands of new homes which Wokingham needs. The Conservatives had planned to put 4,500 of them at Hall Farm.

Hopes will be rising among angry locals there that their green fields may now remain that particular hue, rather than turn brick red or concrete grey.

Havant: Conservative hold

Slough: Labour hold

Wokingham: Conservatives lose to no overall control

Conservatives set to lose control of Wokingham

Patrick O'Hagan

BBC Berkshire political reporter

The Liberal Democrats are having a better set of results than many expected and it’s looking as if that success will also be reflected in Wokingham.

The Conservatives have run the borough council here for the last two decades and the Liberal Democrats have been knocking on the door for several years now without quite doing enough to topple the Tories.

The Conservatives will still be the biggest party in Wokingham by the end of the day, but it’s looking increasingly likely that between them, the Lib Dems, Labour, Greens and other parties will get enough seats to deny them full control of the borough.

Think of it as a hung parliament type situation where all the parties will have to work together in the future to make things happen. That’s never easy and if this does come to pass a lot will depend on how willing individual councillors will be to work with opponents they’ve had little time for in the past.

Counting ongoing in councils across the South

Counting has now started at councils due to return their results this afternoon and this evening.

Wokingham Borough Council has already announced its first result, with independent Gary Cowan comfortably winning in Arbourfield.

Wokingham Borough Council

What is happening now?

There is now a bit of a hiatus until this afternoon, when the remaining councils are due to start counting.

As it stands, the current results are:

• Labour have won back Southampton, a year after losing it to the Conservatives.
• The Tories have lost West Oxfordshire to no overall control.
• Portsmouth and Hart remain as no overal control.
• Oxford is still Labour run, albeit with a smaller majority.
• Eastleigh remains as a Lib Dem stronghold.
• Fareham and Rushmoor are still run by the Tories.

The outstanding councils are:

• Havant is due at 14.00
• Reading is due at 15.00
• Wokingham is due at 15.30
• Slough is due at 16.00
• Gosport is due at 17.00
• Basingstoke is due at 17.00
• Winchester is due at 18.00
• Cherwell is due at 20.00

West Oxfordshire coalition negotiations to start soon

The leader of the Liberal Democrat group on West Oxfordshire District Council said coalition negotiations will start soon.

Andy Graham said he would “jump at the challenge” of becoming the authority’s leader with the help of Labour and Green councillors if he felt he could bring “real change”.

“We’ve only just got back an hour ago from the count so I think we need a little bit of sleep and then we will actually get cracking on discussions which will help bring that alliance together,” he told the BBC.

“I think it’s what the people want. They want parties working together using common sense and reasonable approaches to local services.”

West Oxfordshire District Council