BBC Radio 2

Image source, SNP

Speaking on the BBC's Jeremy Vine show, the MSP for Glasgow Provan said that it was clear the SNP would be the biggest party at Glasgow City Council.

Scottish Green Party candidate Pipa Hadley has been elected as a councillor in Highland Council's Badenoch and Strathspey ward. There were no Greens in the council before the election.

The Conservatives have gained nine seats on Aberdeenshire Council to take over from the SNP as the largest party.

The SNP now stand at 21 with the Tories at 23.

The Lib Dems gained two to rise to 14. Independent councillor numbers fell slightly to 10.

Labour dropped from two to one and the Greens held their only seat. 

Note: The 2012 election saw 68 seats contested. Following boundary changes, the 2017 election had 70 seats up for grabs.

The number of independent councillors on Argyll and Bute Council fell by five from 15 to 10, leaving the SNP as the largest party despite losing two seats.

The Conservatives gained five seats, rising from four to nine.

The Lib Dems made rare gains, moving from four to six. 

Argyll and Bute had been run by a coalition of independent Lib Dem/Conservatives and non-aligned councillors.

The Conservatives earned an extra five seats on Scottish Borders Council, ensuring they remain the local authority's largest party.

But the Liberal Democrats lost four seats, taking their total to two. 

The SNP ended up with nine seats - the same as in the last election. 

The SNP has lost two seats on Dundee City Council, meaning it has lost its overall majority.

It remains the largest party, with 14 seats. Labour dropped one to nine.

The Tories gained two seats and are now on three. The Lib Dems went from one to two. 

The SNP lost six seats on Angus Council, one of the two councils of which it had majority control following the 2012 election.

The party went from 15 seats to nine. The Conservatives went up to eight seats.

There are nine independents on the council, one more than last time and two Lib Dems, up from one.

Labour lost its only seat.

Note: The 2012 election saw 29 seats contested. Following boundary changes, the 2017 election had 28 seats up for grabs.

The Conservatives went from one seat to seven on West Lothian Council.

The SNP dropped two seats to 13 but became the largest party as Labour lost four seats and ended up with 12. 

West Lothian had been a Labour minority administration.

The Conservatives remain the largest party in Dumfries and Galloway, with 16 councillors.

Labour slipped to 11 seats while the SNP held steady, also on 11. 

There are four independent councillors, and one Liberal Democrat. 

Note: The 2012 election saw 47 seats contested. Following boundary changes, the 2017 election had 43 seats up for grabs.

The Conservatives went from zero to five seats on Midlothian Council.

They are now just one behind the SNP, who dropped from eight to six, and two behind Labour, who went from eight to seven.

The Greens and independents both lost seats.

The previous administration had been run by the SNP, with the help of an independent. 

Labour remains the largest party in East Lothian despite the Conservatives gaining four seats.

Labour stand at nine, the Tories at seven and the SNP slipped to six - down three.

There are no independent, Lib Dem or Green councillors.

East Lothian had been a Labour/Conservative coalition administration.

Note: The 2012 election saw 23 seats contested. Following boundary changes, the 2017 election had 22 seats up for grabs.

Brian Taylor
BBC Scotland Political Editor

Is it going to be a question of balance, to borrow an album title from the Moody Blues (Look them up, they were rather good)?  

The SNP is recording gains in various councils – but the Tory advance is consistent. For example, in Aberdeen, the SNP put on seats to become the largest party. The Conservatives put on even more to push Labour into third place. 

This probably reflects the nature of contemporary political discourse in Scotland, defined as it is by attitudes to independence as well as the UK-wide topic of Brexit. 

The SNP have made substantial gains in recent elections, most notably in the 2015 UK General. The Conservatives have, deliberately and precisely, sought to counter that by projecting themselves as the most formidable defenders of the Union, edging out their rivals. 

Remember too that the Scottish Tories used to stand under the banner of the Unionists.  Without changing their name back, they are now doing so again. Days of Future Passed. 

• Keep across my updates and analysis

Labour lost seats in Renfrewshire and now stand at 13.

The SNP gained seats to overtake them as the biggest party, with 19.

The Conservatives won eight seats - seven more than in 2012. 

There are two independents on the council and one Lib Dem.

Note: The 2012 election saw 40 seats contested. Following boundary changes, the 2017 election had 43 seats up for grabs.