Thank you for joining us throughout today, as Norfolk's political map changed colour.

Reform UK were the big winners in the county council elections, but fell just short of a majority as Rupert Lowe's new party cleaned up in Great Yarmouth, while the Greens have taken control at Norwich City Council.

You can catch up on all the analysis and reaction here and you can also listen back to our election special on BBC Radio Norfolk here via BBC Sounds.

Alex Dunlop
BBC Look East

Image source, Shaun Whitmore/BBC

We've heard from the leader of the Greens at Norwich City Council following a triumphant day that saw them take majority control at City Hall, ending a long Labour dominance.

The Greens claimed five Labour seats to boost their councillor count to 21 and take outright control.

Asked if she would be the council leader soon, Lucy Galvin (pictured below) said: "It looks like I might well be. I'm not counting any chickens - the council decides that - but we do have an overall majority for the first time.

"We're the second Green council with an overall majority in the country [after Mid Suffolk District Council], so we're very excited for the city.

"It's amazing, we've worked so hard for so many years - it's a deep rooted majority, this.

"We've built and built over the years on hard work; it's built on people liking Green councillors and what they do in the community."

She added that when out on the campaign trail, she felt people wanted "a bit of hope".

"National issues always have an impact on local elections, but in this case there were options that were quite varied to them and choosing the person they knew, the person that worked hard for them."

Image source, Shaun Whitmore/BBC

Image source, PA Media

It's undoubtedly been an incredibly positive day for Reform UK in Norfolk and nationally but, unlike in Suffolk and Essex today, they haven't claimed majority control of the county council.

The chief reason for that appears to be Great Yarmouth First, the new party of the town's MP Rupert Lowe (pictured), who had a bitter split with Reform after his general election win in 2024. It is part of his wider Restore political movement and this was its first election effort.

Lowe's new party won all nine of the divisions in the area with Reform second in all but one, showing that it had a direct impact on Reform not winning those extra seats it needed.

Reform's Norfolk branch is yet to give us its reaction since the county council count concluded, but Lowe took to social media platform X, external to give his reaction.

Including a district council by-election win in his total, he wrote: "History made. We won 10 out of 10 seats, with overwhelming majorities in every single one.

"Great Yarmouth First, then we restore Britain. A very special day."

Image source, Clare Worden/BBC

We've just heard the total turnout for the Norfolk County Council election on Thursday.

The total number of votes cast was 325,335, which is 45.44% of the electorate.

For context, general election turnout in Norfolk's constituencies was about 60% or higher in 2024.

At the 2021 county council elections, the turnout was about 237,000 people.

Image source, Norfolk County Council

Let's switch back to the county council election and a fascinating new political picture, with Reform UK sweeping the board but, crucially, falling just short of a majority.

With the final division (Wells) just declared for the Conservatives, Reform have 40 of the 84 seats, leaving them three short of a majority and in need of a coalition partner.

So the final tally...

• Reform UK: 40 (up 38)
• Lib Dems: 13 (up 4)
• Greens: 12 (up 8)
• Great Yarmouth First: 9 (first time standing as a party)
• Conservatives: 8 (down 44)
• Labour: 1 (down 8)
• Independent: 1 (no change)

And as we reported earlier, the only Labour win was by just three votes, in Hethersett.

What happens now will be fascinating and we will of course keep bringing you reaction on the Norfolk section of the BBC News app and website, as well as on BBC Radio Norfolk and BBC Look East.

You can see all of the results, external on the Norfolk County Council website here and explore the interactive map here, external.

More on that Norwich City Council changing of the guard.

Labour has been in control for the vast majority of time since the council was set up in 1974, although not always with a majority.

That was the case until today, but Labour lost seven seats. Five (Bowthorpe, Lakenham, Mile Cross, University and Wensum wards) were won by the Greens to take their total to 21, past the magic number of 20 to give them a majority. The other two were claimed by Reform UK (Catton Grove and Crome).

It's the first council that the Greens have taken nationally in this round of elections.

The full results from the 14 wards can be viewed on the Norwich City Council website, external.

Alex Dunlop
BBC Look East

Image source, Alex Dunlop/BBC

The big news in Norwich is that the Greens have taken control of the city council.

Heading into this week's elections, with a third of seats up for grabs, Labour had 19 seats and the Greens 16, so there was no overall control.

That has swung and Labour has lost six seats, with four going to the Greens and two to Reform UK - which is enough to give the Greens their majority, with 20 of the total 39 seats.

Labour leader Mike Stonard said: "It's obviously very disappointing that we have lost control of the council. There are some excellent councillors who work really hard in communities for local people, who have lost their seats, and that's always really sad."

Asked who is to blame, he said: "I don't think it is about blame. I think there is a national political tide around Reform and the Green Party and sometimes when there is a really strong pressure like that, you can't swim against it."

He added that on the doorstep, the progress on Anglia Square and the £20m Pride In Place funding secured were popular, and the Peter Mandelson scandal was not raised once, and questions about Sir Keir Starmer's performance as Prime Minister were "hardly raised".

He said plenty of people mentioned "the small boats" as being why they were going to vote for Reform.

We'll bring you reaction from the Norwich Greens and the full results soon.

Clare Worden
BBC Radio Norfolk

Alexandra Kemp is well and truly the Independent councillor for Norfolk as it stands, holding on to her Clenchwarton & Kings Lynn South seat - by just 12 votes.

There was a turnout of 2,752 (35.78% of the electorate).

Kemp claimed 1,076 votes (39.10%), narrowly ahead of Gary Archdale of Reform UK with 1,064 votes (38.66%).

She thanked voters and said she was "really, really pleased" that she was re-elected.

"I'll continue to fight on the local issues for everybody in the division," she said.

"It's really important to be accountable and talk to people about what's important to them. There's so much to be done.

"There's the cost of living crisis, helping people with that, there's better transport, there's the King's Lynn ferry, the West Winch bypass and getting the buses running on time."

Image source, Clare Woden/BBC

The Greens have taken control of Norwich City Council from Labour.

Image source, Norfolk County Council

Let's come to Labour's one win of the day on Norfolk County Council - one secured by just three votes.

They were the second biggest party ahead of today, with nine councillors, behind the Conservatives' 52. Reform UK had just two, both won in by-elections.

Reflective of a miserable day nationally for the government, it looks like Labour's only remaining Norfolk seat will be the Hethersett division, where there was a turnout of 50.19%.

Ben Weston got 1,158 votes for Labour (26.35% of the total votes cast), in an incredibly tight race with Reform's Peter Barker, who claimed 1,155 (26.28%).

This was a new division after some boundaries were redrawn, with the Conservatives' Kathryn Cross just 22 votes behind Reform on 1,133 (25.78%).

We are still waiting for all the results to be declared for County Hall.

• Norfolk County Council's results webpage, external

Image source, Owen Sennitt/BBC

Before the election, no-one quite knew what to expect from Great Yarmouth First.

The party was set up last year by the town's MP Rupert Lowe, after he was kicked out of Reform UK.

And today, the party made up of political unknowns and newcomers, has made a clean sweep of all nine divisions in the Great Yarmouth area.

Jon Wedon, who also stood in a by-election for Great Yarmouth Borough Council, will also become the first Great Yarmouth First (GYF) councillor at that second-tier authority.

But with Reform UK appearing to be likely to take control of Norfolk County Council as a whole, it could prove difficult for the group to work with their Reform colleagues, considering the turmoil between Lowe and Reform leader Nigel Farage.

Here are those nine GYF wins. Interestingly, Reform UK finished second in all but one of the nine divisions:.

• Breydon (gain from Con) - Michael French - 1,824 (46.05%) - Conservative leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Carl Smith, third with 584 (14.74%)
• Gorleston (gain from Con) - Barry Gravenell - 1,581 (41.37%) - Conservative cabinet member for highways Graham Plant finishing fourth with 572 votes (14.97%)
• Lothingland (gain from Con) - Jon Wedon - 1,708 (43.11%)
• Magdalen (gain from Labour) - Kevin Huggins - 1,788 (49.58%)
• North Caister and Ormesby (new division) - Glenn Hurren - 2,072 (47.92%)
• The Fleggs (new division) - Jason Hughes - 1,895 (41.81%)

• South Caister and Bure (new division) - Daniel McGrath - 1,852 (47.04%)
• Yarmouth Nelson & South Town (gain from Labour) - Callum Ward-Kendall - 1,357 (48.29%)
• Yarmouth North & Central (gain from Con) - Steven Grimmer - 1,533 (51.15%)

Paul Moseley
Norfolk political reporter

Image source, Paul Moseley/BBC

The leader of the Conservative group on Norfolk County Council insisted her party would "fight back" from what looks increasingly like a crushing defeat.

With her party in control, Kay Mason Billig, became leader of the authority in 2023.

But when she retained her seat at today's count, she became only the third Tory winner at a point when more than half the 84 seats had been decided.

Reform UK looks set to take control of the council and Mason Billig said she intended to hold them to account.

Mason Billig has retained her Loddon division with 1,483 votes (28.91%) - just 102 votes more than Alexander Ashman of Reform (26.92%).

There's no denying that the narrative is all about Reform UK at the moment, gaining seats left, right and centre - although Great Yarmouth First has been a fly in the ointment for them, and we'll come back to that shortly.

As of 15:30, Reform has claimed 36 of the Norfolk County Council seats and are well on their way to the 43 needed for a majority, with 11 divisions still to be declared.

Some more of the divisions gained by Reform since out last update...

• Feltwell (gain from Con) - Sue Prigg - 1,669 (46% of vote)
• Gaywood South (from Lib Dem) - Rob Williams - 791 (36%)
• East Depwade (from Con) - Joseph Kerrison - 1,300 (29%) - only 122 votes ahead of Ed Gillespie of the Greens
• Nar and Wissey Valleys (new division) - Mike Westman - 1,595 (43%)
• Watlington and The Fens (from Con) - Olivia Morris - 1,803 (48%)
• West Depwade (from Green) - Margaret Thomas - 1611 (34%)

Another Reform UK claim from the Conservatives has been in Drayton & Horsford, where Jason Butler won 1,512 votes (36.52%).

Lisa Starling came in second for the Lib Dems with 1,076 (25.99%) and Simon Woodbridge was third for the Conservatives with 801 (19.35%).

Alex Dunlop
BBC Look East

Image source, Shaun Whitmore/BBC

It has been a Labour wipeout in the Norwich area, with all 13 county council divisions now declared at the count at the UEA Sportspark.

Before this round of elections, Labour held seven of those 13 seats, ahead of three for the Greens, two Independents and one Lib Dem (the party's Norfolk leader Brian Watkins).

That has now flipped to 10 for the Greens, two for Reform UK and Watkins holding the one Lib Dem seat.

Clare Worden
BBC Radio Norfolk

Ben Griffin has claimed a Reform UK win in King's Lynn North & Central, from the Conservatives.

The turnout was 24.8% of the electorate:

• Ben Griffin (Reform): 740 votes
• Deborah Heneghan (Labour): 319
• Joel Blackmur (Green): 308
• Lesley Bambridge (Con): 284
• Michael De Whalley (Independent): 136
• Lorraine Douglas (Communist Party of GB): 39

Griffin said he was "over the moon" and the election was "really well fought".

"The other candidates were wonderful. I'm just happy to win and can't wait to get started. I think it's helped nationally but I've been told not to say anything else," he said.

"I've got several priorities that will come out at some point in the future. I need to sit down, have my first meeting and go from there."

Asked whether he will represent everyone, he replied: "I'd say there is enough division at the moment, let's all work together and create better communities."

A reminder that you can listen live to our Local Election Special on BBC Radio Norfolk now, which is continuing through until 18:00.

Click here to listen via BBC Sounds.

Image source, Owen Sennitt/BBC

Counting continues at Great Yarmouth, where Jack Allen, Green Party candidate for Yarmouth Nelson & Southtown ward, said he thought people were split between two parties.

"What we have heard on the doorstep is that people are making a choice between Great Yarmouth First or the Greens in Nelson & Southtown," he said.

"There has been no middle ground and people aren’t wanting to vote for the traditional parties.”

The ward was Labour heading into Thursday's elections.

Image source, Norfolk County Council

As we keep working through the ward results, let's pause to take a look at the overall picture in the Norfolk County Council elections so far.

With 84 seats up for grabs, Reform UK appears to be well on its way to reaching the 43 seats needed for a majority at County Hall, with 23 declared for them so far.

The current controlling party, the Conservatives, have just two seats, with Lib Dems on six and Greens on three - with 41 divisions yet to be declared.

A big sub-plot is Great Yarmouth First claiming seven seats.

The party was founded by the town's MP Rupert Lowe, who used to be Reform, which is only standing in that area.

The Conservatives had 52 councillors ahead of today's election. Labour had nine but is yet to claim one today.

This reflects the national picture and Nigel Farage's party has already claimed control of the county councils in both Suffolk and Essex.

As of 14:30 GMT, the latest scores are:

• Reform UK - 23
• Great Yarmouth First - 7
• Liberal Democrats - 6
• Conservatives - 3
• Green Party - 3
• Independent - 1

There have been a couple of positives for the Liberal Democrats in among Reform UK's success.

They have taken Holt from the Conservatives

• Andrew Brown (Lib Dem): 1,783
• Steve Ribbons (Reform UK): 1,336
• Clive Hallam (Conservative): 817
• Mike Bossingham (Green): 258
• Martyn Solman (Labour): 92

Back in 2021 it was the Conservatives winning with 48% of the vote.

And in the west of the county, the Lib Dems have also kept hold of Gaywood North and Central, Rob Colwell claiming 46% of the votes ahead of Reform's Paul Powers (30%). Turnout was 38.97%. The pattern continues, as it was the Conservatives who won that seat in 2021 with 56%.