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)