THERE are 16 seats up for grabs in wards in the North Herts area – a third of the seats in total – with 12 of those 16 in Comet country.

Of these available seats, seven are currently taken up by Conservatives, three by Liberal Democrats and two by Labour.

With four or five parties nominating a candidate in each ward, there’s the possibility that the council could see Green Party, UKIP or Independent councillors – currently, it’s made up of Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem only.

Eight wards do not have any seats up for election – Baldock East, Codicote, Hitchin Oughton, Hitchin Priory, Kimpton, Knebworth, Letchworth East and Letchworth Wilbury. But constituents in these areas will still be able to vote in the AV referendum.

Arbury: Eric Blakely (Green), Paul Burgin (Lab), Ian Simpson (Lib Dem), Andrew Young (Con)

Baldock Town: Annmarie Brinsley (Green), Tom Brownlee (Lab), Michael Muir (Con), Richard Winter (Lib Dem)

Cadwell: Tricia Cowley (Con), Robin Lambie (Lib Dem), Paul O’Shaughnessy (Green), Martin Stears-Handscomb (Lab)

Chesfield: Cathryn Henry (Con), Sal Jarvis (Lib Dem), Bhavna Joshi (Lab), Felix Power (Green)

Hitchin Bearton: Judi Billing (Lab), Michael Lott (Lib Dem), Sarah Pond (Green), Alex Stoner (Con)

Hitchin Highbury: Paul Clark (Lib Dem), David Leal-Bennett (Con), Deborah Segalini (Lab), Adrianne Smyth (UKIP), Richard Wise (Green)

Hitchin Walsworth: Stuart Alder (Ind), George Howe (Green), Andrew Ircha (Lib Dem), Bernard Lovewell (Con), Derek Sheard (Lab)

Hitchwood Offa and Hoo: David Barnard (Con), Clare Billing (Lab), Harold Bland (Green), Peter Johnson (Lib Dem)

Letchworth Grange: Rosie Bland (Green), David Kearns (Lab), Martin Penny (Lib Dem), Michael Rodgers (UKIP), Blake Stephenson (Con), Charles Vickers (English Democrats)

Letchworth South East: James Drew (Green), Richard Harman (Con), David May (Lib Dem), Philip Stevens (UKIP), Ramesh Summan (Lab)

Letchworth South West: Peter Mardell (Lab), Mario May (Green), Lynda Needham (Con), John Winder (Lib Dem)

Weston and Sandon: Ann De Bock (Green), Steve Jarvis (Lib Dem), Andrew Riley (Lab), Christopher Schwick (Con)