THEY’VE been campaigning for months, knocking on every door and visiting as many city residents as they can.

Now thoughts are turning to May 3 when Southampton will have its say over who stays and who goes in the city council election.

Sixteen seats (one third of the council) will be fought for, with some big names in the hat for reelection, including the leaders of the authority’s three biggest parties: Labour’s Simon Letts (Bitterne), Conservative Jeremy Moulton (Freemantle), and Putting People First’s Keith Morrell (Coxford).

But its two other names on the ballot papers that have got people talking.

Kentish Road Respite Centre campaigners Amanda Guest and Lisa Stead will be continuing their fight by standing in the election.

Mrs Stead will take on council boss Letts in a “David and Goliath” style battle for his seat, while fellow activist Mrs Guest will challenge Labour councillor Hannah Coombes in Shirley.

The pair will stand as independent candidates, under the banner of Putting People First – who have three city councillors in Coxford.

Cllr Letts said: “In this year’s elections we will be looking to build on our successes from the last set of local elections in 2016, and will be targeting Conservative held seats across the city.

“As well as seeking to win again in Freemantle, Portswood and Swaythling We are campaigning to take further seats from Conservatives and their independent allies in Coxford, Bitterne Park, Sholing and Harefield.”

But the Conservatives won’t lie down that easily.

Cllr Moulton and his party have promised to make Southampton a “successful city” by “getting the basics right”.

He has also pledged to reopen Kentish Road Respite Centre, seven days a week, something which is sure to attract voters.

Transforming Southampton into an electric vehicle-friendly city is another of the Conservative’s promises.

This includes allowing EVs to park for free within the city and use bus lanes. Charging points will also be installed across the area.

He said: “The city has a major air quality problem; tinkering won’t help – we need to be quite bold in order to achieve our goals.”

Elsewhere in the city Southampton Independents say they hope to dent Labour’s majority of two as party leader Denise Wyatt goes against party stalwart Cathie McEwing.

The independents candidate said: “We have a growing following in the city.

“More and more people are voting for us because we are about the area and not the national picture. We give residents what they want.”

The Green Party will be hoping to break into the council and claim their first seat.

Katherine Barbour, Portswood ward candidate for the party, said: “In Southampton air and noise pollution and traffic congestion are growing problems. It is time for the city to have some Green representation to address this issue.”

A first seat is also something on the minds of Liberal Democrats members.

James Read, candidate for Bitterne Park, said: “I’m very proud of the ambition and strength of our election campaign. We have produced a fully-costed budget that would allow us to fix more roads, expand our cycleways, boost youth services, adopt homelessness initiatives, and improve our air quality – and for less than Labour’s 5.99 per cent council tax hike. We are also leading the campaign to introduce portside power for cruise liner and container ship traffic.

The election takes place on May 3 at polling stations across the city.

Locals have until April 17 to register, visit: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

CANDIDATES

Bargate

BOGLE Sarah Jane – Labour Party

COOK Diane Lesley – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

COX Joe – Green Party

CURD Ben – Liberal Democrat

OSMOND Edward James – Conservative Party

Bassett

BLACKMAN Richard – Liberal Democrat

FRENCH Alan Jack – Green Party

HARRIS Beryl May – Conservative Party

SPICER Sally Victoria – Labour Party

Bevois

CHOPRA Vijay – Liberal Democrat

GALTON Diana June – Conservative Party

KATARIA Toqeer Ahmed – Labour Party

MELDRUM Ronald Nicholas – Green Party

Bitterne

LETTS Simon Jonathan – Labour Party

MCMILLAN Duncan Robert – Green Party

REED Olivia Caitlin – Liberal Democrat

STEAD Lisa Joanne – Independent

STREETS Terry Michael – Conservative Party

Bitterne Park

BARNES Jenny – Green Party

HARWOOD Rob – Conservative Party

MINTO Ashley Mark – Labour Party

READ James Arnold – Liberal Democrat

Coxford

BURGESS James Victor – Conservative Party

GREENWOOD Amy Eve – Liberal Democrat

LAMBERT Ricky – Independent

MORRELL Keith – Independent

MUNDELL Lucy Michelle – Green Party

RENYARD Matt – Labour Party

Freemantle

CLIFTON-MELHUISH Alexander – Liberal Democrat

HOOD Lindsey Cherrie – Green Party

LEGGETT Steve – Labour Party

MOULTON Jeremy Richard – Conservative Party

PACKWOOD Peter Graham – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

THOMPSON Ed – Protest against Brexit – vote Viva Europa

Harefield

BLUEMEL Chris – Green Party

LAURENT Val – Conservative Party

LLOYD Alan – Labour Party

MCDOUGALL Colin Stuart – Liberal Democrat

VIRGO Peter Alexander – Independent

Millbrook

BEAL Andrew Thomas – Liberal Democrat

BEAN Jonathan Simon – Green Party

DENNESS Mike – Labour Party

EDWORTHY Ed – Independent

GALTON Steven Graham Patrick – Conservative Party

HINGSTON Pearline – UKIP

Peartree

BELL Tom – Conservative Party

CLUNE Declan Peter – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

MABEY Nick – Green Party

NAISH Robert William – Liberal Democrat

RENDLE Catherine Rebecca – Labour Party

Portswood

BARBOUR Katherine Jane – Green Party

CHAFFEY Nick – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

FORD Adrian – Liberal Democrat

MITCHELL Lisa – Labour Party

O`NEILL Paul Nicholas – Conservative Party

Redbridge

COWLEY Matthew Robert – Conservative Party

JAMES Christopher Richard – Green Party

LYONS Richard John – UKIP

MCEWING Cathie – Labour Party

STOKES Simon David – Liberal Democrat

WYATT Denise Mary Elizabeth – Independent

Shirley

COOMBS Hannah – Labour Party

GALTON Peter Graham – Liberal Democrat

GUEST Amanda Jane – Independent

HINGSTON Colin Brendan – UKIP

SPOTTISWOODE John Charles Thomas – Green Party

TURPIN Matt – Conservative Party

Sholing

BRAYSHAW Lyn Hazel – Green Party

FRAMPTON Andy – Labour Party

GUTHRIE Marley George – Conservative Party

MACKIN Phillip – Liberal Democrat

Swaythling

CLARKE Paul Alexander – Liberal Democrat

COTTON Angela Mary – Green Party

FIELKER Lorna – Labour Party

PAINTON Bob – Conservative Party

Woolston

ATKINS Sue – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

HAMMOND Christopher – Labour

HARRIS Samuel David – Liberal Democrat

HILLMAN Clive George – Green

JONES Matt – Conservative Party