Suffolk County Council will continue to be a Conservative-controlled authority after challenges from other parties in yesterday’s local elections failed to materialise.

In contrast, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP have either lost ground or failed to make significant gains.

Shortly before 2pm the Tory win in Blackbourn division, in north Suffolk near Thetford, confirmed the group had reached the 38 seats required for a controlling majority on the council.

Seats won in Haverhill from UKIP helped them on the way to what is expected to be a commanding majority.

The Conservatives also beat UKIP in Exning and Newmarket, Lowestoft South, Whitehouse and Whitton and Stowmarket South.

In north Suffolk both Labour seats in Pakefield were lost to the Blues. Belstead Brook also made the same switch.

It looks like the Green group will be larger this term though with gains in Beccles and Cosford, although they no longer have a member from Tower in Bury St Edmunds.

So far UKIP have failed to win any seats and look to be the biggest losers of all the parties. The Liberal Democrats have failed to make a recovery but appear to have held onto most of their seats.

See our graphic of how many seats each party has won, and who is closest to a majority, below.

• Follow our live feed of the local election results here.

The votes are being counted by district or borough councils – there are five count centres across the county but all results are being co-ordinated by county officials and we will be publishing them as soon as they are announced.

The Conservatives currently hold 37 of the 75 seats on the county council. Other parties and independents hold 37 and there is one vacancy.

The Tories are hoping to be returned with a significant majority – they lost several seats to UKIP four years ago and will be hoping to win them back.

• See colour coded, interactive maps of the local election results as they are announced here.

There will be considerable interest in the fate of two leading Labour figures – group leader Sandy Martin and spokeswoman for young people Sonia Barker.

They will be back on the ballot paper again next month fighting the marginal Ipswich and Waveney parliamentary seats.

Conservative group leader Colin Noble is fighting to hold his seat at Lakenheath in north west Suffolk – but former council leader Mark Bee is facing a tough battle with the Greens to hold on to his seat in Beccles.