THE race to rule Powys County Council has started.

On Wednesday morning April 6 the full list of of candidates who will contest the May local government elections in Powys was published by Powys County Council.

Due to changes in the ward boundaries, this time around there will be five fewer councillors, with 68 seats up for grabs rather than 73 at the last election.

The number of electoral wards has also changed from 73 to 60, as a number of current wards are merged and eight multi-member wards that will have been created.

In recent months the Independent/Conservative coalition that ruled the roost in Powys for the last five years became a minority administration due to numerous councillors leaving both groups for various issues.

Seven current councillors will also find themselves returned unopposed.

They are: Powys anti-poverty champion Joy Jones,  current Conservative group leader Aled Davies, current Plaid Cymru group leader Elwyn Vaughan, current council chairman Gwynfor Thomas, current council vice-chairman Gareth Ratcliffe, current planning committee chairman Karl Lewis and former cabinet member Graham Breeze.

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

Vote counting and results will be announced on Friday May 6 at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd.

Here are the list of canidates:

  • Wards in Montgomeryshire and the number of available seats:

Banwy, Llanfihangel and Llanwddyn – 1

Myfanwy Catherine Alexander – Independent

Bryn Davies – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Emyr Jones – Independent

Berriew and Castle Caereinion – 1

Dai Davies – Independent

Richard John Derricutt – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Adrian Jones – Welsh Conservative

Caersws – 1

Leslie Albert George – Welsh Conservative

Mik Norman – Green Party

Churchstoke- 1

Danny Bebb – Welsh Liberal Democrats

Michael John Jones – Independent

Rachel Louise Jones – Welsh Conservative

Dolforwyn – 1

Alan Meredith-Jones – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Gareth Michael Pugh – Welsh Conservative

Forden and Montgomery –  1

Rob Harper – Independent

Maurice Jones – Welsh Conservative

Oliver Lewis – Independent

Jeremy David Thorp – Green Party

Glantwymyn – 1

Elwyn Vaughan – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Guilsfield-  1

Ian Harrison – Welsh Conservative

Ewan Robert Smout – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Llanbrynmair – 1

Robert Jenkins – Welsh Conservative

Gary Mitchel – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Sarah Helen Reast – Independent

Philip Smith – Independent

Llandinam with Dolfor – 1

Karl Lewis – Welsh Conservative

Llandrinio – 1

David Markinson – Independent

Lucy Margaret Roberts – Welsh Conservative

Llandysilio – 1

Evan Arwel Jones – Independent

Bill Lee – Independent

Llanfair Caereinion and Llanerfyl – 1

Gareth Jones – Independent

Paul Wixey – Welsh Labour

Llanfyllin – 1

Alison Alexander – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Peter Edward Lewis – Welsh Conservative

David Weston – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Llangyniew and Meifod  – 1

Jane Louise Carrington – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Ben Gwalchmai – Welsh Labour

Sally Markinson – Independent

Jonathan Wilkinson – Welsh Conservative

Llanidloes – 2

Zoe Allan – Welsh Labour

Victoria Chapman – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Graham Davies – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Phyl Davies – Welsh Conservative

John Raymond Dore – left blank

Graham Maurice Jones – Independent

Gareth Morgan – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Glyn Preston – Welsh Liberal Democrat

David Williams – Green Party

Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and Llansilin – 1

Aled Davies – Welsh Conservative

Llansantffraid – 1

Gwynfor Thomas – Welsh Conservative

Kerry – 1 

Benjamin Breeze – Welsh Conservative

Kath Roberts-Jones – Independent

Newtown Central and South – 2

Darryl Gwilt – Welsh Conservative

Kelly Healy – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Paul George Sawtell – Welsh Conservative

David Mark Selby – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Les Skilton – Independent

Newtown East – 1

Joy Jones – Independent

Newtown North –  1

Adam Dale Kennerley – Welsh Liberal Demcrat

Jackie Molloy-Davies – Independent

Dan Rowlands – Welsh Conservative

Newtown West – 1

Gill Bridgwater – Independent

Peter Arthur Lewington – Welsh Conservative

Harry Robson – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Gillian Thurston – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Machynlleth – 1

Alwyn Evans – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Mike Williams – Independent

Robert George Williams – Independent

Rhiwcynon – 1

Linda Christine Bennett – Independent

Heulwen Doreen Hulme – Independent

Ann Jones – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Julie Eve Moore – Freedom Alliance Supporting Medical Freedom

Trelystan and Trewern – 1

Amanda Jenner – Welsh Conservative

Tim Saul – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Welshpool Castle – 1

Richard Wilfrid Church – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Olly Edwards – Welsh Conservative

Ian Parry – Welsh Labour

Phil Pritchard – Independent

Welshpool Gungrog – 1

Ruth Canning – Welsh Conservative

Luke Harper – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Carol Elaine Robinson – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Welshpool Llanerchyddol – 1

Graham Breeze – Independent

  • Brecon and Radnorshire wards:

Aber-craf and Ystradgynlais – 2

Yvonne Abberley – Welsh Conservative

Graham Anderson – Welsh Conservative

Tristan Stuart Davies – left blank 

Justin David Horrell – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales

Hugo Williams – Welsh Labour

Sarah Louise Williams – Welsh Labour

Brecon East – 2

Robert Craig Charlton – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Marianne Lewis – Welsh Conservative

Dawn McIntosh – Welsh Conservative

Andrew Powell – left blank

Liz Rijnenberg – Welsh Labour

Chris Walsh – Welsh Labour

Brecon West – 2

Mathew James Dorrance – Welsh Labour and Cooperative Party

David Meredith – Welsh Labour and Cooperative Party

Steve Morgans – Independent

Martin Weale – Independent

Bronllys and Felin-Fach – 1

Thomas Joseph Colbert – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Steve Thomas – Independent

Paul Eric Charles Evans – Welsh Conservative

Karen Laurie-Parry – Independent

Tony Thomas – Independent

Builth – 1

Liam Hopkins – Welsh Conservative

Ammi Kaur-Dhaliwal – Green Party

Jeremy Pugh – Independent

Susie Stockton Link – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Crickhowell with Cwmdu and Tretower – 2

Matt Beecham – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Sarah-Jane Beecham – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Sam Games – Welsh Conservative

David Thomas – Welsh Conservative

Cwm-twrch – 1

Nigel Craddock – Welsh Conservative

Sandra Christine Davies – Welsh Labour

Disserth and Trecoed with Newbridge – 1

Little Brighouse – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Ray Johnson-Wood – Independent

Dilys Price – Welsh Conservative

Dorienne Robinson – Green Party

Glasbury – 1

Rhodri Boosey – Welsh Conservative

James  Gibson-Watt – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Gwernyfed –  1

Robert Golesworthy – Welsh Conserative

William Lloyd – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Hay – 1

Gareth Ratcliffe – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Ithon Valley – 1

Gareth Hughes – Welsh Conservative

Geoff Morgan – Independent

Rachel Powell – Independent

Charlotte Elizabeth Spencer – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Martin Weale – Independent

Knighton with Beguildy – 2

Bob Andrews – Independent

Geoff Morgan – Independent

Corinna Esther Lucy Kenyon-Wade – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Anthony Watts – Welsh Conservative

Ange Williams – Independent

Llanafanfawr with Garth – 1

Bryan Davies – Independent

Tim Wilson – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Llandrindod North – 1

Jake Berriman – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Antony Swinbourne – Green Party

Jon Williams – Independent

Llandrindod South – 2

Josie Ewing – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Andrew Price – Independent

Stuart Rawson – Welsh Conservative

Pete Roberts – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Llanelwedd – 1

Jeremy Robert Andrews – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Gareth Emlyn Jones – Independent

Llangattock and Llangynidr – 1

Jackie Charlton – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Rosemarie Harris – Independent

Llangors with Bwlch – 1

Sian Bridget Nansi Cox – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Melanie Jade Brookes Davies – Independent

Matt Mackinnon – Welsh Conservative

Mike Tunnicliffe – Independent

Llangunllo with Norton – 1

Nigel Bufton – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Deb Edwards – Independent

Paddy O’Kennedy – Welsh Conservative

Llanwrtyd Wells-  1

Peter Ronald James – Independent

Martin Charles Piggott – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Llanyre with Nantmel – 1

Claire Mills – Independent

Chris Newton – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Maescar and Llywel – 1

Roger Maidment – Welsh Labour

Edwin Roderick – Independent

Linda Christine Wickham – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Old Radnor – 1

Ben Asson – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Edward Stuart Jones – Independent

Michael McInnes – Welsh Consevative

Presteigne – 1

Leon Abecasis – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Beverley Jayne Baynham – Independent

Richard Crispin Shipp – Green Party

Rhayader – 1

Angela Davies – Welsh Liberal Democrats

Jeremy Snook – Propel – Not Politics as usual

Talgarth – 1

William Denston Powell – Welsh Liberal Democrats

Peter Graham Weavers – Welsh Conservative

Talybont-on-Usk – 1

Anita Louise Cartwright – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Charles De Winton – Independent

Judith Evans – Welsh Conservative

Glasnant Morgan – left blank

Tawe Uchaf –  1

Arianwen Harris – Welsh Conservative

Davis Arnold Thomas – Welsh Labour

Ynyscedwyn – 1

Susan McNicholas – Welsh Labour

Peter Walsh – Welsh Conservative

Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew – 1

Raiff Devlin – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Iain McIntosh – Welsh Conservative.