Election

England council results

Number of councillors

136 of 136 councils

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Summary

Live Reporting

Written by Pamela Tickell and edited by Rachel Kerr

  1. Reform making gains in Gateshead

    Mark Denten
    BBC North East and Cumbria

    Reform UK has now taken 12 seats on Gateshead Council.

    The party did not have any seats here before the elections but they are now running neck and neck with the Lib Dems who also have 12.

    Labour which had 46 seats on the council before the election has three at the moment.

    The Greens have gained their first seat on the council in the High Fell Ward

    There are 66 wards in total to be declared today.

  2. First result in South Tyneside sees Reform gains

    Helen Richardson
    Political correspondent, BBC Radio Newcastle

    Reform UK takes all three seats in the Bede ward on South Tyneside Council, with Independents second, Greens third, Labour fourth and Conservatives fifth.

    Reform have gained almost double the number of votes of other candidates

  3. Sunderland turnout 'considerably higher'

    Richard Moss
    Political editor, North East & Cumbria

    The first result in Sunderland is close.

    There was a 40.5% turnout, which is considerably up on the last time elections were held here in 2024 where it was just over 30%.

    Perhaps a result of an all-out election but also maybe a reflection of a more intense political contest as people realise control of the city is at stake.

  4. Green gains as first Newcastle ward declared

    Luke Walton
    Political correspondent, BBC North East and Cumbria

    The first result from the Newcastle count brought cheers from Green supporters.

    The party won all three seats in the Byker ward, an area where they previously had just one councillor.

    After the 2024 elections, the ward had two Labour councillors as well as a Green.

    But the decision of one of those Labour councillors, former Labour leader Nick Kemp, to leave Labour to become an Independent complicated the picture.

    A woman stands on the at the top of a red-carpeted stairway, reading from a podium. There is a crowd of people gathered below, looking up at her

  5. First result declared in North Tyneside

    Andy Watson
    BBC North East and Cumbria

    We've just had our first declaration in North Tyneside - Mick Stobbard is elected in Killingworth ward and becomes the second member of Reform UK on North Tyneside council.

    He won 1,134 votes beating his nearest opponent, Labour's Bryan Clark who had 899 votes.

    In his speech Stobbard said: "Hopefully I will be joined by more Reform councillors soon."

    There were a lot of angry faces from the Labour camp, and supporters could be heard calling the result "atrocious".

    A person in a blue suit and a turquoise rosette for Reform UK stands at the podium.

  6. More downbeat Labour faces in North Tyneside

    Joshua Aitken
    BBC North East & Cumbria

    Ballot papers are piling up here in North Tyneside.

    The chatter between candidates and party officials seems to suggest a two horse race between Reform and Labour - with some wards tighter than others.

    First results are expected within the next hour or so, meaning there's a not long left for fingernail nibbling candidates.

    A row of men are looking down at the table where people are counting ballot papers. Second on the right, a young man has both of his hands on his face and a drawn look on hisface.

    Labour candidate was looking downbeat as votes were counted

  7. All eyes on the Sunderland count

    Richard Moss
    Political editor, North East & Cumbria

    Michael Mordey is among a group of people standing over the table where people are counting ballot papers. He is wearing a dark suit and has short, greying hair. He is holding his pen in his mouth in a pensive way.

    Sunderland's Labour council leader Michael Mordey was looking pen-sive

    Paul Edgeworth is watching the counting while speaking with someone on his right. He is wearing a yellow rosette for the Liberal Democrats and a light blue suit.

    The Liberal Democrats, led by councillor Paul Edgeworth, start the count as the opposition to Labour. Can they make any headway?

    Andrew Husband is walking through the sports hall with a phone held to his ear. He is wearing a turquoise rosette for Reform UK and a blue suit.

    Neighbouring Durham County Council's Reform UK leader Andrew Husband is here too. At the moment he is the regions' only Reform council leader, but how many more might there be by the end of today?

    A view of the election count in Sunderland at Silksworth Lesiure Centre. On the far wall is a white banner with the words Sunderland Elections and Sunderland City Council. There are tables with rows of vote counters and candidates standing in between them ro

  8. Labour worries in South Tyneside

    Helen Richardson
    Political correspondent, BBC Radio Newcastle

    The Labour leader of South Tyneside council Tracey Dixon has arrived at the count.

    She’s concerned about major changes here and a future chamber of inexperienced councillors.

    Her ward results won’t be announced until this afternoon. She has been council leader since 2020 and a councillor since 2002.

    Tracey Dixon is smiling at the camera. She has short blonde hair and glasses. She is wearing a red rosette for Labour and a red rose on the lapel of her blue suit.

  9. What will each party do for the North East?

    BBC Radio Newcastle

    In the build-up to these local elections, representatives from the five main political parties told BBC Radio Newcastle's Anna Foster about their plans for the North East if they got into power.

    You can listen to the leaders of the Greens, Lib Dems, Reform and Tories along with a North East Labour MP below:

  10. Analysis: Newcastle set for a complex political make-up

    Richard Moss
    Political editor, North East & Cumbria

    Newcastle looks the most complicated politically and Labour's leadership looks fragile. Reform are in a strong position to get its first councillors, but the Greens have also been targeting big gains.

    Accusations of antisemitism against some of the Green candidates in the city have dogged their campaign, but how much damage that might have done is unclear.

    The Liberal Democrats will hope it may have worked in their favour as they look to become the city's largest party.

    Labour can at least be sure of retaining control of North Tyneside as it is only electing a third of its chamber. The party cannot mathematically lose control. Reform will be looking to build a bridgehead to target a takeover in future years.

    Conservative ambitions are more limited, with their focus largely on holding seats in Sunderland and North Tyneside to ensure they don't also fall victim to a Reform surge.

    But for Labour, the worries will be around how low its councillor count could go, and whether it can retain enough of a presence in the four all-out councils to rebuild.

    The Newcastle Civic Centre building. It is a long white building on the left hand side with a large white tower at the right end of it leading to a green tower at the top and a flagpole. On the left hand side is a round white building

  11. Analysis: This could be the end of Labour dominance of North East councils

    Richard Moss
    Political editor, North East & Cumbria

    Decades of Labour domination in some of the North East’s councils could end today.

    The rise of Reform UK poses the biggest challenge to the party yet in authorities it has led for more than 50 years. But it’s not the only one - the Greens have also been looking to peel off Labour voters.

    Labour's poor national poll ratings could not have come at a worse time. The usual pattern is for only a third of seats to be elected in any one year, but boundary changes have forced an all-out election for the first time since 2004 in four of Tyne and Wear's councils. That maximises the potential for change.

    Sunderland is Reform's top target - a council Labour has held for 52 years. It currently has no councillors. That will certainly change, but Nigel Farage has been clear that he does not just want to dent Labour's hold. He wants to win the city that played such a symbolic role in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

    But Gateshead is another potential prize, another council Labour has controlled since 1974. Reform has had no representation until now. but are confident of doing well. The Liberal Democrats, who have been the main opposition will want to make an impact too.

    In South Tyneside, Greens and Independents have been the main opposition to a Labour administration that lost its majority in the council chamber in the run-up to the elections. Labour are likely to fall further back, but it is also another potential Reform target.

    Nigel Farage on a stage. He is wearing a blue suit, a white shirt and a blue and red striped tie. He is wearing a microphone on his cheek and has his arms stretched out to the side. He us standing beside a turquoise lectern with the first four letters of the word Reform on and the outline of a Union flag in blue lightsPA Media

  12. Newcastle electorate 'splitting votes'

    Luke Walton
    Political correspondent, BBC North East and Cumbria

    Spare a thought for the vote counters currently raking their way through piles of ballot papers here in Newcastle.

    Because this is an all-out election - choosing three councillors in every ward - voters can split their three votes between parties if they wish.

    And at this count, it seems many are doing just that.

    That makes the job of counting votes harder and probably also means later declaration times. Couple that with what looks like a higher turnout than normal and I suspect many of the election staff here will be looking forward to their lunchtime break!

    A corner table at the election count. There are people sat at a white corner table working through piles of ballot papers. The crowd of people standing in front of them, on the other side of the table, is dense.

  13. Hartlepool Labour MP reiterates calls for Starmer to go

    David MacMillan
    BBC Tees

    "I think the best thing the Prime Minister could do is address the nation tomorrow and set a timetable for an orderly transition," said Labour MP Jonathan Brash who was at the overnight count in Hartlepool.

    One third of the authority's seats was contested and each of the 12 went to Reform UK.

    "It's a terrible night for the Labour Party," he said.

    "We're seeing incredibly hard-working and decent Hartlepool people, who've contributed a huge amount to the town in their time as councillors, losing their seats and it's absolutely no fault of their own."

    Brash reiterated his previous calls for Sir Keir Starmer to quit.

    "We need to rethink, we need to change, we need to offer something to the British public that makes them feel better in their lives," he said.

    "We've got a huge majority, we've got three years, so there's nothing we can't do."

    Earlier this morning, Starmer insisted that he would not walk away and "plunge the country into chaos".

    Jonathan Brash is standing in front of people who are rifling through ballot papers. He has short ginger hair and black glasses. He is wearing a blue suit with a red tie. He has a concerned look on his face as he speaks with reporters.

  14. Turnout 'significantly higher' in Gateshead

    Mark Denten
    BBC North East & Cumbria

    I understand turnout here in Gateshead was about 45%, which would be significantly higher than previous council elections in 2024 when it was 35%.

    The verification of votes is under way for all 66 seats which are up for grabs.

    Labour has controlled the council since it was created in 1974.

    There are rows of people sitting at wooden tables snaking around the red-bricked sports hall. There are counting ballot papers in front of them. There are various people standing around too, observing.

  15. Labour candidates looking downbeat in North Tyneside

    Andy Watson
    BBC North East and Cumbria

    Counting is also under way in North Tyneside.

    Twenty seats are available, a third of the council, which means there will be no changes in leadership today.

    Reform UK candidates have been “very optimistic" that they can make significant gains, while Labour candidates have got a stoic look, which reflects the national picture.

    The North Tyneside count in the large sports hall, which has a purple carpet and yellow and white walls. There are tables dotted around the room, with people sat at them riffling through ballot papers. There are also people standing on the other side observing.

  16. Dressed for success? Hopes for a dramatic takeover in Sunderland

    Richard Moss
    Political editor, North East & Cumbria

    As counting begins in Sunderland, Reform UK activists and candidates are hoping for a dramatic takeover of the council.

    All 75 seats are up for grabs at the count at Silksworth Sports Centre.

    Labour has held this council for 52 years and it is one of Reform UK's top targets.

    A man walking through the sports hall wearing a striking blue, striped suit and a turquoise rosette for Reform UK. He has blading white hair and a beard and is wearing white shoes.

  17. Nervous faces as South Tyneside gets going too

    Helen Richardson
    Political correspondent, BBC Radio Newcastle

    Votes are being verified before the actual counting begins, and there are some nervous faces here in Temple Park Leisure Centre in South Shields.

    There are plenty of candidates here to hear the results for South Tyneside Council, the question is: Have Labour done enough to retain any of their 27 seats?

    Will Reform UK be as successful as they predicted? Or have the Greens and Independents managed to fight off the rise of Reform?

    The Greens and Independents are strong on South Tyneside, and Labour lost their official majority here last summer. But this council has been Labour run since the 1970s, so any change here will be historic.

    The election count in a brown and green sports hall. There are multiple rows of tables, lined with people ruffling through ballot papers. with white signs erected above them. In the foreground, there are half a dozen people looking on at those counting.

  18. Counting under way in Newcastle

    Luke Walton
    Political correspondent, BBC North East and Cumbria

    It's all go here at Newcastle Civic Centre.

    There are 78 seats up for grabs in this "all-out" election that comes after boundary changes, so the next few hours will be busy.

    It's likely to be a tough day for Labour which has run this city since 2011, but faces potentially being reduced to fourth place behind the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and the Greens.

    Early signs here are that the turnout is up significantly on previous years which could make the result more unpredictable.

    But many here expect that the Lib Dem's and Reform will fight it out to be largest party but that no party will be close to forming a majority.

    The mood among Labour activists is grim amid predictions the party could be reduced to single figures. But still very early days.

    An election count. There are dozens of people sitting in a row on one side of a white table, which is stacked with ballot papers. A sign above them reads: "Dene and South Gosforth". There are groups of people standing on the other side of the table, including a woman in a white suit and a large, turquoise rosette for reform.

  19. A clean sweep for Reform in Hartlepool

    David MacMillan
    BBC Tees political reporter

    Just one of our councils counted overnight - Hartlepool.

    Reform UK were jubilant, Labour were left in despair.

    Just one third of Hartlepool Council was up for election. Each of the twelve seats being contested went to Nigel Farage’s party.

    That meant Labour’s majority was swept away, and, with the council in no overall control, quite possibly the party’s leadership of the local authority as well.

    Labour’s recriminations began long before the results were announced.

    The town’s MP Jonathan Brash, renewed his call for Keir Starmer to resign, saying it had been a devastating night for his party.

    Council leader Pamela Hargreaves lost her seat in Manor House. She said people on the doorstep told her they just couldn’t vote for Labour as long as Keir Starmer remained in charge.

    Whatever it means for Labour, in the short term at least, it means uncertainty at Hartlepool Council. Negotiations will now have to take place to decide who will lead the council next.

    The winning candidates from Reform UK, some wearing blue rosettes, stand in a line in front of a stage at a leisure centre where the election count has taken place. They are mostly men, with two women in the middle of the line-up. They are all smiling.

    Reform won all the seats up for grabs in Hartlepool

  20. What have you been voting for?

    Voters have been choosing which councillor they want to represent the ward they live in. Councils are made up of a number of different wards.

    All the council seats on Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside councils have been up for election this time which means we could see some significant changes in which political party is in charge of running them.

    The voting at North Tyneside and Hartlepool councils has involved a third of the councillors.

    Their responsibilities include rubbish collection, recycling, council tax collections, housing and planning applications.

    Three black bins in a row along a street. The fist one is slightly out of focus. The bins are against the garden of a house which has black metal railings