The results are coming in thick and fast now: Labour have retained control of Sefton council in Merseyside.

Image source, .

The first change of control in these local elections in England comes from Brentwood, Essex. The Tories have lost two seats to the Lib Dems meaning the party no longer has a majority in the council chamber.

Image source, .

Things are heating up downstairs in the BBC election studio at London Broadcasting House, where Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting and Tory science minister Paul Scully have clashed over the nature of the local election campaign.

Scully accuses Labour of "muddying the waters" by "talking about national issues" on the doorstep.

"It's a really good hiding place for politicians," he adds.

But Streeting says voters have turned away from the Conservatives because of the government's record, and they have done "nothing to speak to the voters' concerns".

He says the NHS, crime and the cost of living - all issues that have featured prominently in Labour's campaign - are "the issues that voters are raising".

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

A Conservative source tells me the party is in big trouble in Braintree, a council it has had a majority in since 2007.

One source used an expletive to describe the outlook there, saying the party could end up with councillor numbers in the "high teens".

The Tories currently have a majority and had 33 councillors going into this election.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s constituency is Braintree and a large part of Priti Patel’s Witham seat is within the borough.

The next declaration of the night comes from Basildon, where the Conservatives have held on to the council in Essex.

With 10 results in after Thursday's local elections in England, no councils have changed hands yet.

Image source, .

Elizabeth Glinka
Political Editor, BBC Midlands

We have our first gain of the night in Stoke-on-Trent, where Labour are hoping to win back a number of seats and maybe control of the council.

Finlay Jay Gordon-McCusker has taken the Hollybush ward for them in the last few minutes.

Redditch in Worcestershire has also declared its result, with the council continuing to be run by the Conservatives.

Image source, .

Next up is Rochford in Essex, where no party has gained overall control. This means there has been no change for the council since the 2019 elections.

Image source, .

Nisha Chopra
Reporting from Coalville, Leicestershire

Here in Coalville, it’s the first time the count is taking place in North West Leicestershire's brand new £22.5m leisure centre with its literal and metaphorical blue wall.

While it’s kitted out with all the latest sports equipment, that’s not the reason why so many Conservative candidates have turned up much earlier than expected to tonight’s count.

We’re not expecting a result here until 06:00, but district council leader Richard Blunt arrived pretty much as doors opened.

I asked him if his early arrival was down to nerves about losing seats to which he said "we’re going to need some independents!".

So he’s realistic that the council is potentially heading towards no overall control. Interestingly whenever you have elections most councillors are keen to talk to you and tell you they expect to do well but I’ve just been blanked by a couple, so quite telling.

Also the #AndrewBridgenEffect keeps coming up in the conversations I’m having with the Tory candidates who will talk to me.

They say he’s not an issue but he has been one of the longest serving MPs and the most outspoken politicians in the area.

Chris Mason
Political editor

Conservatives in Plymouth are predicting something approaching a wipe-out for them in the Devon city, and a big majority for Labour.

James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

It's feeling very cagey here tonight at Worcester's Guildhall.

With City Council elections three years out of four, you'd think politicians here would be used to overnight election nerves.

But from speaking to the different parties I'm getting the sense there are a lot of close races this time around.

The Conservatives have been the largest party here for many years, but the key question tonight is whether they can hold onto that, or whether Labour or even the Greens can overtake them.

Most here can't remember the last time Labour had an outright majority, over two decades ago. Verification of ballots here has almost finished and so counting should start shortly.

The results in Harlow have just been declared: the Conservative Party has retained its control of the council in the Essex new town just outside the M25.

Image source, .

Another result just in, this time from Newcastle-upon-Tyne where Labour have held on to control of the council.

Image source, .

Richard Moss
Political editor, North East & Cumbria

Image source, Getty Images

Labour remains dominant in the north of the North East region, but the biggest battles are further south in Teesside - Labour lost control of its five councils in 2019 and claiming some back has to be a goal.

Overnight, they are targeting progress in Hartlepool, though unseating independent Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston might be tougher.

Friday will bring the real reckoning, as Labour tries to regain control of Darlington and Stockton councils, as well as reclaiming a majority in Middlesbrough’s chamber.

Redcar & Cleveland is a more distant target. Labour will hope a focus on crime and the cost of living reaps rewards, while the Conservatives hope they’ve done enough on levelling up. But the fate of independent candidates could swing results.

And there's news of another hold for Labour, with the party retaining control of South Tyneside in north-east England.

Image source, .

Our first result after midnight comes from Broxbourne, where the Conservatives have held on to control of the council in Hertfordshire.

Image source, .

Image source, Reuters

Labour's shadow education secretary has said she is "confident" the party has made progress in key battleground areas ahead of the next general election.

"That is what matters most to us, more than those kinds of numbers around seats or some of that discussion around [poll] leads," Bridget Phillipson told BBC's Newsnight.

She mentioned Swindon, Darlington, Hartlepool, Telford and Gravesham as areas where Labour is looking to make gains.

"I'm confident we're going to see progress in those key areas where we need to make gains come the next general election and I think we have run a really strong campaign that will demonstrate that," Phillipson added.

Our next result is for Chorley council in Lancashire, where Labour have also retained control.

Image source, .

In quick succession, we've got a second result in with Labour keeping control of Sunderland council in the North East.

Image source, .