People across Colchester will head to the polls on Thursday as local elections get underway.

Council elections are set to return on May 5 in Colchester with 18 of the 51 seats being contested.

In total, 62 candidates are vying for election.

With Covid-19 forcing the cancellation of council elections in 2020, the next election-free year will be 2024.

The current political make-up of the council is:

• Conservative 23 (Group Leader - Paul Dundas)

• Liberal Democrats 11 (Group Leader - Martin Goss)

• Labour 11 (Group Leader - Adam Fox)

• The Highwoods Group 3 (Group Leader - Beverley Oxford)

• Green 2 (Group Leader - Mark Goacher)

• 1 vacancy

Where are the seats to watch?

Tina Bourne, who has been a Labour councillor in Greenstead for 20 years, is not seeking re-election this year instead standing aside for new would-be councillors.

And in the Rural North ward, former mayor Peter Chillingworth will be stepping down as a Conservative councillor after 20 years of service.

In the Highwoods ward, Philip Oxford – son of long-standing councillors Gerard and Beverley Oxford – will not be standing for the first time in 14 years.

Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Smith is standing in the St Anne’s and St John’s ward after he lost his seat in the 2018 election.

Current council leader Conservative Paul Dundas is fighting for re-election in Stanway and will face a stiff contest in what was a previous Lib Dem stronghold.

In the ward of New Town and Christ Church, there are seven candidates in the running following the death of Nick Cope in March.

Conservative candidate Carla Hales is standing once again even though she was assaulted whilst she was on the campaign trail in April 2019.

Colchester mayor Robert Davidson is standing in the Mersea and Pyefleet ward.