Battle lines drawn in Worthing town hall tussle

The Liberal Democrats will be trying to shatter the Conservatives' 11-strong majority on the full council's 37 seats, 24 of which are held by the Tories, and 13 by the Lib Dems.

The Lib Dems need to take six seats from the Tories to regain control of the council.

Their main target wards are Broadwater, Central and Gaisford.

Of the other parties, Labour is contesting eight seats, Green, five, and UKIP, seven.

Conservatives have kept control of the council since they wrested town hall power from the Lib Dems in 2004.

Polling will take place in 11 of the council's 13 wards.

Two wards without elections this year are Durrington and Northbrook, because they are now two-member wards instead of three.

The seats up for re-election are currently held by eight Conservatives and three Liberal Democrats.

One member is due to be elected for each of the other wards, with the exception of Castle, in which two seats will be contested.

This is due to the by-election caused by the resignation of Lib Dem Claire Potter.

Conservative Fiona Green (Goring ward) is one sitting member who has decided not to seek re-election this year.

A total of 71,022 people are eligible to vote in the 11 contested wards.

The poll on Thursday, May 3, will take place between 7am and 10pm, and counting will start at the Assembly Hall soon after the polling stations have closed.

The first results are expected to be announced at around midnight.

Full list of candidates. Key: C Con; G Green; Lab Labour; LD Liberal Democrat; UKIP UK Independence Party. (*Denotes sitting councillor).

BROADWATER

Gary Riding (LD), Kevin Skepper* (Con), John Turley (Lab).

CASTLE

Bill Capper (Con), Chris Chatfield (UKIP), David Potter (LD), Robin Rogers* (LD), Julian Warwick (G), Ruth White (Con).

CENTRAL

Janet Goldsbrough-Jones (LD), James Pearson (G), Clive Roberts* (Con), Tony Smith (Lab), Christopher Woodward (UKIP).

GAISFORD

Tori Finney (Lab), Marie Hillcoat (G), Andrew Muggeridge (LD), Bryan Turner* (Con).

GORING

Richard Bater (UKIP), Janet Haden (Lab), Merlin Jones (LD), Ann Sayers (Con), Dawn Smith (Stop Durrington's Overdevelopment '” Save Titnore's Trees).

HEENE

Derek Colkett (G), Stuart Field (UKIP), Alan Jones (LD), John Livermore* (Con).

MARINE

Sam Colkett (G), Keith Mercer* (Con), Phil Ruddock (UKIP), Barrie Slater (Lab), Susan Withnell (LD).

OFFINGTON

Graham Fabes* (Con), Norah Fisher (LD), Hazel Rennie (Lab).

SALVINGTON

Noel Atkins* (Con), Ron Brooks (UKIP), Michael Cranefield (LD).

SELDEN

James Doyle* (LD), Roger Oakley (Con), Ann Saunders (Lab).

TARRING

Martin McGinlay (UKIP), John Rose (Con), Hazel Thorpe* (LD), Sid Wells (Lab).