Labour win all 24 seats which were up for grabs on Sandwell Council.

Labour now control 71 of the 72 seats in the council with UKIP holding the other seat.

 Acting council leader Steve Eling was delighted with the result.

He said: "Winning all 24 seats shows how close our councillors are to their communities.

"And it shows what good leadership of the council we had under Darren Cooper since 2009.

"Local politics often gets ignored but we have to win our seats like any other politician does and this result is great for Labour in Sandwelll."

Councillor Kerrie Carmichael held on to her Blackheath seat handily beating Shirley Ching of the Conservatives.

She said: "I am happy to have been given the confidence of Blackheath again and I look forward to representing them for another four years.

"Our vote was good but we had a very high number of spoiled ballots, 54, which is strange."

Cradley Heath and Old Hill has a new Labour councillor - Caroline White.

She said: "I am real delighted to be a councillor and I want to thank everyone who helped me get elected.

"I am happy to join a really good team in the ward, my response on the doorstep shows what great work they have done."

Oldbury was won by Sue Downing and Bristnall was secured by Elaine Giles proving it to be a great night for female Labour politicians in Sandwell.