Labour targets more gains in the local elections

Voters will head to the polls across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire when the local elections take place on May 2.

There are three Police and Crime Commissioner contests, with the guarantee of at least one new person in that role as incumbent Conservative David Lloyd will not be standing in Hertfordshire.

There's also a chance for Labour to take full control of Milton Keynes City Council where a third of Councillors are seeking re-election and there are seven District Council polls across Hertfordshire.

Candidates from other parties have until 5 April to stand, with a full candidate list expected around 8 April.

The role of Police and Crime Commissioner was introduced in 2012 to call police forces to account.

In Hertfordshire, where Mr Lloyd is standing down after three terms, Jonathan Ash-Edwards is aiming to replace him for the Conservatives. Labour has selected Tom Plater and the Liberal Democrats Sean Prendergast - both are councillors in North Herts.

In Bedfordshire, Conservative Festus Akinbusoye hopes to keep hold of the role he won in 2021, with Labour selecting John Tizard and Jas Parmer going again for the Lib Dems.

In the Thames Valley, which includes Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, Tory Matthew Barber will be looking to win again, against him will be Tim Bearder for the Lib Dems and Tim Starkey for Labour.

Milton Keynes has been under no overall control for 18 years but that could change for the city council if Labour gains two more seats. At the moment they run the authority in a progressive alliance with the Liberal Democrats.

In the Hertfordshire districts of North Herts and Stevenage, recent boundary changes mean all councillors are seeking re-election this year.

Like MK, North Herts has a Labour/Lib Dem Alliance while Stevenage has been under Labour control since it was formed in 1974.

There are also five district councils where a third of councillors are being elected.

Broxbourne is a Conservative authority with a strong majority, while the Lib Dems hold similar positions in St Albans and Watford.

In Three Rivers, the Lib Dems will hope to build on a slender majority, while there is a Labour/Lib Dem Alliance in Welwyn Hatfield, but the Conservatives are the largest party.

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