10.20pm: Senior Labor and Liberal figures agree the election is too close to call, and the final makeup of the council may not be known for days.
The most likely scenario is the 15 member council will comprise seven Liberal and seven Labor councillors and one Independent.
But, there is a chance the Liberals could keep control of the council by gaining eight positions and Labor’s number being reduced to six.
Regardless of the final make-up, both sides claimed success.
Liberal leader Carmelo Pesce told supporters, at the last election, “when Labor was on the nose”, nine Liberal councillors were elected.
“Tonight, we have seven elected and there is the possibility of an eighth,” he said.
“This is despite Labor’s huge overdevelopment scare campaign.
“I am very proud of our team’s effort”.
Cr Pesce said there had been a lot of negative feedback about the Liberal state government.
“Mike Baird has a lot to answer for,” he said.
Kent Johns said, “I am very proud of what we have achieved over the last four years”.
“Before the last election, we only had five Liberals on council,” he said.
“Now we have seven, and maybe eight.”
Cr Johns said he had received a higher vote in B Ward than Labor’s lead candidate Barry Collier.
“After 20 years as a local member, Barry still couldn’t beat a local councillor,” he said.
Mr Collier said Labor would win between five and seven positions on the council, compared with three at the last election.
“If it is six, we have doubled our representation, which is a great result, and it may be even better than that” he said.
9.20pm: The election result is not as clear-cut as it seemed, with the Liberals saying they could still control the council.
Late results from some big booths could give them a second councillor in B Ward, senior Liberals said.
If they were to win an extra position, they would eight councillors, Labor would have six, with one Independent.
It will depend how many preferences from the Greens go to Labor or exhaust.
Senior Liberals said it could be a few days before the outcome is known.
8.45pm: Independent Steve Simpson looks likely to hold the balance of power in a deadlocked new council.
There are likely to be seven Liberal councillors, seven Labor councillors and Independent Steve Simpson.
D Ward is not certain, but it is highly probable Labor will have two councillors elected.
8.27pm: The result looks like going down to the wire, with the vote in D Ward, covering the Engadine-Heathcote area being the decider. This is the state of play:
A Ward: Liberals have 40.16 per cent of the vote and seem likely to have two candidates elected, and Labor will have one. The Greens polled 13.11 per cent.
B Ward: Labor is likely to win two spots, and the Liberals one. The Greens have polled 12.64 per cent.
C Ward: Liberals, with 59.68 per cent of the vote, are expected to win two positions, and Labor one.
D Ward: Very tight. Labor and Liberal will have one each, and the third is up for grabs.
E Ward: Looks like one apiece to Liberal John Riad, Labor’s Peter Scaysbrook and Independent Steve Simpson.
8pm: Senior Labor people agree the election is too close to call.
They say they are hopeful of getting two candidates in B Ward, but it’s too early to be sure.
The Greens have polled better than many expected and, while they preferenced Labor, it is felt a lot of Greens votes could exhaust.
7.50: A high placed Liberal source says the election result is too close to call. He said the Liberals could win eight seats, Labor seven, with Independent Steve Simpson gaining the other.
It could also end up with the two parties each having seven successful candidates, with one Independent.
The Liberals will have two positions in A Ward, with Marie Simone joining the council along with Carol Provan. Labor is likely to win two spots in B Ward.
7.45: The two Independent groups in E Ward have more than 40 per cent of the vote with – with Steve Simpson’s group the stronger, with 22.66 per cent, and he looks certain to win.
7.30pm: Who cares about the election? At Kareela Golf Club, where the Liberals have gathered, the main interest in the main part of the club is the footy and “Up, Up Cronulla” has just rung out with the Sharks triumphing.
7.26pm: The Liberals are well ahead in A Ward in early results. Carol Provan’s group has 53.57 per cent of the 2530 votes counted, with Labor on 30.14 per cent and the Greens 16.29 per cent.
7.23pm: The Liberals are faring much better in C Ward, where the team led by Tom Croucher has 56.10 per cent of 4058 votes counted. Ray Plibersek’s Labor team has 43.90 per cent. There are no Greens or Independents in C Ward.
7.15: Labor is looking good in B Ward where the Barry Collier led team has 48.03 per cent of the 2278 votes counted, and this will increase substantially with preferences from the Greens who are polling more than 12 per cent of the vote. The Liberals led by Kent Johns have only 39.61 per cent.
7.08pm: Good early result for the Liberals in E Ward covering the Menai area. Of 357 votes counted, 36.78 per cent were for the Liberal group, 22.80 for Steve Simpson’s Independent group, 19.76 for Labor and 20.67 for the Peter Towell Independents.
7pm: The first votes have been posted. In D Ward, which covers the Engadine- Heathcote area, just over 400 votes have been counted, with 54.2 per cent for the Labor group, 45.8 per cent for the Liberal group and 3.90 per cent ungrouped.
6pm: Good evening and welcome to our coverage of the results of Sutherland Shire Council election.
Vote counting is under way following the closure of the polls at 6pm.
We will provide regular updates on the voting figures and analysis of what they mean for the make-up of the new council.
The Leader will be at the venues where the major parties are holding functions and keeping in touch with other candidates.
Liberal candidates and supporters are gathering at Kareela Golf Club, while their Labor counterparts are at Tradies Gymea.
Labor appears confident given the sign posted at Tradies directing people to the right area.
Earlier today, some high-powered support was wheeled out to support council candidates.
Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison was at Burraneer Bay Public School lending a hand to Liberal A Ward candidate Carol Provan.
Federal Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek was at Oyster Bay Public School which she attended with her brother Ray, a Labor candidate for C Ward.
