Basildon is looking solidly blue after the Tories tightened their grip on the district, winning 11 out of 14 seats.

The Conservatives won three seats from Labour to take their number on Basildon Council from 24 to 27, an overall majority of 12.

The Tories took advantage of the recent national Labour scandals to win the Pitsea South East, Pitsea North West and Laindon Park wards.

Long-standing Labour councillors Keith Bobbin and Barbara Croft lost their seats.

Results: Wickford North *Tony Ball (Con) 2,335 Chris Wilson (Lab) 712 Maj:1,623 Con hold Perc poll: 33.09

Wickford Park *Don Morris (Con) 1,281 Michael Woods (Lib Dem) 342 Daniel Blaney (Lab) 250 Maj: 1,031 Con hold Perc poll: 27.37Wickford Castledon *Malcolm Buckley (Con) 1,291 Alan Ball (Ind) 553 Len Wilkins (Lab) 269 Vivien Howard (Lib Dem) 186 Maj: 738 Con hold Perc poll: 37.56Billericay West *Tony Hedley (Con) 2,172 Geoff Taylor (Lib Dem) 511 Mike Bateman (BNP) 438 Wendy Aitken (Lab) 265 Maj: 1,734 Con hold Perc poll: 35.9Billericay East *Tony Archer (Con) 2,486 John James (Lib Dem) 638 Patricia Reid (Lab) 307 Maj: 1,848 Con hold Perc poll: 37.8Burstead *Geoff Buckenham (Con) 2,305 Maggie Viney (Lab) 850 Susan Haeger (Lib Dem) 648 Maj: 1,657 Con hold Perc poll: 39.55Crouch *Terri Sargent (Con) 1,394 Geoff McCarthy (BNP) 310 Tony Borlase (Lab) 240 Kim Gandy (English Dem) 198 Jonathan Myall (Lib Dem) 152 Maj: 1,084 Con hold Perc poll: 36.36Fryerns *Janet Payn (Lab) 1,258 Len Heather (BNP) 727 Mark Coker (Con) 548 Arnold Lutton (Lib Dem) 344 Maj: 551 Lab hold Perc poll: 31.17Laindon Park John Dornan (Con) 1,173 *Barbara Croft (Lab) 944 Matt Single (BNP) 518 Maj: 229 Con gain Perc poll: 31.21Langdon Hills *Sandra Hillier (Con) 1,439 Bill Archibald (Lab) 377 Phil Jenkins (Lib Dem) 255 Annie Humphreys (Green) 228 Maj: 1,062 Con hold Perc poll: 34.57Lee Chapel North *Nigel Smith (Lab) 1,009 Esther Philips (Con) 610 Phillip Howell (BNP) 560 Stephen Nice (Lib Dem) 212 Ernie Humphreys (Green) 153 Maj: 399 Lab hold Perc poll: 29.58Nethermayne * Linda Williams (Lib Dem) 1,268 Harry Tucker (Con) 1,027 Mike Bushell (Lab) 726 Maj: 241 Lib Dem hold Perc poll: 34.31Pitsea North West Ron Livesy (Con) 1,014 *Keith Bobbin (Lab) 882 Martin Howard lib dem 388 Maj: 132 Con gain Perc poll: 24.61Pitsea South East David Abrahall (Con) 1,579 * Emma Collins (Lab) 1,095 Maj: 484 Con gain Perc poll: 30.09