Good morning! Welcome to Nub News' live coverage of the local election count for Kingston where we will be on hand to bring readers the results as they happen.

The 198 candidates vying for 48 seats across 19 wards have been working hard for residents' votes in recent weeks on doorsteps, through public hustings and on social media.

The council is currently a stronghold for the Liberal-Democrats, who hold 39 of the 48 seats, with the Conservatives holding the remaining nine.

New ward arrangements have come into force for the 2022 local elections in Kingston meaning the boundary of every ward in the borough has changed as well as the number of wards increasing from 16-19.

The 10 three-member wards are now in the process of being counted and will be followed by the nine two-member wards from around 2pm.

Following the recent death of New Malden Village independent candidate, Mary Jean Clark, the local election for New Malden Village Ward has been POSTPONED. The election of councillors in the New Malden Ward will take place within 35 days of yesterday's election and a new date is expected within the next week.

There is hope that the first ward announcement will be around 11am and - barring the need for any recounts - the final declaration is expected around 6pm.

Stay tuned as we offer updates from the count as news of the future shape of Kingston Council emerges.

LIB DEMS HOLD as party wins or keeps all 27 seats declared so far, nine two-member wards still to be announced.

First results are in and it's a clean sweep for the Lib-Dems in Hook and Chessington North. Congratulations to Steph Archer who retains her position on the council (1750 votes), Sue Ansari (1627 votes) and Afy Afilaka (1566 votes). Voter turnout for the ward was 41.17%.

Second clean sweep for the Lib-Dems in Chessington South and Malden Rushett. Current Lib Dem council leader for Kingston, Andreas Kirsch, and Griseldis Kirsch and Sharukh Mirza captured 49% of the vote.

Three more Lib Dems elected in Surbiton Hill. Alison Holt, Tom Reeve and Amir Ali Khan capturing 53%.

Bit of a pattern seeming to emerge... The Lib Dems sweep Kingston Town. Roger Mark Hayes, Nicola Nardelli and John Nicholas Sweeney taking 43% of the votes.

Three more Lib Dems elected in Coombe Vale with Conservative, Roy Arora loosing his seat. Andrew Bolton and Kamala Kugan both gaining 30% of the votes with Andrew Sillett coming in with 14%.

Strongest victory for the Lib Dems so far in Norbiton as Emily Davey, Olly Wehring and Susan Skipwith take home a commanding 51% of the votes.

Another three Lib Dems elected. Anne Owen, Sabah Hamed and Farshid Sadr- Hashemi are the councillors for Kingston Gate.

Six more Lib Dem councillors elected in St Mark's but a fantastic effort from Sharron Sumner who came in a close fourth gaining 12% of the votes. Our single moment of drama so far...

And to conclude the nine three-member wards, a commanding victory for the Lib Dems in Tolworth gaining 63% of the votes. Congratulations to Mariana Goncalves, Thay Thayalan and Andrew John Wooldridge.

The Lib Dems have now gained a majority in Kingston upon Thames gaining a maximum 27 elected councillors from the first nine wards announced.

Onto the nine two-member wards, King George's and Sunray is won by the Lib Dems' Mark Beynon and Helen Rachel Grocott taking 49% of the votes.

Big hit for the conservatives as they loose both seats in Old Malden, Lib Dem candidates Mike Massimi and Elizabeth Park take control gaining 49%.

It's a double clean sweep in Motspur Park and Old Malden, and the Alexandra ward for the Lib Dems.

The conservatives have gained their first elected councillor in Tudor. Lib Dems' Patrick Hall is joined by the Conservative's Jamal Chohan with fellow peer Ben Mallett narrowly missing out.

Canbury Gardens has elected councillors Noel Water Hadjimichael and James Noel Manthel from the Lob Dems coming in with 48% of the vote.

The Lib Dems sweep Berrylands with Jackie Davies and Anita Margaret gaining a comfortable 50% of the votes.

Coombe Hill is won by the Conservatives. Rowena Bass and Ian George accumulating 48% of the votes which takes their total seat count to three.

The biggest shock of the evening comes from the last elected ward! Green Lane and St James, which had gone to a full recount, sees the Lib Dems and the Kingston Independent Residents Group - Malden Matters take a seat each. Congratulations to James Giles (KIRG) and Tim Cobbett (Lib Dem). Simon John May Giles of the Lib Dems missed out by a single %.

THERE WE HAVE IT! Your final results for the Kingston local elections are as follows: 41 Lib Dems, 3 Conservatives, 1 Kingston Independent Residents Group - Kingston Matters

Full election round up to follow.