How the evening unfolded at the Backstage Centre where the votes were counted and 17 Thurrock councillors elected.

02:49 - All results have been announced. As predicted, Labour had a very strong evening.

02:47 - Stanford-le-Hope West: Ross Byrne - Independant

Independent candidate Ross Byrne has won Stanford-le-Hope West Ward with a majority of 112 votes.

02:43 - Ockendon Ward: Ryan Polston - Labour

Labour candidate Ryan Polston has won the Ockendon Ward with a majority of 148 votes.

02:39 - Stanford East & Corringham Town Ward: Roy Jones - Independent

Independent candidate Roy Jones wins Stanford East & Corringham Ward with a majority of 41 votes.

02:37 - BREAKING: Labour have control of Thurrock Council

02:34 - Little Thurrock Blackshots Ward: Michael Fletcher - Labour

Michael Fletcher wins Little Thurrock Blackshots Ward from the Conservatives with a majority of 106 votes.

02:30 - Chadwell St Mary Ward: Ngozi Alike - Labour hold

Labour hold Chadwell St Mary Ward with a majority of 695 votes.

02:28 - East Tilbury Ward: Sue Sammons - Independent

Independent candidate Sue Sammons wins the East Tilbury Ward with a majority of 281 votes.

02:24 - Grays Thurrock Ward: John Kent - Labour hold

Labour Group Leader John Kent holds the Grays Thurrock Ward with a majority of 1,020 votes.

02:21 - Orsett Ward: David Day - Conservative hold

The Conservatives retain the Orsett Ward with a majority of 87 votes, their first win of the night.

02:15 - Grays Riverside Ward: Tony Fish - Labour hold

Tony Fish retains Grays Riverside Ward with a majority of 757 votes.

02:10 - Chafford & North Stifford Ward: Lynda Heath - Labour gain

Labour take Chafford & North Stifford with a majority of 250 votes.

02:08 - Votes are being recounted in Little Thurrock Blackshots Ward and Belhus Ward.

02:07 - West Thurrock and South Stifford Ward: Lee Watson - Labour hold

Lee Watson wins West Thurrock and South Stifford Ward with a majority of 746 votes.

02:03 - Aveley & Uplands Ward: Cathy Sisterson - Labour

Labour's Cathy Sisterson wins the Aveley & Uplands Ward with a majority of 514 votes.

Cathy Sisterson (right) pulled off a win in Aveley and Uplands.

01:54 - South Chafford Ward: Gary Watson - Labour win

Labour win the South Chafford Ward previously held by Cllr Augustine Ononaji with a majority of 330 votes.

01:49 - The Homesteads Ward: Clifford Holloway - Labour

The Conservatives have lost another ward as Labour's Clifford Holloway wins The Homesteads with a narrow majority of 18 votes.

Clifford Holloway (right)

01:43 - Corringham and Fobbing Ward: John Fox - Independant

Independent candidate John Fox takes Corringham & Fobbing Ward from the Conservatives with a majority of 258 votes.

John Fox

01:39 - Belhus Ward: Victoria Holloway - Labour

Labour have won the Belhus Ward from the Conservatives with a majority of 589 votes.

Kairen Raper & Victoria Holloway

01:35 - Tilbury St Chads Ward: Kairen Raper - Labour hold

Kairen Raper wins Tilbury St Chads with a majority of 481 votes.

00:52 - The verification of votes is complete and counting is now underway. The first result is expected within an hour.

00:30 - Andrew Jefferies, Leader of the Conservative Group and Councillor for the Ockendon Ward says: "Polls are looking bad for the Conservative Party, we are not hiding the fact. But we've been out on the doors, people are wanting to vote Conservative, they are angry with the Conservative Party nationally, locally they want to vote for us."

Tory group leader Cllr Andrew Jefferies

00:11 - Forecasts predict a good day for Labour, with the party expected to take control of the council. Labour Councillor for Grays Thurrock Ward John Kent is 'cautiously optimistic' about the election's outcome.

Cllr Kent said: "It's a little early to tell but we have been working really hard for a long time, making our case to people in Thurrock. What we are seeing in the early stages of the count is that things are looking promising. We are cautiously optimistic."

In line with predictions, Labour Group Leader Cllr Kent says: "It looks like the Conservatives have taken a real hit."

Two-councillor wards at Little Thurrock Rectory, Stifford Clays, Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park will not be contested this year.