The two main political parties have made big loses in the local elections, with the Lib Dems, Greens and independents the real winners of the night.
Conservatives lost 44 councils and 1,334 councillors, making it their worst local election defeat for them since 1995, while Labour was six councillors and 82 seats down.
The Tories managed to gain North East Lincolnshire and Walsall, and increased their narrow majority in Swindon.
Chairman of the District Councils' Network, Cllr John Fuller, was among the high-profile councillors to retain their seat.
Conservatives failed to take Maidstone in Kent despite only needing a net gain of four seats to take control.
Trafford MBC, which the Conservatives lost to no overall control last year, was won by Labour, but the party lost Bolsover, Hartlepool and Wirral to no overall control.
The Lib Dems gained control of 10 councils and 703 councillors while independents gained more than 600 seats and control of Ashfield DC.
A spokesman for the Local Government Association Independent group said the results were a 'fantastic display of what independents can do'.
They added: 'Voters are clearly dismayed at the big parties and have turned to locally-focussed councillors to lead.'
Greens increased their councillor numbers from 71 to 265.
No party was able to gain overall control of the newly-created Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.
Chairman of the Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA), Rob Curtis, said: 'Even under the great pressure of preparing for another potential poll in just three weeks' time, our members and election colleagues have once again delivered complex local elections smoothly, securely and with accuracy.'
AEA chief executive Peter Stanyon added: 'All electoral administrators are now focused on preparations for the potential polls on 23 May, a huge task given the short timescales involved.
'The professionalism and dedication of returning officers and electoral teams should not be underestimated at this time.'
Lib Dem gains:
Bath and North East Somerset (from Con)
Chelmsford (from Con)
Cotswold (from Con)
Hinckley and Bosworth (from Con)
Teignbridge (from no overall control despite the Conservative minority administration only having needed a net gain of one seat)
Vale of White Horse (from Con)
Winchester (from Con)
North Devon (from no overall control)
North Norfolk (from no overall control)
Mole Valley (from Con)
Con gains:
North East Lincs (from no overall control)
Walsall (from no overall control)
Con losses to no overall control:
Basildon
Broxtowe
Peterborough
Pendle
North Kesteven
Shepway
Southend-on-Sea
St Albans
Tandridge
Tendring
Welwyn Hatfield
Worcester
Herefordshire
Eden
Con hold:
Rochford
Havant
East Hampshire
Central Bedfordshire
Sevenoaks
Sedgemoor
Bromsgrove
Dover
Boston
Independents gains:
Ashfield
Labour gains:
Calderdale (after nearly 20 years of being a no overall control council)
High Peak (from Con)
Trafford (from no overall control)
Telford & Wrekin
Mansfield
Labour lose to no overall control:
Bolsover
Cannock Chase
Hartlepool
Wirral
Stockton-on-Tees
Cheshire West & Chester
Labour holds:
Nottingham City Council
Leeds City Council
Salford City Council
Crawley
Plymouth City Council
Southampton City Council
Hull City Council
