All you need to know about local elections in Lincoln

One third of the 33 seats on City of Lincoln Council are up for election this year because the authority has a rolling programme of elections, holding them in three out of every four years.

But they are still important.

Lincoln has long been recognised as something of a political bellwether, meaning it consistently mirrors the overall national result in an election.

Labour, in particular, will be watching closely to see what happens on 7 May.

The party has held control of the authority for the past 15 years.

And, unlike the rest of Lincolnshire, which is entirely Conservative, the city has a Labour MP.

But, since the last city council elections two years ago, a lot has happened across the political landscape.

Last year, Reform UK wiped out the Conservative majority on the larger Lincolnshire County Council to take control, while the party's Greater Lincolnshire mayoral candidate, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, swept to power with a huge majority ahead of the Tories and beating Labour into third.

Reform UK will be hoping to make gains on the city council, but it could also be an opportunity for the Green Party to make an impact, especially among Lincoln's younger student and graduate demographic.

The Liberal Democrats have also been steadily making gains in recent years, and has been very vocal in its opposition over how some issues have been handled.

• 20 April - Deadline to register to vote, which can be done online

• 21 April - Deadline to apply for a postal vote, which can also be done online

• 28 April - Deadline to apply for a proxy vote, where you can name someone to vote on your behalf. It is also the deadline to apply for a voter authority certificate if you do not have ID like a driver's licence or passport. You need to show ID at a polling station to be able to vote

• 7 May - Polling stations open at 0700 and close at 2200. If you are in the queue by 22:00, you will be able to vote but do not forget your ID

The 33 seats on City of Lincoln Council are spread across 11 wards, with three councillors representing each area. One seat in each ward is being contested.

Details of where people can vote are available on the council's website.

Counting will begin after polls close at 22:00 BST on Thursday 7 May.

Labour goes into these elections with a healthy lead of 20 out of the 33 seats overall.

The Liberal Democrats are currently on six and the Conservatives on five.

But two former Labour councillors have gone independent in recent months, both criticising the party and, in theory, Labour could lose overall control.

If that did happen it would be a question of who was willing to share seats at the big table.

Local councils are responsible for things such as street cleaning, collecting waste, housing, planning, parks and local leisure facilities.

Like many towns and cities up and down the country, how the High Street is managed is also causing concern amongst some voters.

They are worried there are too many charity shops and cafes, and many are fearful and anxious over the number of rough sleepers.

The current Labour administration has also faced criticism over an £8m revamp of the Cornhill Market in the city centre, which has led to claims that rents are now unaffordable for fledgling businesses, although it denies it is "a flop".

• What elections are taking place in May?
• What can't you do at a polling station?
• When is the next general election?

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