It is easy to forget almost five years have passed since the last Somerset County Council elections.

In 2017, Theresa May was still the prime minister. Words like lockdown and furlough existed but were by and large meaningless. More people had daily commutes. Fewer people owned dogs.

Voters yesterday were unlikely to have recalled the candidates who sought their support four years ago.

More likely at front of minds when it came to mark X in three boxes were Downing Street parties and, in an unprecedented twist for polling stations, porn. 

The impact such issues are to have on local government will become clearer once the votes have been counted.

But while local elections are the best way to gauge public opinion in between general elections, their results dictate more about our everyday life in the 1460 days that follow than is rarely, if ever, given credit.

These elections are especially significant for Somerset, as they will decide who will serve on the new Somerset Council that will replace Mendip District and Somerset County Council.

A total of 337 candidates are fighting for 110 seats in the council's soon to be abolished district and county electoral system.

Those elected will serve a five year term. For their first year, the councillors will take responsibility for all current County Council services and oversee the local government reorganisation to establish a single unitary council on 1 April 2023. From April next year, the new Somerset Council will assume the responsibility for all local government functions for Somerset, including those of the current four district councils. The current Mendip District Councillors will remain in place until next year.

Somerset County Council has been controlled by the Conservatives since 2009 with the Liberal Democrats in second place.

Counting of the votes begins at 10am this morning and we'll be bringing you the latest updates.

10.27am

Counting is well underway.

Overall turnout was 39.3%

Turnouts for the individual districts are as follows:

Shepton Mallet: 32.4%

Mendip Central and East: 40.8%

Mendip Hills: 38.3%

Mendip South: 44%

Mendip West: 44.1%

10.58

Results have started to come in from elsewhere in Somerset.

Elected in Brympton: Peter Seib (LD) and Jenny Snell (LD)

Elected in Blackmoor Vale: Nicola Clark (LD) and Sarah Dyke (LD)

11.12am

Results for Coker now in.

Elected Mike Hewitson (LD) and Oliver Patrick (LD)

11.20am

Elected in Chard South: Jason Baker (LD) and Connor Payne (Con)

11.30am

Elected in Chard North: Jenny Kenton (LD) and Martin Wale (Con)

11.37am

The Liberal Democrats take Street.

Bryan Beha (Conservative): 931

Simon Carswell: (Liberal Democrat): 1661 ELECTED

Liz Leyshon (Liberal Democrat): 1896 ELECTED

Terry Napper (Conservative): 1219

Liz Leyshon said, "Thank you to everyone at Mendip who has worked on the count - they have done a brilliant, slick job.

"Thank you top everyone who has worked on the campaign - the many miles we all walked it's luck we live in Street so we can get new shoes easily!

"There's a lot of hard work ahead, whatever the results. We know that, and we are ready for it. Somerset deserves a new council and fresh start."

Philip Carswell said, "I would just like to echo Liz's thoughts. I would liek to thank my fellow candidates for a fair contest.

"I originally stood for council six years ago when I was disheartened by the dismantling of health services in Somerset. Hopefully we can reverse that."

11.50am

Results are in for Mendip West, and the Lib Dems take it.

Stuart Kingham (Con): 1164

Heather Shearer (LD): 2124 ELECTED

Mandy Thomas-Atkin (Con): 1195

Ros Wyke (LD): 2232 ELECTED

Heather Shearer said, "I feel an enormous privilege being able to represent people in Mendip West. You will get two people who will work super hard."

Ros Wyke said, "I have been waiting long for this occasion in terms of joining the county council.

It is with regret that that we will only be with it for one year before it becomes a unitary council. I will work hard for nearly 30 parishes and hamlets and make sure that the rural voice is well and truly heard in Taunton."

12:04pm

It's a Lib Dem win for Mendip Hills too.

Baker, David John Conservative Party Candidate: 1254

Hine, David Green Party: 513

Hobbs, Edric Wayland Liberal Democrats: 1450 (ELECTED)

Robbins, Tony Liberal Democrats: 1375 (ELECTED)

Swain, David Albert George Conservative Party Candidate: 1080

12.24pm

It's another Lib Dem victory in Mendip South.

Parham, John William Conservative Party Candidate  1589

Sully, Claire Liberal Democrats  1781 ELECTED

Wiltshire, Alex Liberal Democrats  1614 ELECTED

Woollcombe-Adams, Nigel Conservative Party Candidate 1458

Claire Sully said: "Thank you Mendip South - you are a gem!

"You voted for change - a positive change. You wanted change from Conservatives and we are going to work really hard and really there needs to be a change and it looks like there has been the gold rush that we were talking about."

Alex Wiltshire said, "We vouch to do the best we can for everyone in Mendip South."

The result is a bitter disappointed for Cllr John Parham who has served on local councils for 20 years.

He said, "I can't pretend that this is the result I was expecting. Congratulations to Claire and Alex for their victories.

"After 20 years as a councillr all things must come to an end. This will be my final election in this area.

"It was a close result and the count was accurate.

"We will al stand and wait and see what happens with the new unitary authority and see if the Lib Dems will make good on all the promises thet have made, and we will be holding them to account as the years go by."

12.45pm

The Shepton Mallet results are in the Conservatives take one seat, and the Lib Dems another.

Adduocchio, Chloe Labour Party  283

Davies, Simon Paul Conservative Party Candidate  823

Height, Bente Olsen Conservative Party Candidate  950 ELECTED

Kennedy, Warren Garfield Liberal Democrats  930

Lovell, Martin Liberal Democrats  1,196 ELECTED

McGuire, Abi Independent  780

Neeve, Gregor Henry Green Party  165

Welsh, Victoria Kate Green Party 201

Martin Lovell said, "Thank you to the voters of Shepton Mallet who have sent a clear message to both of us as to how we will represent you in the future."

Bente Height said, "Thank you to the people of Shepton Mallet who voted for me."

1.48pm

The Glastonbury results are in, with one seat going to Lib Dem Nick Cottle, and the other to Conservative Susannah Hart.

Clemence, Susannah Maria 173 

Cottle, Nick Liberal Democrats 1244 ELECTED

Cousins, JonGreen Party916 

Hart, Susannah Conservative Party Candidate 1025 ELECTED

Osborn, Lillith Linda Christine Conservative Party Candidate 887 

Sen, AdamLiberal Democrats719 

Smyth, MikeGreen Party 676

2pm

The results for Mendip Central and East have also been announced, and it's a double victory for the Tories who have taken both seats.

Clarke, Barry Michael Conservative Party Candidate 1168 ELECTED

Ham, Philip JohnConservative Party Candidate 1293ELECTED

Hudson, Clare Liberal Democrats 1117 

Mellen, MattGreen Party 876 

Moulding, Melanie Labour Party 397 

Reed, Robert JohnLiberal Democrats 806