May 2016 elections: Who's standing to be your councillor in Cannock Chase and Wyre Forest?

A total of 13 of the 41 seats on Cannock Chase District Council will be up for election when voters head to the polls on May 5.

Currently Labour holds power with 22 seats, the Tories have 11, while UKIP hold five. One seat each is held by Lib Dem and independent candidates, while one is currently vacant.

Labour has controlled the district council since gaining an overall majority in the 2012 elections, when four seats were taken from the Liberal Democrats.

Of the seats up for grabs next month nine currently belong to the ruling party.

The Conservatives have two seats on the line, while UKIPs seat in Hawks Green will go before the electorate.

The Cannock West seat is vacant and will be fought out between Paul Allen (UKIP), Patrick Frondiguon (Lab), Clive Smith (Cons) and Maire Smith (Green).

Five cabinet members are up for election.

Carl Bennett, portfolio holder for crime and partnerships, will contest Western Springs; Alan Dudson, cabinet member for environment is up for election in Brereton and Ravenhill; culture and sport boss Christine Mitchell goes before voters in Cannock East, while regeneration chief Diane Todd contests Heath Hayes East and Wimblebury.

The council's deputy leader Gordon Alcott heads to the polls in Cannock North, where he faces competition from Robert Branson (UKIP), Phil Jones (Cons) and Jodie Winter (Green).

The authority's leader, Councillor George Adamson, is due to contest the Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner election on the same day as the council elections.

A former West Midlands Police officer is aiming to become Labour's first commissioner in the county.

UKIP has candidates in all 13 wards. They include Ann Bernard, sitting councillor in Hawks Green and Grahame Wiggin who will contest Hednesford South.

Meanwhile 11 seats are up for grabs on Wyre Forest District Council.

The Conservatives will be aiming to maintain their powerful grip on the authority. The party currently holds 23 seats, with Labour holding three seats and independent candidates with the same number.

The Independent Community and Health Concern party has two seats, while UKIP and the Liberal Democrats hold one each.

On May 5 the ruling Conservative administration is defending four seats, with Linda Henderson, Juliet Smith, Tony Muir and Stephen Williams seeking re-election in their wards.

Independent councillor John Aston is defending his seat in Aggborough and Spennells, as is Labour leader Nigel Knowles in Franche and Habberley North.

Five councillors will not be seeking re-election in their wards.

They are Conservatives Jenny Greener and Julian Phillips, UKIP's Steve Harrington, Labour's Sam Arnold and Independent Community and Health Concern's Graham Ballinger.

Last year saw the Areley Kings and Riverside ward elections delayed until June following the death of Independent Community and Health Concern candidate Nigel Thomas.

The seats were won by Ken Henderson and Lin Henderson for the Conservatives and Labour's Jamie Shaw.

Former Wyre Forest District Council leader John-Paul Campion is contesting for the Police and Crime Commissioner election in West Mercia on the same day.

Mr Campion is currently the cabinet member for planning and economic regeneration with the district council. He is also county councillor for Bewdley and Rock and cabinet member for children and families at Worcestershire County Council.

A total of 18 councillors will be elected across six parish council wards in Kidderminster, namely Aggborough & Spennells, Blakebrook and Habberley South, Broadwaters, Foley Park and Hoobrook, Franche & Habberley North and Offmore and Comberton.

Current political make-up:

Labour (22); Conservatives (1); UKIP (5); Liberal Democrats (1); Independent (1); Vacant (1)

* denotes incumbent party

Brereton and Ravenhill

DUDSON, Alan (Lab) *; FISHER, Paul (Lib Dem); LEES, Michael (Green); OWEN, Pamela (Cons); THOMAS-DEAN, Sarah (UKIP)

Cannock East

HEWITT, Phil (Cons); MITCHELL, Christine (Lab)*; MORRIS, Dave (UKIP); TAPPER, Glen (Green)

Cannock North

ALCOTT, Gordon (Lab)*; BRANSON, Robert (UKIP); JONES, Phil (Cons); WINTER, Jodie (Green)

Cannock South

FREEMAN, Maureen (Lab)*; HARRISON, Leo (Green); MCMAHON, John (Cons); WHITTAKER, Kevin (UKIP)

Cannock West (vacant)

ALLEN, Paul (UKIP); FRONDIGOUN, Patrick (Lab); SMITH, Clive (Cons); SMITH, Maire (Green)

Etching Hill and The Heath

DAVIES, Daniel (UKIP); JOHNSON, Justin (Cons)*; JONES, Raymond (Lib Dem); THAWLEY, David (Green); WINTER, Jeffrey (Lab)

Hagley

CRABTREE, Stuart (Green); DEAKIN, Mark (UKIP); HUGHES, Robert (Cons); MARTIN, Christine (Lab)*

Hawks Green

BERNARD, Ann (UKIP)*; FREEMAN, Matthew (Lab); SNAPE, Daniel (Cons); TUFT, Kelly (Green)

Heath Hayes East and Wimblebury

BEARDMORE, Kenny (Green); BERNARD, John (UKIP); BORTON, Helen (Cons); TODD, Diane (Lab)*

Hednesford North

CARMICHAEL, Arlette (Green); HARDMAN, Susan (UKIP); MOFFAT, James (Cons); PEARSON, Alan (Lab)*

Hednesford South

GAMBLE, Brian (Lab)*; LYONS, Olivia (Cons); WIGGIN, Grahame (UKIP); WOODHEAD, Paul (Green)

Norton Canes

COX, Chris (UKIP); JENKING, Richard (Green); JONES, Valerie (Cons); STRETTON, Zaphne (Lab)*

Western Springs

ALLT, Sara (Cons)*; ANDERSON, Sara (Green); BENNETT, Carl (Lab); ROSE, Sarah (UKIP)

Aggborough and Spennells

ASTON, John (Indep) *; COLEMAN, Anna (Cons); HINE, Doug (Green); JEANES, Philip (UKIP); ROBERTSON, Keith (Independent Community and Health Concern); RUSHBROOK, Brian (Lab)

Areley Kings and Riverside

ATKINSON, Nick (Green); DAWES, Berenice (UKIP); HENDERSON, Lin (Cons)*; HIGGS, Vi (Lab); THOMAS, John (Independent Community and Health Concern)

Bewdley and Rock

ALTON, Maurice (UKIP); EDGINTON-WHITE, Calne (Independent Community and Health Concern); STANCZYSZYN, Rod (Lab); WILSON, Rod (Cons)*

Blakebrook and Habberley South

BEAVIS, Adrian (Lib Dem); CONNOLLY, George (UKIP); CONNOR, Bernadette (Lab); LEA, Victoria (Green); SMITH, Juliet (Cons)*

Broadwaters

AKATHIOTIS, Rachel (Lib Dem); FINCH, Dave (Green); MACK, William (Cons); WALKER, Steven (Lab); WOOLDRIDGE, Paul (UKIP); YOUNG, Peter (Independent Community and Health Concern)

Foley Park and Hoobrook

BEAVIS, Leia (Lib Dem); BYNG, John (Independent Community and Health Concern); CRUMPTON, Gerald (Lab); GALE, Nicky (Cons); WRENCH, Michael (UKIP)

Franche and Habberley North

DAVIS, John (Green); HARRISON, Paul (Cons); HOPKINS, Bill (UKIP); KNOWLES, Nigel (Lab)*; SHELLIE, Caroline (Independent Community and Health Concern)

Mitton

DAVIS, Gilda (Green); HAWES, Jill (Lab); HOLDEN, John (UKIP); MARTIN, Nicky (Independent Community and Health Concern); MUIR, Tony (Cons)*

Offmore and Comberton

ACTON, Meriel (Independent Community and Health Concern); CAULFIELD, Brett (Green); CHEESEMAN, Mike (Cons); MIAH, Shazu (Lib Dem); SAVAGE, Nick (Lab); STOOKE, Martin (UKIP)

Wribbenhall and Arley

CANDLIN, Linda (Independent Community and Health Concern); CRAMPTON, Daniel (Lab); FIELD, David (UKIP); LAYTON, Martin (Green); VALE, Rebecca (Cons)*

Wyre Forest Rural

COLLINS, Dan (UKIP); JONES, David (Lab); WILLIAMS, Stephen (Cons)*