Polling closes in local elections

Millions of people have voted in local elections in England and Wales.

In total, there are 3,920 seats up for grabs, spread across 159 local authorities, including 22 in Wales.

One third of the seats, 1,262, were being fought in Wales.

Almost all of England's councils are electing one-third of their members, and every seat in Wales is up for grabs in what is being seen as a key test of Gordon Brown's leadership.

The English seats were being contested in 36 metropolitan councils, 78 districts and 23 unitary councils.

This includes four new unitary authorities in Chester City and Cheshire West, Durham, East Cheshire and Northumberland, where full councils are being elected.

Most of the seats were last contested in 2004, and Labour will be looking to minimise its losses in cities such as Liverpool, Cardiff, Sheffield, and Birmingham.

One of the key battlegrounds will be for Liberal Democrat-controlled Liverpool, which Labour could win with a gain of around 11 seats.

Reading is also key seat for Labour - it will have no control of any council in the south east if it loses in the town.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will also be looking to make progress in the north west, a former Labour heartland in which the Tories now control twice as many councils as Labour.

The government has admitted it will be a tough election, and a Guardian ComRes poll on Tuesday suggested Labour will lose more than 200 council seats in England and Wales.

All of the major political parties campaigned on issues important to communities, with Brown pledging that "the priorities of Britain's families who play by the rules are our priorities - education, the NHS, cutting crime, affordable housing and a strong economy".

David Cameron, who set a minimum target of winning 40 per cent of the vote, launched the Tory campaign with a pledge to keep council tax down.

Nick Clegg, meanwhile, said the Liberal Democrats were the "practical" party of local government, saying they had a proven record on improving housing, tackling crime and protecting the environment.

The Greens are fighting 711 seats, and the British National party, contesting 562, also hope to make gains.