Local Election Results To Be Announced

5 May 2017, 06:55

The results of local elections across Scotland will be announced later as counting gets under way.

Voters went to the polls on Thursday to elect 1,227 councillors across the country's 32 local authorities.

The ballot will determine which political parties can form council administrations either by securing majority or minority control, or by agreeing coalition deals.

The election uses the single transferable vote (STV) system, which asks voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with three or four councillors being elected to serve any one ward.

Counting of the ballots is expected to get under way at around 9am on Friday with the first results expected at about lunchtime.

A fuller picture should emerge by late afternoon, however it could take several days for coalition administrations to be formed.

The local government election took place just five weeks before the General Election, and will provide an indication of support ahead of the Westminster poll.

The SNP is hoping to oust Labour from power in Glasgow City Council - Scotland's largest local authority - where their rivals have been in charge since the authority was set up more than 20 years ago.

After winning overall control of two of Scotland's 32 local authorities in 2012, the nationalists are also seeking to increase the number of town halls which are under their command.

The Scottish Conservatives will aim to build on their success at last year's Holyrood election which saw leader Ruth Davidson win a constituency seat in Edinburgh.

The Tories, who returned one councillor in Glasgow in 2012, will also hope to boost their numbers there after returning two regional MSPs for the city in the 2016 Holyrood poll.

The Liberal Democrats and Greens - who are fielding a record number of candidates in Scotland - are also hoping to make gains.

Meanwhile polls have warned that Labour, which won a majority in four councils five years ago, could be facing ''heavy losses''.