Local Elections 2022: Results in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk

It was always going to be a tough election for the Conservatives and they have paid the price in Colchester losing their slender control of the Borough Council and their council leader.

Paul Dundas lost his Stanway seat to the Liberal Democrats who are now likely to join with Labour to form a joint administration with Labour.

The Conservatives did manage to retain power Basildon and Harlow - two councils they won in 2021.

The Tories lost six seats on Rochford Council and saw their overall majority reduced to just three.

Labour increased their majority on Ipswich Borough Council

  • BASILDON

The Conservative Party held onto control of the council, maintaining an overall majority of eight seats on the council.

Jack Ferguson, the leader of Basildon Council’s Labour group, lost his Pitsea North West ward seat to Conservative candidate Sam Gascoyne by 20 votes.

14 of the 42 seats on the council were up for election.

In the May 2021 local elections, the Conservatives won back the overall majority on Basildon council they previously lost in 2019.

  • BRENTWOOD

The Conservative Party held onto control of the council in Brentwood, but lost two seats.

The Liberal Democrats gained two seats on the council.

13 of the 37 seats on the council were up for election.

The Conservatives increased their majority on Brentwood Council in last year’s local elections but saw it cut back this year.

  • CASTLE POINT

The Conservative have lost control of Castle Point Council as Independents made six gains. The Independent group now has an overall majority of 11.

14 of the 41 seats on the council were up for election.

This council covers the Canvey Island, South Benfleet and Thundersley area of south Essex.

  • COLCHESTER

In Colchester, the council remains hung, with no one party taking overall control.

The Conservative Party lost four seats including that of the leader Paul Dundas. The Independents lost one seat, Labour gained two seats, The Liberal Democrats have gained two seats and the Green Party gained one seat.

The overall turnout in Colchester was 32%.

18 of the 51 seats on the council were up for election.

Colchester Borough Council has effectively been a hung council since 1998 with no one party having enough seats to out-vote all the others. In May 2021 the Tories took over power with support from Highwoods Independents but now its likely to return to the control of Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Nearly 1,400 candidates are standing to be elections to more than 400 council seats across the Anglia region Credit: ITV News Anglia

  • EPPING FOREST

The Conservative Party held onto control of the council but with a smaller majority of 12.

The Liberal Democrats gained a seat whilst the Conservative Party lost a seat.

20 of the 58 seats on the council were up for election.

Epping Forest has been in Conservative control since 2007. The largest opposition grouping is the Loughton Residents Association.

  • HARLOW

The Conservative Party held onto control of the council in Harlow with an overall majority of eight.

The overall turnout in Harlow was 28.9%.

12 of the 33 seats on the council were up for election.

In 2021 the Conservatives saw one of their great victories of 2021 in Harlow snatching control of the council directly from Labour who had been in power since 2012.

  • IPSWICH

Labour increased their overall majority in Ipswich, gaining two seats. It wasn't a great night for the Conservative Party which lost two seats.

The overall turnout in Ipswich was 33.3%.

17 of the 48 seats on the council were up for election.

Labour have been in power in Ipswich since 2011 but saw their overall majority slashed to 12 in the May 2021 local elections.

  • NORWICH

Labour remain in power at City Hall in Norwich but will a slightly reduced majority after a gain from the main opposition Green Party.

13 of the 39 seats on the council were up for election.

Labour have had an overall majority in Norwich since 2012.

  • ROCHFORD

The Conservative Party have held onto control of the council but their majority was slashed to just three seats. The party lost six seats overall.

Local Residents gained four seats, the Liberal Democrats gained two seats.

13 of the 39 seats on the council were up for election.

This south Essex council has been in Conservative control for two decades although the Liberal Democrats had a brief taste of power in 1994-98.

  • SOUTHEND-ON-SEA

Labour and the Liberal Democrats strengthened their position running the hung Southend Council with the Tories losing a couple of councillors.

The overall turnout in Southend-on-Sea was 31.1%.

18 of the 51 seats on the council were up for election.

Southend is one of only two unitary authorities in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk meaning a single council runs all the local services.

A new independent political party called Confelicity contested all the wards in this election but got fewer than 800 votes and only a 2% share.

  • THURROCK

The Conservatives Party have held onto the control of the council winning with an increased majority of 11.

The Labour Party lost a seat while one Independent gained a seat.

16 of the 49 seats on the council were up for election.

Thurrock is the other of only two unitary authorities in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk meaning a single council runs all the local services.