THE last test of public opinion before the General Elections takes place in Winchester on Thursday.

Fourteen city council seats are to be contested on Thursday May 2.

The Liberal Democrats, who control the council, are defending eight seats and the Conservatives are defending six.

Currently the Lib Dems have 30 councillors, the Tories have 12, the Greens two and there is one independent.

In the last election in 2023 the Lib Dems gained two seats.

Several ex-councillors are battling to return to the council: Linda Gemmell (Conservative) in Central Meon Valley, Patrick Davies (Labour) in St Bartholomew ward and Ian Tait (Conservative) in St Luke.

Eleven councillors are defending their seats. Three stood down: Frank Pearson in Central Meon Valley, Michael Kurn in Bishop's Waltham and Chris Edwards in St Michael.

The count will take place in the Winchester Sport and leisure Centre at Bar End with the results expected in the early hours of Friday.

This is the full list of candidates:

Alresford & Itchen Valley: Fiona Isaacs (Conservative), Clare Pinniger (Liberal Democrat), Tessa Susan Valentine (Labour), Dave Westley (Green).

Badger Farm and Oliver`s Battery: Adrian John Paul Field (Labour), Anne Forder (Liberal Democrat), Max Priesemann (Green), Jan Warwick (Conservative).

Bishop's Waltham: Richard Cannon (Green), Alex Coles (Independent), Steve Haines (Labour), Henry Laferla (Conservative), Ritchie Latham (Liberal Democrat).

Central Meon Valley: Eric Bodger (Liberal Democrat), Linda Gemmell (Conservative), Oliver Stephen Hirsch (Labour), Suzanne Emma White (Green). 

Denmead: Michael Bennett (Liberal Democrat), Andrew Thomas Kirby (Labour), Mike Read (Conservative), Elizabeth Karen Riley (Green). 

Southwick and Wickham: Angela Clear (Liberal Democrat), Beata Parry (Green), Denise Searle (Conservative), Paul Thomas Sony (Labour). 

St. Barnabas: Antonia Cox (Conservative), Charlotte Harley (Green), Kelise Learney (Liberal Democrat), Lucy Emma Sims (Labour).

St. Bartholomew: Patrick Davies (Labour), Lorraine Estelle (Green), Philip Hutchinson (Conservative), John Tippett-Cooper (Liberal Democrat).

St. Luke: Alison Phyllis Cochrane (Labour), Michael James Perrott (Green), Jamie Scott (Liberal Democrat), Ian Tait (Conservative).

St. Michael: Rachel Aron (Liberal Democrat), Leo Keay (Conservative), Peter Ronald Marsh (Labour), Richard Needham (Green). 

St. Paul: Giles Richard Gooding (Green), Steve Russell (Conservative), Stephen Richard Turner (Labour), Chris Westwood (Liberal Democrat).

The Worthys: Signe Biddle (Conservative), Steve Cramoysan (Liberal Democrat), Cameron Hodgkinson (Labour), Andrew Pogson (Green Party). 

Whiteley and Shedfield: Vivian Achwal (Liberal Democrat), Marcus Garth (Conservative), Kate Needham (Green), Rosalind Sally O`Shaughnessy (Labour), Sean Gerrard Whelan (Independent). 

Wonston & Micheldever: Antony Francis De Peyer (Labour), Stephen Godfrey (Conservative), Richard Murphy (Liberal Democrat), Dee Wright (Green). 

The resignation of Hugh Lumby means there is a by-election for the county council division of Meon Valley. Standing are: Vivian Achwal (lib Dem), Neil Bolton (Conservative), Oliver Hirsch (Lab) and Malcolm Wallace (Green).

There is also an election for the police and crime commissioner: Candidates are: Prad Bains (Lib Dem), Don Jerrard (Justice and Anti-Corruption Party), Donna Jones (Con), Becky Williams (Lab).