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BBC News correspondent Sian Lloyd says Labour is expected to suffer losses at a local level in Wales. "It's by far the biggest party and has the most to lose," she says.

Sian says Cardiff "is seen as a key battleground where Labour has a slim majority to defend", and is facing pressure in the west of the city from Plaid Cymru, and in the north, the Conservatives.

She says the Lib Dems are hoping to regain some ground in the city centre, but adds that the big question is: "How will the Conservatives perform here in Wales?"

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Lorna Gordon, the BBC's Scotland correspondent, says one of the key battlegrounds in the Scottish local elections is in Glasgow where the SNP is fighting to take over the Labour-dominated council chambers.

"Will the SNP - a party which has been in power at a national level for 10 years now - become the principle party at a local level too?" she asks.

Lorna says issues in the campaign have included the question of another independence referendum, while the Conservatives "have positioned themselves as protectors of the union". 

The Lib Dems and Greens are hopeful of increasing the number of councillors they have in some areas of the country.

Lorna adds that Labour could be "looking at heavy losses". 

"If the SNP become the largest party here in Glasgow - once a Labour stronghold - it will be a hugely symbolic win," she says.

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BBC political correspondent Iain Watson says Labour politicians in England "are bracing themselves for bad results" in the local elections.

He said one Labour insider had told him: "We're going to get a kicking."

Iain says to be fair, Labour "has never been strong in the English shires", but adds that the party's own polling suggests they will retain overall control of just one council - Durham - and they are unlikely to be largest party in Nottinghamshire or Lancashire.

However, Iain says Labour is expecting "better news" in the contests for new "metro mayors" in Greater Manchester and on Mersyside.

He says a close eye needs to be kept on the "tightly-fought contest" taking place in the West Midlands where Labour and the Conservatives "will be scrapping over crucial marginal seats in the general election".

Iain stresses that while the local elections do not provide an exact blueprint for the general election result, with the Liberal Democrats - for example - tending to do much better locally than nationally, the outcome "will influence the tactics of the main parties over the next few weeks".

Image source, PA

While polling was taking place across Britain today, in Brussels European Council President Donald Tusk was issuing warnings about Brexit talks.

The stakes are too high to let "emotions get out of hand", he said, and talks would "become impossible" if arguments continued. 

His warning comes after Theresa May accused European politicians of making "threats" against the UK to try to influence the general election result.

She said some in Brussels wanted Brexit negotiations to fail.

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Polling stations have closed and counting is due to begin in the local elections across Wales.

A total of 1,159 seats have been fought in the 22 local authorities. Nearly 100 candidates have already been returned unopposed, while one ward in Powys attracted no candidates.

Elections have also taken place for town and community councils.

Polls shut at 22:00 BST and 13 councils are due to declare their results overnight.

Nine areas will not start full counts until Friday.

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Image source, PA

The polls have closed in the Scottish council election.

Counting is due to get under away at about 09:00 BST on Friday with the first results coming in by lunchtime.

The election uses the single transferable vote system (STV), with voters ranking candidates in order of preference.

People aged 16 or over were eligible to take part in the election, with more than 4.1 million people registered to vote.

A total of 1,227 councillors will be elected across the country's 32 local authorities, with more than 2,500 candidates putting themselves forward.

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Image source, PA

Polls have now closed in local and mayoral elections in England, Wales and Scotland.

A total of 4,851 council seats are up for grabs in 88 councils - all of those in Scotland and Wales, plus 34 in England, including 27 counties.

Six new "metro mayors" will be elected, covering areas including Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the West of England.

Results are expected to come in through the night and all day on Friday.

They will be scanned closely for signs of how the major parties will fare at the general election on 8 June.  

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Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

Image source, Getty Images

The polls have closed.

These elections are a complicated set of local contests, some old, some new, some electing an individual to a position of great power, most, individual races in wards that make up only a few streets, for councillors who then group together to run our towns and cities.

So as the results come in, from the early hours of Friday morning right through the day, what are we looking for?

First, these are important elections in their own right, and the results make a big difference to decisions that are made on our behalves all round the country.

Local authorities have significant powers over education, planning, local business rates for example, and the drift of government policy has been to give them more, not less.

Second, while you will hear my colleagues and me caution dozens of times in the next 24 hours that the results do not translate directly to the general election, they are a really significant barometer.

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Polls have closed for local and mayoral elections in England, Wales and Scotland.

Counting is set to begin as ballots are collected from polling stations across Britain - and for those keen to watch the results as they come in - Merthyr Tydfil is likely to be the first council to declare at 02:30 BST.

Blaenau Gwent, Flintshire, the Isle of Wight, Warwickshire and Wrexham are likely to be up next at 03:00 BST, followed by Dorset at 03:30.

A flurry of results are expected at 04:00 BST, with councils including: Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Monmouthshire, Northumberland and Somerset likely to declare.

In addition to a total of 4,851 council seats being up for grabs in 88 councils, six new "metro mayors" will be elected, covering areas such as Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the West of England.

The West of England mayor is expected to be unveiled on Thursday, while the West Midlands and Greater Manchester mayors are expected to be announced on Friday evening.

As mentioned earlier, a total of 4,851 council seats are up for grabs across England, Wales and Scotland.

Here is the breakdown:

• Labour are defending 1,535 seats
• The Conservatives are defending 1,136 seats
• The Lib Dems are defending 484 seats
• The SNP are defending 438 seats
• Plaid Cymru are defending 170 seats
• UKIP are defending 146 seats
• The Green Party are defending 34 seats

These figures are estimates because there have been boundary changes since they were last contested.

There are also 687 independent councillors, with no party allegiances, whose seats are being contested.

The rest of the total is made up of residents' association councillors and parties with a handful of representatives, including Cornish separatists Mebyon Kernow, who have four councillors.

Image source, Getty Images

It's not just those 4,851 council seats that are up for grabs in today's election. 

For the first time, voters in Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City region, the West Midlands, Tees Valley, the West of England, and Cambridge and Peterborough will elect new "metro mayors" covering combined local authority areas.  

Doncaster and North Tyneside are also voting for local authority mayors, who are elected leaders of their respective councils.

A selection of pictures of your pets at polling stations across Wales.

Polls close at 22:00 BST with 4,851 council seats up for grabs, and mayors being elected in some areas.

There are a number of theories as to why UK elections are traditionally held on a Thursday.

This handy video explains all.

The countdown is on. Less than two hours to go until polls close in the local elections at 22:00 BST.

What are people voting for? Elections will be held in 34 councils in England, all 32 councils in Scotland and all 22 councils in Wales.

In addition, six areas in England are voting for newly-created "combined local authority mayors".

Doncaster and North Tyneside are also voting for local authority mayors, who are elected leaders of their respective councils.

When are we expecting the results? Some English and Welsh councils will begin counting ballots as soon as polls close at 22:00 BST. 

Others will start counting on Friday morning, with results continuing all day Friday.

Scotland's 32 councils will start their counts on Friday morning, with first results expected from midday. 

Most mayoral results will be declared on Friday.

A voter is shocked to find his pet Fudge has joined him at the ballot box.