Polling stations close for Exeter City Council election

Polling stations have closed in Exeter in 13 wards as the city draws a line under its bid for unitary status.

Residents are electing 13 councillors to bring the city council back to its full complement of 40.

The by-elections were held after the High Court upheld a decision by the new government not to allow the Devon city unitary status.

The city of Norwich also held elections for the same reason.

Exeter and Norwich were granted unitary status by the previous Labour administration in February, but a High Court judge said it had ignored criteria such as value for money to allow the change and ruled the by-elections must take place to maintain legality.