The Conservatives won the most seats on Nottinghamshire County Council ahead of Labour – as the UKIP vote in Notts collapsed.
Voters in Nottinghamshire went to the polls on Thursday (May 4) as part of 88 council and mayoral elections being held five weeks before the general election.
Results were announced on Friday, ward by ward. Turnout overall was 35.2 per cent.
The Conservatives won 31 seats – three short of a controlling majority – and Labour 23. Ashfield Independents became the third biggest group with five seats. UKIP’s support dropped by more than 15 per cent overall and the party failed to win a seat.
Up for grabs was control of County Hall, West Bridgford, and public services outside of the Nottingham city boundary.
Here’s how the news unfolded in our live blog, and more reaction and analysis is available in our full report.
14.35 As Worksop West goes to Labour’s Sybil Fielding, the election is over and no party has overall control. Final results had the Conservatives on 31 seats, Labour on 23 and Ashfield Independents on 5.
14.03 This is the moment when the prize of overall control began to slip away from the Conservatives. Arnold South goes to Labour. The Tories had hoped to win here.
Key moment for Labour as they win both Arnold South seats. Suddenly an overall majority for the Tories looks less easy to win. #NottsVote pic.twitter.com/ttrRKMKxSg
— Chris Breese (@ChrisBNottsTV) May 5, 2017
14.02 Overall turnout is confirmed as 35.2 per cent.
13.52 Just two results left to call now – Worksop South and Worksop West, with the Conservatives not able to win overall control of the council, despite holding 31 seats to Labour’s 21 so far.
13.48 Labour group leader Alan Rhodes comfortably wins his seat in Worksop North. 2,000 votes for Cllr Rhodes, compared with 933 for Richard Barnes and the Conservatives.
13.30 Labour hold – William Clarke and Muriel Weisz win Arnold south for Labour.
13.25 We are just waiting for the key seats of Arnold now, where the Conservatives hope to make gains. Two more and they will have won back control. Plenty of traditionally strong Labour areas still to come though.
13.03 Conservative group leader Kay Cutts: “I was nervous because there is so much riding on this. We [the party] had so much to prove.
“I think the swing is down to Jeremy Corbyn, [Labour party leader] on the doorstep people don’t like him and I think some people have voted Conservative for the first time in this election.
“Also Theresa May launched our campaign in Nottinghamshire and I think her support in that way has helped tremendously.
“I will change everything. We’re going to make sure the council’s assets work for us, we’re going to have big schemes and big plans and send the message that Nottinghamshire is open for business.”
12.54 Labour cannot win control of County Hall. There are just 17 seats left to come and Labour are on 11 seats. The Conservatives have 30. That’s it for Labour, they cannot gain control and it’s heading for a blue dawn in the chamber.
12.48 We expect to talk to the Conservative group leader, Kay Cutts shortly.
12.42 As Toton Chilwell and Attenborough goes to the two Conservative candidates, Eric Kerry and Richard Jackson, we are at 30 Conservative seats, 11 Labour, 4 Independents.
12.29 Carlton East – is won by Nicki Books for Labour – just with 1,576 votes to Kevin Doyle’s 1,547 for Conservatives. That’s a majority of just 29.
And with 39 of 66 seats declared, here’s the swing so far, with Labour struggling and UKIP sliding badly. (Graphic from Notts CC)
12.24 Two more Conservative wins Boyd Elliott, Calverton Christopher Barnfather, Newstead
12.20 Sutton Central and East is won by Ashfield Independents Working All Year Round – Samantha Deakin
12.17 Eleven seats needed now for the Tories to win back power. Crucially, they picked up seats in Hucknall as Labour hover around just seven seats so far.
Past the halfway point now and Conservatives are 11 seats away from victory in #NottsVote local election with 23. Labour on 7. pic.twitter.com/eEAk7CFPJR
— Chris Breese (@ChrisBNottsTV) May 5, 2017
12.12 The Conservatives have won 23 seats so far, and need 34 to seize back control of County Hall.
12.10 Good afternoon and welcome to what is already pointing towards a political shift in Nottinghamshire, with just over half of the county council election results declared.
