FOR the first time since the General Election the electorate of Stroud will today dust off the polling cards and head to the ballot boxes to vote.

With all 51 district council seats up for election in 27 wards for the first time since 2002, the hotly contested vote will determine the political landscape of the district for years to come, and prove a timely litmus test for the parties nationally.

Keen to shake off the doldrums of last May, Labour will be determined to hold on to control of Stroud District Council, which it has led in coalition with the Green Party and Liberal Democrats since 2012.

With their long-term leader Geoff Wheeler stepping down locally and Jeremy Corbyn stepping up nationally, the party will be seeking to move into a new chapter while consolidating its power across Stroud.

Looking to break this grip on control however, the Conservatives have mounted a full scale assault and have candidates standing challenging for every single seat.

Having been locked out of power by the Labour-led ‘rainbow coalition’ the Tories will be equally as determined to increase their haul and reclaim power.

Despite currently having the most councillors with 23, they have been just four short of an overall majority for the last four years.

But with the full 51 candidates standing in total, the blues will be vying to tip the scales firmly back in their favour.

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Central to this fine balance will be the share taken by the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats.

With six district councillors, the Greens currently have the third highest representation in Ebley Mill.

Buoyed by the 1.5 million votes secured nationally last May, the party will be hoping to mirror this success in Stroud and jump into double digits of councillors.

And with someone standing in every ward for the first time ever, they look determined to challenge the big two and keep Stroud on the map as a green heartland.

The Liberal Democrats currently have three councillors. But with the near obliteration of their MPs last May, will they be able to appeal to voters and stop the same thing happening locally?

Despite trouncing both the Greens and the Lib Dems Greens to third place in the General Election in Stroud, UKIP have only fielded three challengers.

Nevertheless this trio of candidates, buoyed by the polls on June’s EU referendum, will be looking to finally add a spot of purple to an already multicoloured council.

Also in the running with four candidates are TUSC – the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition.

With three of them standing in the Cainscross Ward, the party will be hoping to achieve some representation on SDC off the back of its staunchly anti austerity message.

This year there are also eight independent candidates standing, including three ex-Labour councillors.

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With both Labour and the Conservatives facing their first electoral test since their relative successes and failures in the general election, Thursday's polls are the single largest test of political opinion before the next general election, which is scheduled for 2020.

In total, 2,747 seats in English councils - spanning metropolitan boroughs, unitary authorities and district councils - are up for grabs.

In the Stroud district over 90,000 residents can vote in the district, town and parish council elections.

If you still don’t know who to vote for, the SNJ has compiled profiles of every candidate standing. Follow the links to find out who is standing in your ward.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. For a full list of venues across the district see www.stroud.gov.uk

Counting will take place throughout Friday with the majority of results declared on the day.

Elections for Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and the town and parish councils also take place today.

Nine seats will be contested in the town and parish council elections.