Hammersmith and Fulham Council's new leader Stephen Cowan has thanked voters on his Twitter account @stephencowan, saying: " I am grateful for the trust people have shown in electing us. Cameron's favourite council just voted Labour."

Voters opted for a change of administration in yesterday's local election, with Labour gaining 11 council seats and pulling off a sensational win.

The biggest upsets were in two key wards, Fulham Broadway and Fulham Reach, with all three council seats in each ward switching from Conservative to Labour.

The Labour gains were as follows:

Two gains for Labour in Addison ward with Adam Connell and Sue Fennimore replacing former Tory councillors Alex Chalk and Peter Tobias. Tory candidate and former mayor Belinda Donovan retained her seat.

In Avonmore and Brook Green, Hannah Barlow gained one seat for Labour.

In Fulham Broadway all three seats, formerly held by Conservatives, were won by Labour's Ben Coleman, Alan De'ath and Sharon Holder.

In Fulham Reach, the three seats were won by Labour's Iain Cassidy, Vivienne Lukey and Guy Vincent.

In North End, Larry Culhane and Ali Hashem joined their Labour colleague Daryl Brown.

The result was announced just at 5am after Labour gained all three seats in Fulham Reach. Charing Cross Hospital is in this ward and Labour say the threat to the hospital's future was an important issue with local voters.

Labour's leader Stephen Cowan talks to the BBC after the result

With 11 Conservative seats in the borough going to Labour, the party now has total of 26 against the Conservative's 20.

The turnout across the borough was 38% ranging from just under 50% in Ravenscourt Park to 31.7% in College Green and Old Oak.

The Tories had controlled the Council for the last eight years and was widely seen as a 'model' local authority by the party due to its extensive efficiency programme and steady reduction of taxes but controversial policies on issues such as Charing Cross Hospital, the Earls Court development and the planned demolition of two local estates West Kensington and Gibbs Green, seem to have been key in swinging the vote against them.

Here are the full results:

We will bring you further news and reactions throughout the day.

 

May 22, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 23, 2014