The Alliance Party became the third biggest party at the last Assembly election and so far it seems on track to replicate that in these elections.

It’s hoping to increase its share of the vote west of the Bann - and while it has made gains, it has also has had a key loss in Londonderry. The party leader Naomi Long says the party is on course to make gains.

The SDLP hopes to retain its 59 seats from the 2019 elections, but could end up losing out if nationalist voters reward Sinn Féin for its stance on the DUP's boycott of the institutions.

The UUP is also facing a battle to hold its ground but its leader Doug Beattie said Unionism was likely to take a hit across the board.

The DUP has been under pressure from other political parties over its boycott of the Stormont Executive as part of its protest against the post Brexit arrangements in NI.

But last week, leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson insisted it will "continue to stand firm after this election until we have properly secured and protected our place within the United Kingdom" and he attacked those who have suggested the DUP will weaken its position after the council election.

Image source, Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The results of the council elections are likely to be seen by the party as support or rejection of their stance.

At the moment they are on 35 seats - in 2019 they gained 122 overall and were the biggest party. In the Assembly election last year it was overtaken by Sinn Féin as the biggest party.

The Alliance Party have retained their seat in Ballymena.

The party first won the seat in 2019 when Patricia O'Lynn was elected.

She vacated the seat when she was elected as an MLA.

John Hyland, who was co-opted to the seat, was elected on the second count.

Image source, Sian Mulholland from Twitter.

Local councils are responsible for providing leisure centres in their area, but taking a dip in council-run swimming pools costs more or less depending on where you are.

A swim session run by Ards and North Down Council is more than twice the price than that charged by Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Hiring a badminton court in Belfast for four players costs £26.40 - more than quadruple the price than in neighbouring Lisburn and Castlereagh, where the maximum charge is £6.

Read this story in full by clicking here.

How is Sinn Féin faring compared to the 2019 election?

The party is running 162 candidates, the most it has ever run for a council vote.

Image source, REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

So far they have secured 45 seats. The party got a total of 105 in 2019, leaving it the second largest party in local government.

Since then, it has become the largest party at Stormont, but Vice-President Michelle O'Neill has been unable to take up her post as first minister because of the DUP boycott of Stormont over the post Brexit arrangements in NI. She has urged the party to get back into the Assembly.

Latest snapshot of the seats elected at Derry City and Strabane District council - SF 6, UUP 3, DUP 1 and SDLP 1.

West Tyrone Sinn Féin councillor Glenn Campbell has thanked voters for electing him to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

"I am honoured to have been elected to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council by the people of West Tyrone.

"I want to thank each and every person who gave myself, Stephen, Colette and Ann Marie their vote."

Image source, Glenn Campbell from Twitter

How do the results so far compare to the last council elections?

The big story of the 2019 local elections was the rise in support for Alliance, which gained 21 seats across all councils to claim a total of 53. It remained the fifth-largest party overall but closed the gap on the SDLP, which dropped by seven seats to 59.

Here's a look at the state of the parties so far.

The deputy leader of the Green Party, Lesley Veronica, has failed to get elected.

In a tweet she said, external, "That’s me out of the running for this year. A massive thank you to everyone who voted for me and to my fantastic team who worked their socks off!

"A few days rest then up and at it again, there is still a climate crisis and there is still work to be done."

The Green Party has not won any seats so far.

Councillor Richard Smart has thanked voters , externalfor re-electing him with an increased vote.

He was elected on the first count with 1,257 first preference votes in the Newtownards area.

Three other councillors were also elected in Newtownards on the first count - they were Steven Irvine (Ind), Naomi Armstrong (DUP) and Alan McDowell (All).

Image source, Richard Smart from Twitter

Click here to see live streaming from all 11 count centres as results continue to come in for the NI local council election.

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