Local Elections 2022: Voters in the Black Country and parts of Staffordshire head to the polls

Each of the four Black Country councils is holding elections for around one third of councillors, while 13 seats will be up for grabs on Cannock Chase Council.

The elections see Labour defending the vast majority of seats, last contested in 2018, and hoping to improve on last year's historically poor results across the region.

On that occasion the Tories gained more than 30 councillors across the Black Country and seized overall control of Cannock Chase for the first time after picking up 12 seats.

Labour blamed its wretched performance on Boris Johnson enjoying a "vaccine bounce", and regional bosses will be hoping to get a bounce of their own this year due to 'partygate', the cost of living crisis and the Tories plummeting in the polls nationally.

In Sandwell, the Conservatives have something of a free hit, with Labour having won all 24 seats the last time they were up for election in 2018. Bince last year's elections, both major parties have endured their fair share of turmoil.

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

And things have not exactly run smoothly for the Conservative Group in the borough, with Councillor Archer Williams currently acting leader – replacing Rowley councillor Laured Kalari, who was suspended in January following allegation of abusive tweets – which he has vehemently denied.

Dudley – so often seen as a bell-weather for national opinion – has swung drastically towards the Conservatives over the last few election cycles. The Tories hold 45 of the 72 available seats, with Labour trailing behind on 23.

This year two seats will be contested in Halesowen South following the death earlier this year of Conservative councillor and deputy leader David Vickers.

Labour has also targeted local issues including the loss of the Anchor Lane tip – which has infuriated many residents in the north of the borough – and the £100,000 spent on the MIPIM conference trip.

And under leader Councillor Qadar Zada, the dwindling group is desperate not to lose anymore seats after suffering a catastrophic set of results in 2021, when the Tories managed a dozen gains.

Labour is defending 17 out of 20 seats in Wolverhampton, while Walsall will see the Tories attempt to build on last year's gains which saw the party strengthen its grip on power.

In Wolverhampton, council leader Ian Brookfield has said 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".

And opposition Tories are directing their campaign at Labour's "many failings" in the city, including a lack of progress on the much-lauded Westside project and the heavily delayed Civic Halls rebuild.

Meanwhile, in Walsall, the Conservative Group is aiming to extend its dominance of the authority. And this year's poll will see two seats contested in Willenhall South following the conviction of disgraced former council leader Sean Coughlan for child sex offences.

And voters in Pleck will try again to elect a councillor following a botched by-election in December which cost taxpayers £20,000.

Cannock Chase will see the main opposition parties' Labour and the Chase Community Independents attempt to eat into the Conservatives majority of seven.

Long-standing councillors in the area have announced their intention to stand down, with Labour group leader Councillor George Adamson stepping down alongside councillors Frank Allen and Muriel Davis.

Results will be declared overnight in Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton, with Cannock Chase and Walsall set to announce their results on Friday afternoon.

Polling stations open from 7am today and close at 10pm.