VOTERS are going to the polls today to decide who will run Dudley and Sandwell Councils and represent them in the European Parliament.

The results are expected to throw up some surprises with UKIP and Green Party fielding candidates in all the Dudley local authority wards.

Labour are hoping to tighten their grip on power in Dudley, while the Conservatives, having lost five of their own to the independent Tory benches and UKIP, will be hoping to make up lost ground.

A third of the seats, one in each ward, are up for election in Sandwell and Dudley.

Sandwell Council leader Darren Cooper is hoping for a repeat clean sweep for his party in the traditional Labour stronghold.

Seven West Midlands seats are up for grabs in the European election with local candidates including former Halesowen and Rowley Regis Labour MP Linda Waltho and former Dudley and Halesowen UKIP branch chairman Bill Etheridge, who stood down to concentrate on his Euro bid.

The polling stations for both elections will be open until 10pm night , with the council counts taking place immediately afterwards. See the News website for the results.

The Euro election count will not take place until Sunday in Birmingham.