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

Labour has dominated the authority for all but two of the last 28 years and currently holds 44 of the 60 seats available, having added another councillor when Lovinyer Daley won the East Park by-election last week.

However, the Conservatives made inroads into Labour's majority at last year's local elections and will be hoping to add to their 16 seats next month.

Labour's campaign is mainly focused on national issues, with council leader Ian Brookfield attacking Boris Johnson's government over the cost of living crisis and Partygate.

In an election leaflet to city residents, Mr Brookfield says the Government has "laughed and lied to us" over the NHS, pensions and tax rises, accusing the Tories of "once again trying to take us for a ride".

He also boats how Labour supported residents in the city during the pandemic, although he's careful not to mention the Government funding that enabled them to do it.

Opposition Tories are directing their campaign at Labour's "many failings" in the city.

They have pointed out the dire state of the city centre – where a quarter of all shops are empty and businesses are furious at lost trade due to the latest round of roadworks.

Questions are also being asked over the lack of progress with the much-lauded Westside project and the catastrophic Civic halls rebuild, which continues to meet delays seven years after work first started.

Mr Brookfield's pledge to restore youth services is also under the microscope after The Way announced it was suspending activities for youngsters on the eve of the Easter holidays.

While the Tories are quietly confident of building on the gains made in the 2021 local elections, the strength of public feeling against the Government may force them to temper their enthusiasm.

Still, Councillor Wendy Thompson's group will fancy their chances of taking Bushbury North, where Conservative deputy leader Simon Bennett is standing after he was deselected in Merry Hill.

Penn is also a considered a realistic target, with Conservative Ranjit Dhillon taking on Councillor Celia Hibbert, who the Labour group suspended and unsuccessfully tried to boot out last year.

Labour received a boost by holding onto East Park in this month's by-election, although the ward is as red as they come and the Conservative vote increased by 17 per cent in a poll that saw just one in eight of the electorate turnout to vote.

Last time these seats went before voters in 2018, Labour returned 19 of 22 councillors.

A number of cabinet members are up for reelection, including deputy leader Steve Simkins, Jasbir Jaspal, Beverley Momenabadi, Steve Evans and Obaida Ahmed.

Long-standing councillor Keith Inston, the current planning committee chair, is standing down in East Park after 24 years. Louise Miles, who lost her seat in Oxley last year while deputy leader, has been selected in his place.

For the Conservatives, James Montero will stand in place of Mr Bennett in Merry Hill.

Jonathan Crofts, who succeeded Jane Stevenson MP in 2019, will defend his Tettenhall Wightwick seat, while Sohail Khan defends Tettenhall Regis.

The Lib Dems are standing 14 candidates, while the Green Party's sextet of hopefuls include Paul Darke (Oxley), husband of Park ward Labour councillor and former city mayor Claire Darke.

The count takes place on May 5, with results expected to be declared overnight.

Current state of play: Lab majority administration – Lab (44), Cons (16).

Results last time these seats were contested in 2018 (includes two by-elections): Lab (19), Cons (3).

Seats up for grabs: 20

*denotes party that won seat in 2018

Bilston East

Hannah Davis (TUSC)

Steve Simkins (Lab)*

Chris Thompson (Cons)

Bilston North

Eileen Birch (Lib Dem)

Phil Page (Lab)*

Dan Perry-Preston (Cons)

Blakenhall

Patrick Bentley (Lib Dem)

Jasbinder Dehar (Lab)*

Nathaniel Williams (Cons)

Bushbury North

Simon Bennett (Cons)

Alan Butt (Lab)*

Harry Marston (Lib Dem)

Bushbury South and Low Hill

Ian Jenkins (Lib Dem)

Paul Sweet (Lab)*

Lewis Wastell (Cons)

East Park

Aaron Hall (Cons)

Louise Miles (Lab)*

Ettingshall

Sian Kumar (Cons)

Beverley Momenabadi (Lab)*

David Murray (Lib Dem)

Fallings Park

Steve Evans (Lab)*

Peter Nixon (Lib Dem)

Zahid Shah (Cons)

Graiseley

Amy Bertaut (Green)

Peter Hollis (Lib Dem)

Asha Mattu (Lab)*

Safyaan Salim (Cons)

Heath Town

Alan Bamber (Lib Dem)

Jaspreet Jaspal (Lab)*

Fortune Sibanda (Cons)

Kwaku Tano-Yeboah (Green)

Merry Hill

Carol Hyatt (Lab)

David Marsh (Lib Dem)

James Montero (Cons)*

Oxley

Josh Allerton (TUSC)

Paul Darke (Green)

Ann Jenkins (Lib Dem)

Matt Powis (Cons)

Sue Roberts (Lab)*

Park

Robert Brotherton (Cons)

Craig Collingswood (Lab)*

Jenny Hibell (Green)

Bryan Lewis (Lib Dem)

Penn

Ranjit Dhillon (Cons)

Celia Hibbert (Lab)*

Michael Hopkins (Lib Dem)

Spring Vale

Surjit Khunkhun (Cons)

Barbara McGarrity (Lab)*

St Peter's

Obaida Ahmed (Lab)*

John Mumford (Cons)

Tettenhall Regis

Chris Brookes (Green)

Julian Donald (Lib Dem)

Kashmire Hawker (Lab)

Sohail Khan (Cons)*

Tettenhall Wightwick

Andrea Cantrill (Green)

Jonathan Crofts (Cons)*

Don Gwinnett (Lab)

Arfan Khan (Lib Dem)

Wednesfield North

Mary Bateman (Lab)*

Tony Gething (Cons)

Wednesfield South

Greg Brackenridge (Lab)*

Sucha Sahota (Cons)

Key: TUSC = Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition