COUNTING has begun in the Reading Borough Council local elections, where 15 out of 46 seats are being contested.
Many of the counting staff, politicians, media and activists at Rivermead Leisure Centre are gulping coffee and trying to wake themselves up after a Parliamentary election night count that stretched until past 7am this morning.
The Tories will be looking to continue their steady increase in seats on the council since 2003, Green Rob White is hoping to emulate the Parliamentary success of his leader Caroline Lucas by breaking onto the council in Park Ward, the Lib Dems are eyeing a gain in Katesgrove but look vulnerable in Tilehurst and Labour will be hoping its core vote held out in its heartland seats.
Battleground seats will include Minster, Abbey, Southcote, Park, Tilehurst and Katesgrove - but with the turnout boost from holding the General Election on the same day, anything could happen.
SEE LIVE UPDATES FOR MORE
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here