THE race to rule Blaenau Gwent has started.

On Wednesday afternoon, April 6, the full list of of candidates who will contest the May local government elections in Blaenau Gwent, was published by the county borough council

Nomination papers had to be submitted to the council by 4pm on Tuesday, April 5.

This time around there will be nine fewer Blaenau Gwent County Borough Councillors, with the numbers dropping from 42 to 33.

This is due to a re-jig in the ward boundaries recommended by the the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales and agreed last September by the Welsh Government.

As well as the drop in councillors, there will also be two fewer electoral wards, dropping form  16 to 14.

The new arrangements will see nine two member wards and five three member wards come into force.

In total there are 69 candidates vying for 33 seats.

Nomination show that there are 28 Independent candidates 27 Labour candidates, six standing for Plaid Cymru, three for the Conservatives, one sfor the Green Party.

There are four candiates who have left the description box which explains if they belong to a party or not, blank.

Polling will take place on Thursday, May 5 from 7am to 10pm.

Vote counting will take place on Friday May 6, at the Ebbw Vale Sports Centre Main Hall, Lime Avenue, where the results will also be announced.

The new multi-member electoral wards in Blaenau Gwent are:

Abertillery and Six Bells –  elect three councillors from:

  • Keith Chaplin – Welsh Labour
  • Martin John Cook – Independent
  • Nigel Daniels – Independent
  • Julie Holt – Independent
  • Ross Leadbeater – Welsh Labour
  • Josh Rawcliffe – Independent

Beaufort – elect three councillors from: 

  • Stewart Healy – Independent
  • Greg Paulsen – left blank
  • Chris Smith – Welsh Labour
  • Godfrey Thomas – Independent
  • Dean Woods – Welsh Labour

Blaina – elect two councillors from: 

  • Des Hillman – Independent
  • John Patrick Morgan – Independent
  • Lisa Winnett – Welsh Labour

Brynmawr – elect three councillors from: 

  • David Cook – Independent
  • Lyn Elias – left blank
  • Jules Gardner – Welsh Labour
  • John Hill – Independent
  • Wayne Hodgins – Independent

Cwm – elect two councillors from:

  • Derrick Bevan – Welsh Labour
  • Gareth Davies – Independent
  • Lucinda Mary Field – Welsh Conservative
  • George Humphreys – Independent
  • Ann Price – Green Party
  • Nicola Jane Williams – Welsh Labour

Cwmtillery – elect two councillors from: 

  • Liam Owen Anstey – Welsh Labour
  • Andrew Boulton – Independent
  • Malcolm Day – Independent
  • Joanna Wilkins – Independent
  • Sonia Wright – Welsh Labour

Ebbw Vale North – elect two councillors from:

  • Gemma Diane Badham – Welsh Labour
  • Dai Davies – left blank
  • Suzanne Jones – Independent
  • Jen Morgan – Welsh Labour
  • Bob Summers – left blank

Ebbw Vale South – elect two councillors from: 

  • Carl Bainton – Independent
  • Sue Edmunds – Welsh Labour
  • Adam King – Welsh Labour
  • Jonathan David Millard – Independent
  • Georgia Palfrey – Welsh Conservative
  • Keith Clark Pritchard – Independent

Georgetown – elect two councillors from: 

  • Andrew Benjamin Davies – Plaid Cymru  – The Party of Wales
  • John Morgan – Welsh Labour
  • Jacqueline Thomas – Welsh Labour

Llanhilleth –  elect two councillors from:

  • Gill Clark – Independent
  • Helen Cunningham – Welsh Labour
  • Cheryl Hucker – Welsh Labour
  • Ben Owen-Jones – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales
  • Barrie Page – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales
  • Lee Parsons – Independent

Nantyglo – elect two councillors from: 

  • Peter Baldwin – Welsh Labour
  • Sonia Behr – Welsh Labour
  • Keri Rowson – Independent

Rassau & Garnlydan – elect two councillors from: 

  • Gareth Davies – Independent
  • Phil Edwards – Independent
  • David Wilkshire – Welsh Labour

Sirhowy – elect three councillors from:

  • Malcolm Cross – Welsh Labour
  • Steve Gough – Independent
  • Diane Rowberry – Welsh Labour
  • Tommy Smith – Welsh Labour
  • Brian Thomas – Independent

Tredegar –  elect three councillors from:

  • Gail Davies – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales
  • Ellen Louise Jones – Welsh Labour
  • Mandy Moore – Independent
  • Matt Rees – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales
  • Richard Sheehy – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales
  • Steve Thomas – Welsh Labour
  • Phillip Tolley – Welsh Conservative
  • Haydn Leslie Trollope – Welsh Labour.