Labour has retained control of Reading Borough Council in the first all-out election in 18 years.

Elections where the entirety of the council is voted in only happens once in a blue moon, so those present were witnessing Reading election history.

It resulted in Labour securing even more seats on the council, winning in battleground areas of Caversham and Tilehurst.

Thames and Caversham, two wards which were called earlier in the day, were a clean sweep for Labour – with all three Labour candidates getting elected.

ELECTIONS 2022: Full results here

It resulted in former councillor Jan Gavin, who had represented Redlands, re-entering the council as a Caversham ward councillor.

Jacopo Lanzoni  a Labour candidate, picked up the most votes of anyone, with a 1,915  vote tally.

In the all new ward of Caversham Heights, the Labour party were able to snatch a seat in an area which was expected to go to the Conservatives.

Labour also made gains in the area of Kentwood in Tilehurst, where former councillor Glenn Dennis and candidate Mark Keeping took two seats for the ward.  Mr Dennis had lost his seat in 2018.

Although incumbent Conservative councillor Raj Singh was able to cling on, his fellow Conservative Jenny Rynn lost her seat.

Former councillor and mayor David Stevens, who defected from the Conservatives to Labour, was unable to keep his place on the council with his new party.

In Tilehurst ward itself, the Liberal Democrats picked up all three seats, with the Conservatives unable to defend the seat vacated by retiring councillor Helen Manghnani.

Generally, it was a bad day for the Conservatives, who ultimately lost three council seats.

It meant that the Green Party is now the biggest opposition party with seven councillors: three in Park ward, two in Redlands ward, and two in Katesgrove ward.

Increased efforts from the Greens paid off in Katesgrove, where they gained two seats from the Labour party.

READ MORE: Reading elections 2022 all Katesgrove candidates

Although incumbent Labour councillor Liam Challenger held on to his seat, candidates Mamuna Naz and George Matthew failed to retain the area for their party.

Two former Katesgrove councillors Sophia James and Rose Williams had stood down prior to the election.

Green candidates Louise Keane and Doug Creswell were duly elected.

The last ward to be called was Redlands, a battleground between the Greens and Labour.

Long time Green campaigner Kathryn McCann got the most votes out of anyone in the ward, with councillor David McElroy retaining the seat he had won just a year earlier.

However, Green councillor Jamie Whitham was unable to retain his place, after being beaten by Labour’s Will Cross, who had engaged in a spirited campaign in the ward.

In all, Labour won 32 seats, the Green Party won seven, the Conservatives were left with six and the Liberal Democrat party picked up three.