It was 3am in the morning after all the votes had been counted, and the voice of Ipswich voters was heard.

Labour gained five seats from the Conservatives, and with two Labour councillors standing down, seven new councillors were elected – all of them Labour.

New councillors Patricia Bruce-Browne (Whitton), Chu Man (Stoke Park), James Whatling (Gainsborough), Nic El-Safty (Holywells), Owen Bartholomew (Priory Heath), Corinna Hudson (St John’s) and Phil McSweeney (Sprites) pictured, bring our tally of Labour councillors up to 38, the highest number since the late 1990’s.

Re-elected on 2nd May were Adam Rae (Alexandra), Bryony Rudkin (Bridge), David Ellesmere (Gipping), Roxanne Downes (Priory Heath), Alasdair Ross (Rushmere), Neil Macdonald (St John’s), Carole Jones (Westgate) and Tracy Grant (Whitehouse).

The only seats across the Borough not to elect Labour councillors were Bixley, Castle Hill and St Margaret’s.

The new Council has 38 Labour, 7 Conservative and 3 Liberal Democrat councillors.

Sir Robin Wales topped the poll for Police and Crime Commissioner in Ipswich, but not across Suffolk as a whole.

Thank you to everyone who voted in the elections, especially all of you who voted Labour.