Today is the day - 48 councillors are set to be voted onto Kingston Council and the Lib Dems could lose its two-term long run in the Guildhall.

We will be reporting live throughout the day from the King's Centre in Chessington, where the results for all 19 wards across the borough will be announced from.

9.30am



Candidates queueing up to enter the count hall in Chessington! (Credit: Tilly O'Brien)

Postal votes for Coombe Hill, Old Malden, Alexandra, Canbury Gardens, and Tudor are now being verified.

9am

The count has officially started! But we are not expecting our first result for a couple of hours at least!

Candidates and party members are all in the count hall!

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6.15am

What is the political makeup going into today's count?

The Lib Dems have run the council for two terms since taking over from the Conservatives in 2018.

The Lib Dems, Labour, and Conservatives are each standing 48 candidates in the election, while The Green Party and Reform UK are each standing 42 candidates. Kingston Independent Residents Group (KIRG) has put forward 36 candidates, while three candidates from The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and two Independent councillors are also standing.

This equates to 269 candidates all together!

6am

Polls closed late last night (7 May), with councillors canvassing until late at night.

This morning will see the votes verified before they are counted for all 19 wards in the borough.

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Don't forget - all 48 seats up for grabs, 24 is up for the magic number.

Labour, Conservatives, and the Lib Dems are all standing 48 candidates.

But will we see a party get over at that line?