VOTERS go to the polls today (Thursday May 6) to elect those they wish to represent them on Dudley Council and who they want to see as the West Midlands Mayor and region's Police and Crime Commissioner.
There are 26 seats available out of the total of 72 serving the 24 wards across the Dudley borough.
The balance of power remains on a knife edge in Dudley where 100 candidates have put themselves up for election in the hope of gaining a seat on the local authority.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm and counting for the local elections will take place overnight.
Safety precautions have been put in place to ensure polling stations are Covid-compliant.
Voters will need to wear face coverings unless medically exempt and social distancing will be enforced so there may be queues outside during busy times.
People are asked to take along their own pencils when attending a polling station to fill in the ballot paper safely.
See our websites later on for the results following the count at Stourbridge's Crystal Leisure Centre tonight.
The results of the Mayoral and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner elections are expected on Saturday.
The full list of nominations for the local election, by ward, are:
Amblecote:
Ellen Cobb – Labour
Ian Flynn – Liberal Democrats
Adrian Mabe – Green
Kamran Razzaq – Conservative
Jake Woodley – Independent
Belle Vale:
Dainel Bevan – Conservative
Peter Dobb – Conservative
Bill McComish – Green
Marjorie Pounder – Liberal Democrats
Savannah Southern – Labour
Andrew Tromans – Labour
Brierley Hill:
Claire Bramall – Liberal Democrats
Trevor Bunn – Reform UK
Serena Craigie – Labour
Adam Davies – Conservative
Brockmoor & Pensnett:
Rebbekah Collins – Conservative
Steve Edwards – Black Country Party
John Martin – Labour
Castle & Priory:
Margaret Aston – Labour
Liz Tilly – Liberal Democrats
Mark Webb – Conservative
Coseley East:
Lynette Corfield – Conservative
Sue Ridney – Labour
Helen Wimlett – UKIP
Cradley & Wollescote:
Natalie Neale – Conservative
Gaye Partridge – Labour
Ryan Priest – Liberal Democrats
Sarah Smith – Black Country Party
Gornal:
Marian Howard – Labour
Mollie Priest – Liberal Democrats
David Stanley – Conservative
Stuart Turner – Social Democratic Party
Phil Wimlett – UKIP
Halesowen North:
Hilary Bills – Labour
Stuart Henley – Conservative
Andrew McKay – Liberal Democrats
Halesowen South:
Derek Campbell – Liberal Democrats
Nick Gregory – Black Country Party
Donella Russell – Labour
David Vickers – Conservative
James Windridge – Green
Hayley Green & Cradley Heath:
Tony Barnsley – Labour
Ruth Buttery – Conservative
John Payne – Green
Ethan Stafford – Liberal Democrats
Kingswinford North & Wall Heath:
Phil Atkins – Conservative
Richard Lloyd – Labour
Shaz Saleem – Conservative
David Sheppard – Liberal Democrats
Adam Woodhall – Labour
Kingswinford South:
Elizabeth Geeves – Liberal Democrats
Luke Johnson – Conservative
Daniel Round – Labour
Lye & Stourbridge North:
Dave Borley – Conservative
Gary Farmer – Libertarian Party
Abdul Qadus – Liberal Democrats
Maz Qari – Labour
Lawrence Rowlett – Green
Netherton Woodside & St Andrew’s:
Helen Betts-Patel – Labour
Damian Corfield – Conservative
Tracey Gregg – Liberal Democrats
Alexander Wright – Green
Norton:
Pam Archer – Green
Christopher Bramall – Liberal Democrats
Laura Taylor – Conservative
Paul White – Labour
Tim Woodley – Independent
Pedmore & Stourbridge East:
James Clinton – Conservative
Simon Hanson – Liberal Democrats
Catherine Maguire – Green
Rachel Tudor – Labour
Glen Wilson – Black Country Party
Quarry Bank & Dudley Wood:
Rob Clinton – Conservative
Richard Priest – Liberal Democrats
Brian Roe – Labour
Jason Sprintall – Green
Sedgley:
Steve Beardsmore – Labour
Martin Day – Libertarian Party
Michael Evans – Conservative
St James’s:
Asif Ahmed – Labour
Alison Miller – Liberal Democrats
Wayne Sullivan – Conservative
St Thomas’s:
Shaukat Ali – Labour
Nicola Fisher – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Sajid Hanif – Conservative
Sofie Harris – Liberal Democrats
Upper Gornal & Woodsetton:
Keiran Casey – Labour
Rich Colley – UKIP
Andy Griffin – Reform UK
Benjamin Perry – Liberal Democrats
Mark Westwood – Conservative
Wollaston & Stourbridge Town:
Jonathan Bramall – Liberal Democrats
Cat Eccles – Labour
Alan Hopwood – Conservative
Maxim Lowe – Black Country Party
Andi Mohr – Green
Wordsley:
Muhammed Ikhlaq – Labour
Kerry Lewis – Conservative
Elaine Sheppard – Liberal Democrats
Jennifer Slater-Reid – Green
The candidates in the running for the role of West Midlands Mayor are:
Andy Street (Conservative)
Liam Byrne (Labour)
Jenny Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat)
Steve Caudwell (Green Party)
Pete Durnell (Reform UK)
The candidates in the running for the role of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner are:
Simon Foster (Labour)
Jay Singh-Sohal (Conservative)
Julie (Jools) Hambleton (Independent)
Mark Hoath (Reform UK)
Jon Hunt (Liberal Democrat)
Desmond Jaddoo (We Matter Party)
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here