Friday 10.30am

CINDERFORD’S Oaklands turned into an election hotspot on Friday as the count for the district council elections got underway.

Candidates, party supporters and count staff all descended to the venue with the future of the local authority for the next four years in their hands.

There are 21 wards up for grabs and 38 councillors will be elected today with the Conservatives putting up candidates in all wards, while the Rainbow Coalition of parties that have run the authority for two years and the Labour Party have targeted the majority of seats.

Local government re-organisation will mean that whichever party gets to 20 elected councillors, they will have the overall majority at Coleford council offices.

However, there have been discussions and debates about various campaigns in certain wards as the candidates and supporters mingled outside the main hall at the venue, drinking coffee and discussing the overnight national results which have seen a good day for the parties outside the Big Two of Conservative and Labour.

The first batch of results may come before lunchtime with the final results arriving, if all goes smoothly, during mid-afternoon, possibly.

However if there is re-count needed in any wards or challenges to results, the final verdict on the district council make-up may arrive during the late afternoon or early evening.

No matter what, stay in touch with www.theforester.co.uk to find out what is happening as we will be updating the website all day.