The Conservative Party is set to lose control of North Somerset Council - for the first time in more than a decade.
The Tory Party, which has been the ruling party in the district since 2007, has seen a major whitewash with Independent candidates and the Liberal Democrats securing massive gains.
Although all of the district's wards have not been called, the Conservative Party looks set to lose control of the council.
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Current leader of the authority Nigel Ashton – who retained his seat but went from a majority of more than 1,000 votes to a majority of 142 – has accepted defeat, and told Bristol Live he won't seek a coalition.
Deputy leader Elfan Ap Rees has lost his seat, with Independent Mike Solomon instead voted in. The second seat in the Locking ward was held by the Tories, with Terry Porter securing the majority of the vote.
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The results so far have come as a major shock to leading Tories, due to the fact North Somerset has long been seen as very much a 'true blue' constituency, with two Conservative MPs.
Cllr Ashton blamed national government for the defeat.
Portishead councillor David Pasley said: "It's been a whitewash. We are very sad."
Concerns about the Conservatives maintaining their grip of the authority started to appear last night as the votes were verified.
Councillor Pasley, who currently holds the title of executive member for asset management for the authority, said: "We knew then the writing was on the wall by the piles of ballot papers coming in."
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The count at Hutton Moor Leisure Centre in Weston-super-Mare started at 10am on May 3 with the results of all single-member wards declaring by midday.
In the 20 single-member wards, the Conservatives have been left with just three seats - with former leader Cllr Ashton narrowly retaining his seat for the Gordano Valley ward.
The race for the seat with a tight one, with Nigel Ashton polling 686 votes and Liberal Democrat Thomas Gravatt not far behind at 542.
Another Tory to retain their seat is Ruth Jacobs, who represents Wick St Lawrence and St Georges.
The mid Worle seat has also been retained by the Tories, with the seat taken by Gill Bute.
Previously the Tories had 36 of the 50 seats on North Somerset Council. To maintain control they needed to keep 26 of those seats.
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Other big-hitting Tories to lose their seats include Peter Burden and Reyna Knight, both who represented Portishead.
The Portishead Independents, other independent candidates, and the Liberal Democrats have seen massive gains in the election, taking many of the Conservative seats.
In Nailsea, long-standing Conservative councillors Jan Barber – who represented Nailsea Youngwood ward – and Mary Blatchford, of Nailsea Yeo ward, have both seen their seats snatched away from them by Independent councillors.
Counting of the multi-member wards was underway as of 1pm.
Those at the count have described scenes of "shock" among Conservative councillors.
One spectator at the count said: "There was a real feeling of despondency.
"The Conservatives thought they may lose a couple of seats, but nothing on this magnitude."
'Delusion in the Conservative party nationally'
Cllr Pasley - who is still awaiting to hear if he retained his seat - described the results of 'disastrous' for the party.
Mr Pasley said: "There is huge disappointment in today's results.
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"I think there is a lot of delusion in the Conservative party nationally due to Brexit and this has affected us on a local level.
"I think the results today are a result of a protest vote by the electorate."
The final make up of North Somerset Council is not yet known but all the results are expected in later this afternoon. You can .
The town and parish council results will also be counted this afternoon but it is not known yet when the results will be known.
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