After all of the hype, months of pain and heartache, coffees sipped over late-night vote counts and words traded over the ballot boxes, the political map of local government has not gone through the complete transformation many anticipated.

Predictions Labour would lose as many as 170 seats and control over several authorities ultimately came unfounded. After last year's General Elections, the pollsters had much to prove. Yet by the beginning of this week Labour had held all but one of its English councils – Dudley MBC – and had taken control of Bristol City Council. Some 11 seats had fallen.