The Blackpool battleground
In 2007 the Tories seized power from Labour, but it was their turn to lick their wounds last time round when Labour regained control.
The Conservatives had gone into the 2011 campaign with a majority of 12 seats on the council, but were left with only 14 seats as Labour took 27 and the Liberal Democrats were left with just a single seat.
There are two seats up for grabs in each of the 21 wards.
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Hide AdDuring the last four years there have been eight by-elections, three prompted by Labour councillors stepping down due to other commitments, and five sadly due to the deaths of councillors.
Labour have won seven of the by-elections, gaining one seat from the Conservatives, while the Conservatives held on to Waterloo at the most recent by-election last October.
UKIP have shown they are becoming a force to be reckoned with, with their candidate John Braithwaite only 34 votes behind the Tories at the Waterloo by-election.
The party is contesting a number of wards and says its membership in Blackpool stands at about 250 compared to 49 in August last year.
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Hide AdPeter Wood, who is contesting Blackpool South for UKIP in the Parliamentary elections, said: “We’ve got real people, not politicians, standing for us so they are all people who are passionate about their areas.”
But Labour group leader Simon Blackburn today said he was “cautiously optimistic” his party would still be in charge after May 7. He said: “I am very pleased with the progress of our campaign, and the response from the electorate, who are very enthusiastic.
“There is a real sense of anger with the current Government – which is borne out by the fact local Conservatives are distancing themselves from their party, in their literature and on the doorstep.
“With 10 days to go, I am cautiously optimistic about our prospects, both locally and nationally.”
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Hide AdThe Conservatives’ mantra is that they will “fix” Blackpool and put local issues first.
Conservative group leader Tony Williams said: “Conservatism in Blackpool has changed. We are no longer a solely politically-driven party.
“Our commitment and mission is to fix Blackpool and help everyone to enjoy living, working and visiting our great town. Conservative-run wards in Blackpool are cleaner, greener, safer and healthier places to live.
“We want to extend those factors to all areas of the town and take everyone away from the years of misery, failure and disappointment we have seen throughout the Labour years.”
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Hide AdThe Liberal Democrats held on to only one seat in 2011, with Douglas Green representing Squires Gate.
They are hoping to do better this time round, and say they will help build a “fairer society” with education, the economy and the environment at the heart of their campaign.
A spokesman for the Blackpool and Cleveleys branch of the Liberal Democrats said: “Blackpool Promenade needs regenerating. We will use the £14m recently announced for a new hotel and instead use the money to regenerate the hotels and guest houses we already have. This will attract more visitors to Blackpool and it will strengthen our local economy.”
The Green Party is fielding six candidates, while other groups represented include Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts.
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Hide AdThere are also a number of independent candidates including tattoo artist ‘Jaguar Man’ otherwise known as Artur Mrozowski – who hit the headlines when he attempted to sell his skin online – who is contesting Claremont.
Your Candidates:
Clifton
John Braithwaite - UKIP
Adrian Hutton and Luke Taylor - Labour
Bev Ramsden and Phil Ramsden - Conservative
Ingthorpe
Amy Cross and Kath Rowson - Labour
Michael Dillon and Mathew Morris - Conservative
Susan Howlett - UKIP
Bispham
Sandra Braithwaite - UKIP
Don Clapham and Colin Maycock - Conservative
John Hawkins-Arkwright and Nita Sproston - Labour
Gordon Sinclair - The Green Party
Highfield
Graham Baker and Lily Henderson - Conservative
Peter Hunter and James Sorah - Labour
Lee White - UKIP
Victoria
Mark Courtney Massey and Tony Jones - Conservative
Gina Eastwood - The Green Party
Fred Jackson and David Owen - Labour
Terry Knight - UKIP
Park
Gillian Campbell and Maria Kirkland - Labour
Brian Coope and Karen Coope - Conservative
John Bebbington - UKIP
Layton
Kathryn Benson and Martin Mitchell - Labour
John Ridyard and Sue Ridyard - Conservative
Philip Watt - TUSC
Steve Werry - UKIP
Marton
Jim Elmes and Vikki Singleton - Labour
Roger Stansfield and Duncan Whitehead - Conservative
Paul Nield - UKIP
Talbot
Johdan Braithwaite - UKIP
Ian Coleman and Mark Smith - Labour
Billy Coughlin and Charlie Docherty - Conservative
Stephen Troy - TUSC
Anchorsholme
Jon Bamborough and Jane Hugo - Labour
Paul Galley and Tony Williams - Conservative
Jaqueline Sidwell - UKIP
Squires Gate
Alistair Humphreys and Ben Singleton - Labour
Christian Cox and Gerard Walsh - Conservative
Douglas Green and Bill Greene - Lib Dem
Paul White - UKIP
Stanley
Martin Bleeker - UKIP
Irene Greene - Lib Dem
Pamela Jackson and Robert Wood - Labour
Jason Roberts and Andrew Stansfield - Conservative
Tyldesley
Eddie Collett and Allan Matthews - Labour
Moira Graham and Adam McCance - Conservative
Paul Hindley - Lib Dem
Kim Knight - UKIP
Mark Tugwood - Independent
Greenlands
Angela Brown and Vince McNulty - Conservative
Danny Fox - UKIP
Chris Ryan and Christine Wright - Labour
Brunswick
Simon Blackburn and Gary Coleman - Labour
Joey Blower and Shirley Cantrell - Conservative
Colin Porter and Joanna Trafford - UKIP
Marek Radomski
Bloomfield
Phill Armstrong - The Green Party
Liam Bleeker - UKIP
Graham Cain and John Jones - Labour
Mandy Cunliffe and Annemarie Slack - Conservative
Olga Krzyzaniak
Claremont
Fred Barnes and Geraldine Brown - Conservative
Sue Close - Lib Dem
Alex Ewan - UKIP
Jaguar Man
Garry Richardson - The Green Party
Ivan Taylor and Lynn Williams - Labour
Hawes Side
Debbie Brailsford and Barry Wells - UKIP
Debbie Coleman and Kim Critchley - Labour
Vicky Cunningham and Andy Miller - Conservative
Norbreck
Neal Brookes and Rex Langford - Labour
Peter Callow and Maxine Callow - Conservative
Catherine Grimbilakos - UKIP
Warbreck
Kevan Benfold Lib Dem
Tony Brown and Danny Scott - Conservative
David Collett and Matthew Haynes - Labour
Warwick Howlett - UKIP
Kathryn Sinclair - The Green Party
Waterloo
Julie Daniels - The Green Party
David O’Hara and Heather O’Hara - Labour
Derek Robertson and Barry Vernon - Conservative
Spencer Shackleton - UKIP