FOR the past four years Southampton has been a Labour stronghold in the South.

Yet this could be the year that changes, with a fierce tussle for power now unfolding across the city.

The ruling Labour administration’s majority of two means that, unlike the previous three years, this year there is the potential for change at the Civic Centre at the elections on May 5.

Labour currently have 25 councillors to the Conservatives’ 20, with three further independent councillors.

But with 12 Labour seats up for grabs against six Tory when by-elections are taken into account, there are three possible outcomes.

The first is that Simon Letts’ Labour keep hold on to the city, something which would be seen a success for the party nationally with its performance under scrutiny in the first elections since Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader by a landslide.

The second is that the Conservatives, under former council deputy leader Jeremy Moulton, sweep to power for the first time since 2012.

And there is also a chance that the council could return to no overall control, harking back to the 2000s when there was little to separate Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats.

There have already been several spats as the election battle intensifies on the streets of Southampton.

Labour have accused the Conservatives of “dishonesty” for continuing to hand out leaflets saying lollipop men and women will be cut, after Labour decided against implementing the plans.

And the Tories have also accused Labour of “smearing” Conservative transport spokesman and Millbrook candidate Steve Galton, over comments made at a recent meeting on estate regeneration.

Labour had called on him to apologise after he said some people view Millbrook as a “no go area”, but he insists that is not his view and has accused Labour of insinuating that it is on the doorstep.

Both parties have already had some heavyweight visitors to help them on the campaign trail, with secretary of state for the environment Liz Truss meeting the city’s Conservatives to discuss their air quality plan while Labour MP Dan Jarvis, touted by some as a future party leader, was out on the doorstep in Millbrook with candidates last week.

Cllr Letts has said “despite vicious and unfair cuts to our budget we are proud of our record over the last four years”, and says voters have a choice between the “competence” of his party and the “chaos” of the Tories, pointing to the poisonous industrial dispute under the previous Conservative administration that led to hundreds of thousands of rotting bin bags piling up on the city’s streets.

Cllr Moulton says Labour have “failed utterly” on plans for new homes in the city, accusing them of “sitting back idly” on securing investment has said his party will “clean up the city and restore pride in Southampton”.

A number of senior councillors are facing a battle for their seats, with four Labour cabinet members (Dave Shields, Mark Chaloner, Dan Jeffery and Chris Hammond) and two senior Conservatives (John Hannides and Steven Galton) seeking re-election.

Some prominent figures will also be standing down at the election.

Royston Smith, elected Southampton Itchen MP last May, is not standing for re-election in Harefield after a year in both roles, during which time he says he has not taken any expenses as a councillor.

His fellow Conservative ward councillor, Edward Daunt, is also standing down meaning two seats are up for grabs in Harefield.

Daily Echo:

PICTURED: City council leader Simon Letts

Similarly in Woolston Labour councillor Caran Chamberlain is standing down due to a move to the Isle of Wight, meaning two seats will be contested there.

Matt Tucker, formerly a Labour cabinet member and currently licensing committee chairman, is also leaving the council to focus on his career.

But several other familiar faces may reappear, with former mayor Sue Blatchford standing for Labour in Woolston and former Peartree councillor and Romsey and Southampton North parliamentary candidate Darren Paffey replacing Cllr Tucker as the party’s choice for Bargate.

Both lost their seats at the last local elections.

In Harefield Conservative Peter Baillie, who retired at the last election after representing Bitterne Park, is one of the names on the ballot sheet.

He said he did not seek re-selection but was asked due to the resignation of Cllr Daunt, adding: “One of the things that swayed me was my concern about the rise of Jeremy Corbyn and the rise of his ilk in Southampton, something which I don’t think is very good for the city at all.”

But it is far from a tale of two parties in Southampton, even if it is likely to be one of Labour and the Conservatives holding power on May 6.

One party which could hold the balance of power if there is no overall control is the independent anti-cuts group.

Keith Morrell and Don Thomas, former Labour councillors who resigned in protest at cuts in 2012, are not up for re-election but for the first time they are fielding other candidates in three wards.

They include Cllr Thomas’ daughter Tammy, standing in Coxford, who is looking to oust the ward’s last remaining Labour councillor, Sally Spicer.

There have been no Liberal Democrats at the authority since former council leader Adrian Vinson and party colleague Maureen Turner lost their seats in 2014, but the party is hoping to win back seats.

Ukip is hoping to put candidates up for election in every seat in the city, with the party looking to secure its first representatives at the council.

The Green Party is fielding candidates in all 16 wards, saying it offers “a viable alternative to the politics of austerity which puts the needs of people first”.

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition is also hoping to have its first councillor, standing in several seats but not running against the independent anti-cuts candidates in Bargate, Shirley and Coxford.

Candidate Nick Chaffey said the party offers a “100 per cent anti-cuts alternative to Conservative austerity and Labour councillors who say there is nothing they can do”.

There are two other independent candidates standing: Denise Wyatt in Redbridge ward, and Ricky Lambert in Millbrook.