Sandwell Council election: Full list of candidates standing for this year's vote

Labour currently holds sway but saw the Tories become relevant in the borough for the first time in years in the 2021 local elections, taking nine seats.

On the face of it, Labour remains dominant with 59 of the authority's 72 seats. However, it would take a swing of less than 2,000 seats next month to see the Conservatives take control.

Since last year's elections, both major parties have endured their fair share of turmoil.

Labour has yet another new leader, with Kerrie Carmichael (Blackheath) becoming the sixth councillor in three years to grasp the poisoned chalice after Rajbir Singh stepped down and quit the council in November.

She has promised a "strong community focus" under her watch, but her first months in power have seen commissioners drafted in by the Government to run the authority.

Councillor Carmichael has also inherited a series of problems from previous Labour administrations, including an ongoing scandal over a £20 million school transport contract.

Questions have also been raised over the council's disastrous Providence Place scheme in West Bromwich, which was sold off at a loss of £22.5m to the taxpayer.

Labour has also faced accusations of racism – led by the party's former West Bromwich West MP Adrian Bailey – after a number of Asian councillors were deselected at the end of last year.

Meanwhile, things have not exactly run smoothly for the Conservative group.

They did win a tenth seat when Emma Henlan took the Tividale by-election in July, but then lost a councillor at the start of this year after Ian Chambers defected to Labour.

Councillor Archer Williams is currently acting leader, replacing Rowley councillor Laured Kalari, who was suspended in January following allegation of abusive tweets – which he has vehemently denied.

He had replaced Councillor David Fisher, who led the group until standing down in December after apologising for demanding more "white representation" in the NHS.

Despite experiencing trouble at the top, the Conservatives are understood to be confident of picking up another four seats next month.

A top target is Great Great Barr with Yew Tree, where Steve Melia stands for Labour just weeks after he was handed a 12-month conditional discharge by a court following his guilty plea to an assault by beating charge.

Friar Park and Charlemont with Grove Vale are also considered realistic targets, while the Conservatives will also fancy their chances in the two Wednesbury seats.

Candidates of interest include Iqbal Padda, who until recently sat on Councillor Carmichael's ruling cabinet, but has been selected for the Tories in Greets Green with Lyng.

For Labour, Cabinet member Bob Piper will be aiming for an eighth term of office in Abbey, having been first elected 23 years ago.

Rob Hevican – husband of the late Sandra Hevican – will stand in the Tividale ward where his wife used to serve, having narrowly lost out in a by-election there last year.

Liam Preece, who lost his Charlemont with Grove Vale seat at last year's elections, is back to fight for West Bromwich Central.

Labour has been campaigning on the Tories struggles nationally, while the Conservatives are reminding voters of the "years of failings and mismanagement" in the borough under successive Labour administrations.

Results will be counted and declared at Tipton Sports Academy on May 6.

Current state of play: Lab majority administration – Lab (59), Cons (9), Sandwell Together (2), Indep (1), Vacant (1).

Results last time these seats were contested in 2018 (includes two by-elections): Lab (26).

Seats up for grabs: 24

*denotes party that won seat in 2018

Abbey

Mona Khurana (Cons)

Bob Piper (Lab)*

Blackheath

Greg Allman (Cons)

Danny Millard (Lab)*

Bristnall

Fajli Bibi (Cons)

Amolak Dhariwal (Lab)*

Pete Durnell (Reform)

Manjit Lall (Lib Dem)

Charlemont with Grove Vale

Sam Harding (For Britain)

Jennifer Hemingway (Lab)*

Graham Nock (Reform)

Sadie Smith (Lib Dem)

Les Trumpeter (Cons)

Cradley Heath and Old Hill

Nicholas Bradley (Lib Dem)

Cammilla Mngaza (TUSC)

Julie Webb (Lab)*

Fahmida Yasmin (Cons)

Friar Park

Simon Hackett (Lab)*

Colin Rankine (Yeshua)

Ryan Trumpeter (Cons)

Great Barr with Yew Tree

Connor Jones (Cons)

Steve Melia (Lab)*

Mark Smith (Lib Dem)

Great Bridge

Craig Adams (Cons)

Soyfur Rahman (Lab)*

Greets Green and Lyng

John Giles (Lab)*

Iqbal Padda (Cons)

Hateley Heath

Paul Moore (Lab)*

Yesmeen Singh (Cons)

Langley

Sharon Davies (Cons)

Bill Gavan (Lab)*

Clive Heywood (Lib Dem)

Newton

Mujakkir Ahmed (Cons)

Keith Allcock (Lab)

Amanda Jenkins (Lib Dem)

Old Warley

Harnoor Bhullar (Lab)*

Mo Sakhi (Cons)

Bob Smith (Lib Dem)

Oldbury

Richard Gingell (TUSC)

Abdul Qayyum (Cons)

Nagi Singh (Lab)*

Princes End

Jenny Chidley (Lab)*

David Wilkes (Cons)

Rowley

Claire Mayo (Lab)*

Wendy Steed (Cons)

Smethwick

Satinder Dunn (Cons)

Ashley Lewis (Lab)*

Soho and Victoria

Jasbir Ranie (Cons)

Mohammad Rouf (Indep)

Daisy Shone (Lib Dem)

Mohammed Uddin (Lab)*

St Paul's

Aqeela Choudhry (Lab)*

Imran Qureshi (Cons)

Keith Wilmot (Lib Dem)

Tipton Green

Steve Emms (Cons)

Abid Hussain (Lab)*

Richard Jeffcoat (Indep)

Tividale

Amrita Dunn (Cons)

Robert Hevican (Lab)*

Wednesbury North

Luke Giles (Lab)*

Gareth Knox (TUSC)

Marc Lucock (Cons)

Wednesbury South

Ian Chambers (Lab)*

Vijay Gaddu (Cons)

West Bromwich Central

Aran Duggal (Cons)

Liam Preece (Lab)*

Key: TUSC = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition