CANDIDATES contesting to win seats on the newly-formed Kidderminster Town Council at the upcoming elections on May 5 have been announced.

This will be the first election held for the town council which was created on December 1 last year, after proposals were rubber stamped by councillors

The six wards covered by the new authority will be Aggborough & Spennells, Blakebrook & Habberley South, Broadwaters, Foley Park & Hoobrook, Franche & Habberley North and Offmore & Comberton.

There will be three councillors elected for each of the wards. Elections will take place every four years, with the first elections to the new authority set to be held on May 5 this year.

Current serving members for each of the wards on Wyre Forest District Council have served as members of the new council up until the election.

Residents voted overwhelmingly in favour of the plan for the town council during a Local Advisory Poll and consultation held last summer.

Campaigners had been battling for more than 40 years to have a separate authority for the town – similar to ones in Stourport and Bewdley – since Kidderminster borough was incorporated into Wyre Forest District Council in 1974.

The new authority will take on budget responsibilities, including setting the council tax rate for Kidderminster, and has had assets including the Town Hall, public toilets and war memorial transferred over.

These are the nominations for Kidderminster Town Council elections:

ABBGOROUGH & SPENNELLS

John Aston (Independent)

Anna Coleman (Conservative)

Dan Collins (UKIP)

Helen Dyke (Independent)

Doug Hine (Green Party)

Philip Jeanes (UKIP)

Keith Robertson (Independent Community and Health Concern)

David Ross (Independent)

Brian Rushbrook (Labour)

BLAKEBROOK & HABBERLEY SOUTH

Adrian Beavis (Liberal Democrats)

Clare Cassidy (Liberal Democrats)

George Connolly (UKIP)

Bernadette Connor (Labour)

Paul Connor (Labour)

Philip Daniels (UKIP)

Sophie Edginton (UKIP)

Stanley Hooper (Conservative)

Michael Kelly (Labour)

Derek Killingworth (ICHC)

Victoria Lea (Green Party)

Paul Simpson (Conservative)

Juliet Smith (Conservative)

Heidi Worth (Liberal Democrats)

BROADWATERS

Mumshad Ahmed (Labour)

Rachel Akathiotis (Liberal Democrats)

Leia Beavis (Liberal Democrats)

Dave Finch (Green Party)

Kevin Gale (Conservative)

Steven Harrington (UKIP)

Cedric Jeffs (Liberal Democrats)

Mary Rayner (ICHC)

Sarah Rook (Labour)

Steven Walker (Labour)

Paul Wooldridge (UKIP)

Peter Young (ICHC)

FOLEY PARK & HOOBROOK

Stephen Brown (Labour)

John Byng (ICHC)

Sally Chambers (Conservative)

Gerald Crumpton (Labour)

Berenice Dawes (UKIP)

David Field (UKIP)

Nicky Gale (Conservative)

Sue Meekings (ICHC)

Kiran Sandhu (Conservative)

Gareth Webster (Labour)

Michael Wrench (UKIP)

FRANCHE & HABBERLEY NORTH

Maurice Alton (UKIP)

Jeff Baker (Conservative)

John Davis (Green Party)

Paul Harrison (Conservative)

Bill Hopkins (UKIP)

Lynn Hyde (Labour)

Nigel Knowles (Labour)

Martin Meredith (Liberal Democrats)

Caroline Shellie (ICHC)

David White (UKIP)

Lee Wright (Labour)

OFFMORE & COMBERTON

Meriel Acton (ICHC)

Stefan Austin (Liberal Democrats)

Rose Bishop (Conservative)

Brett Caulfield (Green Party)

Mike Cheeseman (Conservative)

Shazu Miah (Liberal Democrats)

Frances Oborski (Liberal Democrats)

Nick Savage (Labour)

Mark Smith

Martin Stooke (UKIP)

Mike Vale (Labour)

Tony Whitmore (UKIP)