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Elections 2014 Essex: Conservatives lose control of three councils Elections 2014 Essex: Conservatives lose control of three councils
(about 2 hours later)
The Conservatives have lost control of three councils in south Essex following voting in Thursday's local elections. The Conservatives have lost control of four councils in south Essex following voting in Thursday's local elections.
The party, which was the largest at Basildon, Castle Point and Southend councils, has made losses to UKIP which means those authorities now have no overall control. The party, which was the largest at Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point and Southend councils, has mainly suffered losses to UKIP and those authorities now have no overall control.
Local elections are also taking place in Brentwood, Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Rochford and Thurrock. Labour has lost control of Thurrock to no overall control, but retained control of Harlow.
The European Parliament election vote will be counted on Sunday.The European Parliament election vote will be counted on Sunday.
UKIP has made five gains in Southend and Castle Point and seven gains in Basildon. Local elections also took place in Colchester, Epping Forest and Rochford.
'No particular strategy'
UKIP made 11 gains in Basildon and five in both Southend and Castle Point.
A party source said there was no particular strategy to target Essex.
"It's just a reflection on how organised we are becoming in areas of the country," he said.
In Basildon, the Tory council leader Tony Ball, who pushed through the controversial traveller evictions at Dale Farm, lost his ward to UKIP.
He was one of seven Conservatives to lose their seats, while Labour lost three and the Lib Dems one.
The Tories remain the largest party with 17 seats, UKIP has 11, Labour 10, the Lib Dems one and there are two independents.
In Castle Point, the Conservative leader of the council Pam Challis lost her seat to UKIP.
In Brentwood, the Conservatives lost two seats to the Liberal Democrats and one to Labour, which means the council now has 18 Conservative, 11 Lib Dem, five independent and three Labour councillors.
In Southend, the council now has 19 Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats join UKIP on five after losing four seats, Labour gained three seats bringing their total to nine and there are 13 independents.
Labour losses
Labour lost two seats in Thurrock as UKIP gained five seats there. Overall, Labour now has 23 seats, the Conservatives 18, UKIP six, there are two independents and the Lib Dems remain without a seat.
Labour retained control of Harlow Council, despite losing three seats to UKIP, who won five seats in total as the Conservatives lost one and the independent lost his.
The Conservatives have retained control of Rochford.
Colchester remains with no single party in overall control.
The count in Epping Forest is due to take place later on Friday.
Voting also took place across Essex for the European Parliament's East of England constituency and the count is due to take place on Sunday night.