THE area governed by Newport City Council covers the entirety of the city of Newport, with a population of 147,769.

It reaches from the shore in the south, to Caerleon and Malpas in the north, to the boundary of Cardiff in the west, and Magor in the east.

Newport, which was granted city status in 2002 and is home to the Argus, is traditionally a Labour stronghold, with the party only losing control of the council from 2008 until 2012, when a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition seized power.

Bob Bright led the council after Labour took back control in 2012, and stepped down in April last year, when he was replaced with Debbie Wilcox.

There are 164 candidates running for the council, with Labour having fielded 50, meaning it could theoretically win every single seat, while the Conservatives have 47 nominees and 23 are running for the Liberal Democrats.

The newly-formed Newport Independents Party has also put forward 18 nominees, while 10 are running for Plaid Cymru and seven each for Ukip and the Green Party.

Former Labour councillors Omar Ali and Allan Morris are also running as Independents, but not as part of the Newport Independents Party.

Among those stepping down this year are Langstone’s David Atwell, who spent his final year on the council as mayor, as well as Rhys Hutchings of rap group Goldie Lookin’ Chain, who was elected as member for St Julians in 2014.

The council area is covered by two Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies, all of which are currently held by Labour, with Jessica Morden and Paul Flynn representing the city in Parliament, and John Griffiths and Jayne Bryant serving as AMs.

Newport also falls within the South Wales East Assembly region, which is currently represented by Conservatives Mohammad Asghar, and Mark Reckless, who earlier this month defected from Ukip, as well as Steffan Lewis for Plaid Cymru and Ukip’s David Rowlands.

The city also falls within the responsibility of Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent Jeff Cuthbert, formerly AM for Caerphilly, and voted to leave the European Union in last year’s referendum, with 55.99 per cent backing Brexit.

Notable landmarks falling within the council area include the Newport Transporter Bridge, which was built in 1906 and is one of just seven in the world and only two in the UK, as well as 17th century mansion Tredegar House and the 14th century ruined castle in the city centre.

But if the long-awaited M4 relief road goes ahead it will cut through the south of the area, potentially causing years of disruption to residents and businesses.

Newport has a key role in the development of modern-day democracy when, in 1839, an estimated 10,000 Chartist demonstrators marched on the city centre, where 22 of them were killed by troops.

In 2002 while the Riverfront Arts Centre was being built the remains of a large merchant ship were uncovered on the banks of the River Usk. The ship, now known as the Newport Ship, is estimated to be around 550 years old and is the only vessel of its type from this period discovered anywhere in the world.

A mural in a pedestrian underpass was set up in 1978, but was demolished in 2013 despite widespread public opposition.

The city is also home to the much-lauded Friars Walk shopping centre, which opened in November 2015 and has been widely credited with revitalising the struggling city centre.

Caerleon is also notable as the site of a former Roman fortress and an Iron Age hill fort.

Notable people from the city include Hollywood star Michael Sheen and parody rap group Goldie Lookin' Chain.

City statistics:

Population: 147,769

Ethnicity: White - 93.8%

Asian/Asian British - 3.1%

Black/Black British - 0.9%

Mixed - 1.5%

Other - 0.7%

Average weekly pay: £553

Unemployment: 3.8 per cent

Average house price: £153,000

Average life expectancy: 77.9 (men) 82.1 (women)

Number of Welsh speakers: 9.3 per cent

Number of businesses: 3,845