Thousands of people headed to the polls yesterday for the biggest set of votes since 2019.

The countdown is over and in a few days residents across Hampshire will find out who will represent them on their local council.

It comes as people were asked to elect new county, borough, district and city councillors as well as the new police and crime commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Sixteen of the 48 seats at Southampton City Council are up for grabs.

There were no huge queues outside polling stations in the city yesterday and several residents who decided to cast their vote in person said they felt safe.

Speaking to the Daily Echo just outside the polling station at Central Baptist Church in the city centre, Carol Kirk-Patrick, 80, retired, said: “I think you should always use your vote.”

It comes as voters were asked to wear a face mask, maintain social distancing, use hand sanitiser and take their own pencils.

Several Southampton residents who went to the polls yesterday said they think the key issue in the city is crime.

Wayne Pearson, 65, a builder from Southampton, said: “You don’t see the police, you don’t see anyone. You only get to see them when you call them out. I want to see more police patrolling the streets.”

Other residents said they also would like to see more leisure centres and facilities for families in the city as well as cleaner streets. The count for Southampton City Council is set to begin today when the votes will be verified but they will be counted on Saturday which is when the results are expected to be announced.

As previously reported, the council is currently made up of 30 Labour and 18 Conservatives councillors.

The authority has 48 seats in total with 25 required for a majority.

Meanwhile, the results of the Hampshire County Council elections could be announced today. All of the 78 seats at the county council are up for grabs as a county-wide election takes place every four years. Two county council divisions- Leesland & Town (Gosport) and Fareham Town - will be asked to elect two councillors due to the size of the electorate.

The county council is currently made up of 55 Conservatives, 19 Liberal Democrats, one Labour councillor, one unaffiliated independent councillor, one Basingstoke & Deane Independent Group councillor and one Community Campaign Hart councillor.