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- These are the last local elections to be held before the next General Election in the second half of this year.
- Ipswich is the only council in Suffolk to have widespread elections for local councils - although there is a by-election in Mid Suffolk.
- It is the only Suffolk election to be counted tonight.
- Voters across Suffolk have been voting for a Police and Crime Commissioner as well and the count for that election will be held on Friday morning. A result in that poll is expected at lunchtime.
- The wards in the Ipswich council election were last contested in 2021 when the Conservatives won seven, Labour eight and the Liberal Democrats one.
- Three of the Conservative candidates elected in 2021 have now left the party.
- Labour has done better over the last two years and is hoping to make big gains again.
- Mathematics dictate that it is almost impossible for Labour to lose control of the council this year - but they are hoping for a strong performance to give them a springboard to success in the general election.
- At present the make-up of the council is: Labour 31, Conservative 9, Liberal Democrats 3 Independents 3 (one now standing as Reform UK) and there are two Vacancies.
- Of the seats up for election tonight, 10 were won by Labour in 2021, seven by the Conservatives and one by the Liberal Democrats.
- Labour is hoping to gain several seats based on its performance over the last two years - while the Tories are hoping to consolidate on the seats they already hold.
- The Liberal Democrats have created a stronghold for themselves in the St Margarets Ward over recent years and the Greens have no seats in Ipswich - but are contesting every seat and have been particularly active in the Alexandra Ward in the town centre.
- The first results are expected to be declared about midnight - with the count continuing until about 2am.
- This feed will be updated regularly from about 11pm as the count gets underway in earnest.
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