Here are the candidates standing in Dudley's local elections

Residents will be able to vote for up to two candidates in St Thomas’s ward in Dudley.

There is one extra seat available this year, following the resignation of Labour councillor Maz Qari.

The council opted to include the seat as part of the local elections to reduce the costs and need to hold a separate by-election.

People need photo ID if they want to vote at a polling station.

Kevin O’Keefe, Dudley Council's chief executive and electoral returning officer, said: "In a normal local election we have 24 seats available.

“This year there are two seats available in St Thomas’s after one of the members resigned although the seat was not due for re-election.

“This just means that residents in that ward only, can vote for up to two candidates. There are clear instructions at the top of the ballot paper and we have staff at polling stations who can advise people of the process. Of course, people need to remember their photo ID if they want to vote at a polling station."

Councillor Patrick Harley, current leader of Dudley Council and the borough’s Conservative Group, said he’s “fairly confident” the Tories can hold onto power.

He said: “We always punch above our weight with regard to the national polls.

“The feeling on the doorstep is our vote is holding up well, despite the national issues of the last 12 months.

“Candidates are out there working hard in all constituencies. We’re expecting a good result.

“We’ve got a good story to tell locally – there’s a lot of regeneration going on.

“We’re fairly confident we’ll still have a Conservative administration and a decent majority and maybe there are a few gains to be made.”

Councillor Qadar Zada, leader of Dudley Labour Group, who is up for election himself, however, said: “With the continuous scandal from the Conservative party with MIPM, failed safety checks in housing, failed Ofsted, the cost of living crisis and Dudley being pothole heart of the country, residents are rightly questioning what's the point of voting Tory.

“We expect that voters will make their voices heard through the ballot box.”

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have their sights set on making a return to Dudley Council after an absence of more than 10 years in the chamber.

Lib Dem candidate for Cradley and Wollescote Ryan Priest has been campaigning to try and oust long-standing Labour councillor Richard Body.

He said the ward is the only place where the Conservatives came third in Dudley last time round and he added: “Voters in Cradley and Wollescote know this election is a race between myself and the Labour Party, and, while our internal polling is positive, it is looking very close.”

Cllr Body wouldn't be drawn on who might win or not and simply said: "My priority has always been the community, our local parks, and our precious greenbelt. I tend to veer away from ego play politics."

Here's the full list of candidates standing in the local elections in Dudley:

Amblecote

Ian Flynn - Liberal Democrat

Luke Hamblett - Labour

Pete Lee - Conservative

Adrian Mabe - Green

Belle Vale

Deanne Brettle - Green

Sarah Furhuraire - Liberal Democrat

Simon Phipps - Conservative

Savannah Lily Southorn - Labour

Brierley Hill

Ridha Ahmed - Labour

Trevor Bunn - Reform UK

Wayne Little - Conservative

Mark Percox - Green

Mollie Jo Priest - Liberal Democrat

Brockmoor & Pensnett

Sue Greenaway - Conservative

Tracey Gregg - Liberal Democrat

Lawrence Rowlett- Green

Austin Ward - Reform UK

Karen Westwood - Labour

Castle & Priory

David Ashley Bramall - Liberal Democrat

Karl Denning - Labour

Ant Dugmore - Green

Nicola Fisher - Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition

Sat Nawabzada - Conservative

Coseley East

Peter Drake - Labour

Sam Oakley - Green

Richard Tasker - Conservative

Cradley & Wollescote

Richard Body - Labour

Siobhan Friel - Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition

Kash Khan - Green Party

Ryan Priest - Liberal Democrat

Jason Thorne - Conservative

Gornal

Nathan Hunt - Reform UK

Mushtaq Hussain - Labour

Anne Millward - Independent

Dan Spear- Green

Claire Sullivan - Conservative & Unionist

Elizabeth Tilly - Liberal Democrat

Halesowen North

Ash Flavin- Green

Jeff Hill - Conservative

Abdul Qadus - Liberal Democrat

Parmjit Sahota - Labour

Halesowen South

Derek Campbell - Liberal Democrat

Donella Russell - Labour

Alan Taylor - The Conservative

James Windridge - Green

Hayley Green & Cradley South

Tony Barnsley - Labour

Ian Bevan - Conservative

Ethan Stafford - Liberal Democrat

Kingswinford North & Wall Heath

Andrew Bennett- Green

Jonathan Bramall - Liberal Democrat

Michael Mitchell - Labour

Mark Webb - Conservative

Kingswinford South

Simon Daniel - Labour

Saima Furhuraire - Liberal Democrat

Peter Miller - Conservative

Lye & Stourbridge North

Naz Ahmed - Green

Mohammed Hanif - Labour

Robert Johns - Liberal Democrat

Shazad Mahmood - Conservative

Netherton Woodside & St Andrew's

Mark Binnersley - Green

Viorica Faraji - Conservative

Qadar Zada - Labour

Norton

Steve Clark - Conservative

Madeleine Cowley - Labour

Ken Moore - Independent 

Stephen Price - Green

David Sheppard - Liberal Democrat

Pedmore & Stourbridge East

Jason Griffin - Labour

Simon Hanson - Liberal Democrat

Ian Kettle - Conservative

Catherine Maguire - Green

Quarry Bank & Dudley Wood

Muhammad Ali - Conservative

Pam Archer - Green

Jackie Cowell - Labour

Richard Priest - Liberal Democrat

Sedgley

Caroline Benton - Liberal Democrat

Martin Day - Libertarian

Colin Drewery - Green

Matt Dudley - Conservative

Joanne Morgan - Labour

Brad Simms - Independent

St James`s

Cathryn Jayne Bayton - Labour

Benjamin France - Liberal Democrat

Rab Rana - Conservative

St Thomas`s

Sajid Hanif - Conservative

Shaneila Mughal - Labour

Najeeb Muhammad - Conservative

Zia Qari - Green

Adeela Qayyum - Labour

Lee Robertson - Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition

Upper Gornal & Woodsetton

Adam Aston- Labour

Lynette Corfield- Conservative

Greg Markowski - Independent

Wollaston & Stourbridge Town

Christopher Bramall - Liberal Democrat

Lisa Marie Clinton - Conservative

Maxim Lowe - Libertarian

Andi Mohr - Green

Andrew Tromans - Labour & Co-operative Party

Wordsley

Sarah Daniel - Labour

Bill Harman - Reform UK

Matt Rogers - Conservative

Elaine Sheppard - Liberal Democrat

Jennifer Slater-Reid - Green