Jubilant Conservatives have seized control of Brentwood Town Hall, ending 13 years of Liberal Democrat rule.
They cruised to a spectacular victory in the borough elections, winning five seats from the Lib Dems on a night of high drama.
Delighted Tory leader Brandon Lewis had been 'cautiously optimistic' before the election, but even he had not predicted such a sweeping victory.
"This a great result," he added. "We are here to deliver for Brentwood."
The Conservatives now have an overall majority, with 21 seats on the council, while the Lib Dems - who have ruled as a minority administration for the past year - have just 13. The Labour Party still has three seats.
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 The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.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 hereComments are closed on this article