Council leader OUT, Tories lose overall control in Basildon & UKIP become main opposition

Gateway 97.8 are live throughout the night to report the results of the local borough elections as they come in.

Yvonne Williams will be reporting from Basildon, while Martyn Dolton from the Yellow Advertiser joins from Thurrock.

David Webster holds council in the studio, after the local area saw polling stations open from 7am this morning until 10pm night.

Join the twitter debate using #Elections2014. Results will be posted here as they happen.

Liberal Democrat leader Geoff Williams told us that UKIP are on a roll and in the end there wasn’t a lot his party could do about it:

UKIP leader Kerry Smith told us he was absolutely pleased and eternally grateful to his constituents:

BASILDON (24 CON, 12 LAB, IND 3, LIB 2, UKIP 1) – 15/42 seats up for election

12.15am: Pitsea North West – UKIP gain from CON
12.30am: Nethermayne – UKIP gain from LIB
12.42am: Crouch – CON hold
12.51am: Billericay East – CON hold
1.32am: Wickford Castledon – UKIP gain from CON
1.42am: Laindon Park – UKIP gain from CON
2.04am: Pitsea South East – UKIP gain from CON
2.23am: Fryerns – UKIP gain from LAB
2.36am: Billericay West – CON hold
2.43am: Wickford North – UKIP gain from CON
3.12am: Langdon Hills – UKIP gain from CON
3.14am: Wickford Park – UKIP gain from CON
3.17am: Burstead – CON hold
3.33am: Lee Chapel North – UKIP gain from LAB x2

CONFIRMED (17 CON, 12 UKIP, 9 LAB, IND 3, LIB 1) – No Overall Control