Dudley mosque campaigner Malcolm Davis (UKIP) will seek to hold onto his St James's seat three months after he successfully fought against plans for the proposed £18m Hall Street development.

He will be competing with May Killoran (Cons), Mary Roberts (Lab), Dean Major (BNP) and Kieran Smith (Lib Dem).

The St Thomas's ward will be contested between John Davies (Lab), Matthew Dudley (Cons), Philip Wimlett (UKIP) and Tony Barnsley (Respect).

Former Mayor Ken Finch (Lab) will be looking to return to politics when he battles for the Castle and Priory seat. He will take on Ann Lewis (Lib Dem), Daryl Millward (Cons), Gary Woodall (BNP) and Jason Pearce (UKIP).

Upper Gornal and Woodsetton will see Susan Rowe (UKIP), Kevin Inman (BNP), Jeffrey Jewkes (Lab), David Simms (Cons) and Giovanna Faulkner (Lib Dems) do battle.

Former Dudley Council education chief David Vickers (Cons) will be looking to return to the borough's political arena when he stands in Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood against Andy Griffiths (BNP), Douglas Millington (UKIP), Tina White-Cooper (Lab) and John White (Lib Dem).

In Netherton, Woodside and St Andrew's Jane Jukes (Lib Dem), John Martin (Lab), Richard Gwinnett (Cons), Garry Mills (BNP) and James Mobberley (UKIP) all stand.

Anne Millward (Cons) looks to retain her seat in Gornal when she is challenged by Robert Dudley (UKIP), Michael Jones (Lib Dem) and Stuart Turner (Lab).

Brierley Hill will see Daniel Cronin (UKIP), John Dyer (Lib Dem), Rachel Harris (Lab) and Steven Ridley (Cons) contest the ward while in Brockmoor and Pensnett, Julian Mitchell (BNP), John Davies (Cons), Amanda Mobberley (UKIP) and Janice Porter (Lib Dem) look to remove Karen Jordan (Lab) from her seat.

A Dudley Council spokesman said: "At this year's elections the 194 polling stations across the borough will be open from 7am to 10pm.

"Local politics affects all of us in our everyday lives, from recycling, to speed bumps, to the local leisure centre.

"The local election is the chance for residents to vote and have their say on the issues that affect them."

For all of the results from tonight's elections go to www.dudleynews.co.uk.