Labour has held onto key mayoralties even though it looks like Nigel Farage's Reform UK will make significant gains in local elections across England.
Helen Goodwin kept the West of England Combined Authority for Labour while Karen Clark and Ros Jones retained council mayoral positions for North Tyneside and Doncaster respectively.
But Reform's Andrea Jenkyns was voted in as Greater Lincolnshire's first mayor, winning 42% of the vote, with Conservative Rob Waltham coming in second with 26%.
Chief executive of the LGiU think-tank, Jonathan Carr-West, said: "For the first time, Reform will hold power regionally. This is significant given the Government's agenda to drive further devolution across England. But, like all combined authority mayors, she will find that to be successful she must build effective partnerships with local government and across the public sector.'
While only one council has so far declared, Reform looks on its way to winning control of Lincolnshire CC. Farage's party also looks likely to make gains in Staffordshire, winning 24 of the 30 seats declared so far.
Northumberland remains under no overall control, with the Conservatives retaining most seats but the party lost 10 and Reform, which previously had no councillors, now has 23 – a close second to the Tories.
More results for councils are likely to start trickling through from 1pm today and most are expected in the early evening.
Up for election yesterday were 1,750 council seats, four strategic authority mayors and two council mayors.
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