We're ending our live coveragepublished at 19:55 BST 8 May
If you want to find out more about the result in Swindon then check our story here.
For more on Cheltenham, check this story.
131 of 136 councilsCounting under way
Counting has finished in both Swindon and Cheltenham
A last-minute twist in Cheltenham saw Reform earn its first seat on the council - although the Lib Dems maintained overall control
In Swindon, no party has control with none past the "magic 29" number
The Conservatives are the biggest party in the town - but without an overall majority
Labour has lost its majority but the party leader says he's willing to work with anyone - except Reform
Reform made gains in Swindon claiming 14 seats
While we will focus on Swindon and Cheltenham, you can also keep across what is happening across the UK here and find results in your area here
Edited by Chris Kelly and Zosia Eyres with reporters at counts in Swindon and Cheltenham
If you want to find out more about the result in Swindon then check our story here.
For more on Cheltenham, check this story.
Sammy Jenkins
Live page reporter
Some more reaction to the results from you.
Quote MessageJim Robbins is wrong to say he won't work with Reform. We're either a democracy or we're not. He should honour the voters' choice.
David Norris in Old Walcot
Quote MessageEvery year we see vital resources shutting down like youth centers, clubs for the community and people always want change. But the turn out in my parish was 30%, my question is, where was everybody?
Mckenzie in Swindon

Sammy Jenkins
Live page reporter
Finn from Swindon has been in touch with us with their thoughts....
Quote MessageHorrified at Reform growing so much here. It’s a mistake to promote more division - they have failed to find savings everywhere else, why would it be different here?
Finn in Swindon
Do you agree or disagree? Keen to hear your thoughts via our contact form on this page (on the left hand side for desktop and at the top for mobile users)

Bea Swallow
BBC News, West of England

Vinay Manro, chair of the Conservatives in Swindon, says it has been a "fantastic day" for the party.
"We had a target of 20, so to reach 23 is brilliant," he adds.
“We’ve bucked the trend and proven that Reform, when they campaign on national issues, don’t always win seats.
“We focused on local. Swindon Conservatives are here - we’re listening to residents and we want to do the best for Swindon," he says.
Sophie Parker
BBC News, Wiltshire
The last two seats to be announced in this local election in Swindon have made the Conservatives the largest party on the council.
Jake Chandler and Kate Tomlinson have won for the Tories in St Andrews East.
However, even with 23 seats, the party is not in control. A party would have needed at least 29 councillors in Swindon for that.
Sophie Parker
BBC News, Wiltshire
Conservative councillor Matthew Vallender has just won in South Marston - with a near 60% voter turnout.
Meanwhile, in Gorse Hill, Labour's Princia Jenovi Fernandes will be representing residents.
The Blunsdon ward has been won by Conservative Nick Gardiner.
The overall count currently stands at:
Just two seats left to go in St Andrew East...
Sophie Parker
Live page reporter
Conservative couple Barbara Parry and Kevin Parry have won the two seats for Covingham and Nythe.
We make the current count: Con 19, Lab 18, Reform 14, Lib 1. We have five seats left to declare in four wards.
Sophie Parker
Live page reporter
Penhill and Pinehurst will be represented by Mark Bogard and Martyn Pearce with Reform UK.
While the voter turnout in Swindon overall was higher than expected, this ward was only just above 30%.
Marie Lennon
Political reporter, Swindon
Yes, turnout has been higher than expected in Swindon, but a word on how that varies across town.
In Old Town and Lawn one of the most affluent areas in the borough, around half of all eligible people voted. In Penhill and Pinehurst, where there is more social deprivation, it was 30.85%.
Sophie Parker
Live page reporter
Three wards have come in fast.
Reform gains more seats in Haydon Wick - both James Head and Anthony Hedges win for Reform and the third councillor to represent the area will be Stanka Wilson for Labour.
For Lower Stratton, Andrew Cripps for Reform, Marco Di Pinto with the Conservatives and Roger Smith, also with the Conservatives, have all been elected.
In Broadgreen, Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh for Labour and Annabelle Pegado with the Conservatives will be representing the ward.
We're now getting to the stage where maths comes into play. Reform UK, Labour and the Conservatives all have the main share of the seats declared so far.
But with 11 seats left to declare - and Labour with the highest share at 17 - no party is going to hit the 29 seats they would need to win an overall majority.
Swindon's Labour leader Jim Robbins says his party is up for working with others "in the interests of Swindon", should the result be a hung council.
"It feels at the moment that Reform, because of the views of some of their candidates, aren't a party we'd want to work with," he adds.
Cllr Jim Robbins - 'What if it's a hung council'?
Sammy Jenkins
Live page reporter
Alex in Swindon has been in touch with us and says whoever runs Swindon Borough Council after this election will have to act fast.
Do you agree?
Quote MessageModern times have conditioned people to expect fast, visible results and instant responsiveness, while local councils operate on slow-moving funding cycles, legal processes and long-term transformation plans. That creates a growing gap between resident expectations and what councils can realistically deliver, making public frustration and political volatility much higher. Whoever runs Swindon Borough Council after this election will need to act fast!
Alex in Swindon

Sophie Parker
Live page reporter, Swindon
Two more wards have been announced here in Swindon - Upper Stratton will be represented by Mark Ratcliffe and Gordon Slade, both from Reform.
Parks has Sara Godwin for Reform and Jocelina D'Souza for Labour.
So far: Labour 16, Conservative 14, Reform 9, Lib Dem 1.
That's 40 of 57 seats declared - nine wards remaining.

So far, the Green Party has achieved hundreds of votes in each ward in Swindon, but has won no seats.
Tom Butcher is one of the candidates - he was a Labour councillor who defected and says he is "absolutely comfortable with the defection" and has made "good friends".
However, he admits Swindon isn't a "natural Green stomping ground".
He says they are disappointed but "proud of what we've achieved".
"We started behind the other parties. We've really thrown everything at the campaign.
"We've really enthused a lot of people into politics," he adds.
Speaking to reporter Marie Lennon ahead of polling day, council tax was one subject every party reached a consensus on.
All candidates stressed it was "impossible" not to raise it - but how do you feel?
Paul has been in touch with us - but do you agree?
Quote MessageWhen I bought my first house in Swindon almost 10 years ago at the age of 24, my council tax for a band C house was around £135/month for a 10 monthly cycle. Now it's almost £220/month for the same cycle and the same band. How do they expect residents to be able to keep up and afford these never-ending rate rises, especially when we get nothing extra back in return?
Paul in Swindon

Another result in for Swindon.
Abdul Amin and Emma Bushell have won two seats for Labour in Walcot.
The local elections have provided a last-minute twist in Cheltenham today, as Reform UK earned its first ever seat on a Gloucestershire council.
The overall political balance of Cheltenham Borough Council remains largely unchanged,, external as the Liberal Democrats maintain a firm hold with 17 out of 20 seats.
But as the final ballots were counted - and recounted to make sure - Reform took control of Hester's Way ward, with a handful of votes separating the candidates.
The Greens also managed to hold onto two seats. The authority has recorded an overall voter turnout of 47% in the local election.
Is the political landscape in Swindon so far mirroring how you voted yesterday?
Keep your comments coming in.
Quote MessageI voted for a Labour candidate, a Conservative candidate and a Reform candidate. I have no faith that any of them will do anything differently and we will get more of the same regardless of who wins overall control. We need proportional representation sooner rather than later! Will make the big parties less reliant on loyal voters and actually work for the communities they claim to represent.
Paul in Swindon

Sammy Jenkins
Live page reporter
Gary Sumner and Matt Hinton have it. Chiseldon and Ridgeway is blue.





