Election

England council results

Number of councillors

63 of 136 councils

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Summary

  • Voters went to the polls on Thursday to vote for councillors on six North East councils

  • All the councillors will be elected for Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside councils

  • A third of the councillors on Hartlepool and North Tyneside councils are being elected

  • Hartlepool was the only council which voted overnight - Reform won all the seats which were up for grabs

  • As well as local elections in England, voters in Scotland and Wales will decide who governs their countries. You can follow updates here

  • You can find the full results here

Live Reporting

Written by Pamela Tickell and edited by Rachel Kerr

  1. South Tyneside so far...

    Helen Richardson
    Political correspondent, BBC Radio Newcastle

    After four ward announcements, it’s looking like a battle between the Green Party and Reform UK in South Tyneside.

    So far, Reform has won eight seats and the Greens have won four.

    The leader of the Green group on South Tyneside, Rachael Taylor (pictured), has retained her seat. She says she's worried about sharing a chamber full of inexperienced politicians.

    Very interesting to see how high turnout has been in some of the wards declaring so far. In Beacon and Bents it was 50.5%.

    Rachael Taylor is smiling at the camera. She has long brown hair and is wearing a green patterned shirt.

  2. Turnout up in North Tyneside

    Joshua Aitken
    BBC North East and Cumbria

    We've had figures in for the turnout here in North Tyneside and it's 42.24%.

    This is surprisingly high. Earlier we were told counting was taking longer than usual but when the number was revealed even some of the officials around us were exchanging shocked reactions.

    It seems that the primary rivalry for the day will be between Reform UK and Labour but there is some excitement among Green candidates in some wards.

    The same can't be said for the Lib Dems, Liberal Democrat candidate Alexander Martin (pictured) joked "there's no votes in my box! I looked and it was files, files, files... no files in mine!" But despite this he says he's pleased with the national picture for the party.

    Alexander Martin is shrugging with a tight smile on his face. He is wearing a yellow shirt and rosette. Behind him, people are standing around the sports hall which has a stage in the middle.

  3. Lib Dems win first seats in Sunderland, Reform just behind

    Richard Moss
    Political editor, North East & Cumbria

    The Liberal Democrats have got their first councillors in Sunderland, winning all three seats in the Grindon and Thorney Close ward.

    Reform UK’s candidates were just behind with Labour’s three candidates a long way back.

    Dozens of people stand around the sports hall looking up at the small black stage which has been set up. The walls behind are draped in blue curtains and there are red Sunderland city banners up as well. Plus a projector screen showing some candidates' names.

  4. First Green councillor on North Tyneside

    Andy Watson
    BBC North East and Cumbria

    Tears of joy from Martin Osborne who becomes the first Green Party councillor on North Tyneside Council.

    Osborne won a fiercely-contested race in North Shields as the Greens picked up 1,156 votes, with Labour trailing on 934, while Reform picked up 938.

    The win was the first time Labour has lost the ward since 1990.

    Osborne said: “I feel amazing, it’s a tough day for Labour but hopefully this is the beginning of a Green breakthrough.”

    Martin Osborne is smiling brightly with both thumbs raised. He is wearing a green rosette and dark three-quarter zip fleece. People are sitting on tables dotted around the sports hall behind him.

  5. Reform takes first seats in Newcastle

    Luke Walton
    Political correspondent, BBC North East and Cumbria

    The second ward has been announced in Newcastle and Reform UK has won its first councillors, taking all three seats in Denton and Westerhope.

    The ward previously had two independents and one Labour councillor.

    The outer west neighbourhood was heavily targeted by Reform which is optimistic it will be the first of many gains here today.

  6. 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.

  7. 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

  8. 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.

  9. 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

  10. 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.

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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.

  14. 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:

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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.

  20. 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.