The Conservatives made significant gains and Labour performed poorly in the first 2021 local election results to emerge.
Far fewer councils have declared results than is the norm for the post-election Friday morning, with the complexities of organising election counts at a time of social distancing meaning a majority decided to delay the process until today or over the weekend.
Of the first few councils to declare, the Conservatives gained Dudley MBC, Northumberland CC and Nuneaton & Bedworth BC from no overall control, and Harlow BC direct from Labour.
At 10.45am, the Conservatives had gained 59 councillors and Labour lost 58 across the country.