The borough’s Conservatives once again have the largest number of sitting councillors on Havering Council, but fell short of winning an overall majority and assuming control of the council.

With an overall turnout of just 37pc, the Havering Conservative group won 25 seats – 28 seats being the requirement to form a majority administration.

The next largest group in the council was the Hornchurch Residents Association, who claimed eight seats.

Then came the Upminster and Cranham Residents Association, with six sitting councillors.

It was actually a good night for Labour in the borough, though not quite the seismic shift that seemed possible but admittedly improbable, Jeremy Corbyn’s left-wing party saw its number of councillors rise from two to five.

The Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association won three seats, while the South Hornchurch Independent Residents Group claimed two.

The newly-formed Harold Hill Independent Party saw Jan Sargent claim one seat in Gooshays and Michael Deon Burton, standing as an independent candidate, also claimed a seat in South Hornchurch.

Back in 2014 the Conservatives won 22 seats and went on to form a minority administration propped up by a number of Residents Association councillors.

Here at the Recorder we’ll have more exclusive election reaction throughout the day.