In Parramatta, the Liberal Party has pulled off a huge return to the council after the party abandoned it at the last local government election.

By late this evening, it became clear the Liberals would install at least one candidate in each ward, potentially evenly splitting the council between Liberal and Labor, putting the balance of power in the hands of minor parties.

Lead candidate Steven Issa, exhausted and drinking scotch at home with his extended family, said he was encouraged by the results.

“I think the Liberals have a lot to offer Parramatta ... it’s what we were expecting,” he said.

But he cautioned against getting too comfortable in the results, with a huge amount of pre-poll and postal votes yet to be counted: “It’s going to be a long week.”

“It’s not a definite. We’ll probably get six up, the Labor Party might get five or six,” he said of the 15-person council. “Then it’s going to come down to the others.”

The huge result for the Liberals and the likely return of Labor and Community Champion candidate Kellie Darley means it’s highly unlikely conservative Our Local Community candidate Michelle Garrard will be re-elected.

And with some encouraging results from independents and Greens candidates, the council could still lean progressive even as the Liberals install councillors in each ward.