131 of 136 councils Counting under way
Local elections in England cover more than 5,000 seats across 136 local authorities and six mayoral races. The banner shows each party’s seat total as results come in. Results from all counts are expected by Saturday.
Thursday's vote saw Reform UK win six seats on Cherwell District Council
A fragmented political picture has emerged across much of the South with negotiations now taking place in several councils that have ended up under no overall control.
Several authorities in Hampshire and Oxfordshire remain hung, meaning coalition or minority administrations are likely.
Reform UK rocked the Isle of Wight, taking 19 council seats, leaving the island's local authority also with no overall majority.
Meanwhile there was a glimmer of stability in Berkshire where Labour kept control of Reading and Lib Dems held on to Wokingham.
Witney MP Charlie Maynard joined Lib Dem leader Andy Graham at the West Oxfordshire count
No party has overall control in Oxford City Council, although Labour, which has been the dominant political force in the city since the early 1980s, remains the largest party.
They were left five short of a majority with 20 councillors, while the Greens had a good return taking them to 13.
The Liberal Democrats hold nine seats, alongside a group of independents, with both the Conservatives and Reform UK failing to secure representation on the council.
Oxford City Council Labour group leader Susan Brown described it as a "night of ups and downs".
She added: "Now we must digest the results and listen to what the electorate have said to us."
Across the wider county, the picture is similarly fragmented.
West Oxfordshire District Council remains under no overall control, with the Liberal Democrats the largest party, expected to continue leading an administration supported by other parties.
Cherwell District Council has no majority despite Lib Dems holding the most seats and picking up a further four.
There was surge in support for Reform UK, who picked up six seats in the area but they remain behind Labour and the Conservatives in the local authority.
Elsewhere, West Oxfordshire saw relatively little change, with the Lib Dems expected to continue leading an administration supported by other parties.
Reading Borough Council's Labour party leader Liz Terry
Labour has retained control of Reading Borough Council while the Liberal Democrats have held onto Wokingham Borough Council, meaning there has been little overall change in the political balance across Berkshire.
In Reading, Labour kept a comfortable majority, although the party lost four seats during the count. Three of those seats were taken by the Greens and one by the Conservatives, indicating some erosion of Labour's dominance despite its continued control of the authority.
Reading Borough Council's Labour leader Liz Terry, said she was "excited to get on with delivering what we promised" but added she was "really disappointed to have lost some really hard-working colleagues."
Former Conservative leader in Reading, Clarence Mitchell, who defected to Reform UK, was left disappointed after he lost his seat.
Reflecting on the Liberal Democrats success in Wokingham, Mohima Bose, who represents the party for Barkham and Arborfield, said she felt "fantastic".
"I just want to tell everyone of you that hopefully, I'll live up to your expectation," she said.
Portsmouth Lib Dem leader Steve Pitt said the outcome was a "brilliant result"
Hampshire County Council was left hung after the Conservatives lost 29 seats and Reform UK made significant gains, winning 20 seats, while the Liberal Democrats and Greens also picked up smaller increases.
The result leaves no single party with a majority, reflecting a broader shift in voter behaviour across the county. Several district and borough councils, including Hart, Havant and Gosport, are also under no overall control, underlining a fragmented political landscape.
Reform made particularly strong gains in Havant, while the Liberal Democrats strengthened their position in Hart.
There was good news for the Conservatives in Fareham, where there was little overall change, and they remained in control.
Elsewhere, Winchester City Council remained under Liberal Democrat control, while both Rushmoor and Basingstoke and Deane continue with no overall majority.
The overall picture across Hampshire suggests a move away from traditional party dominance towards more divided councils.
Conservative council leader Nick Adams-King said Hampshire's "significant challenges" must be approached "seriously, constructively and with the best interests of residents at heart".
Reform UK councillor Bill Nigh on the Isle of Wight said he was "delighted" with his win
Reform UK has become the largest party on the Isle of Wight Council after winning 19 seats in the local elections, leaving the authority under no overall control. The result marks a significant political shift on the island.
The Conservatives suffered heavy losses, losing 16 councillors and being reduced to just two seats. Many of Reform's gains came directly from them, while the Alliance group of independents, which previously ran the council, also saw its numbers fall.
The outcome means the council is now more politically divided, with no party able to govern outright. It also reflects changing voter priorities, with national political issues appearing to have influenced local voting patterns.
The defeat of key figures added to the scale of change, including former council leader Phil Jordan, who lost his seat to Reform. The results signal a major realignment in the island's political make-up.
Reform councillor Bill Nigh said the result "symbolises that the old order basically has gone and more forward-looking Islanders are taking account now of national issues as well as local ones."
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Local Election results for the South of England 2026
Labour retain Reading and Lib Dems hold Wokingham
Reform rocks Isle of Wight as Labour loses Southampton
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