VOTERS in the New Forest are going to the polls on May 4 to elect a new-look district council.

The number of seats on the authority has been reduced from 60 to 48 following boundary changes that were approved in 2021.

A total of 60 candidates are standing in 26 wards.

They are the first local elections to be held in the Forest since 2019. Unlike many other local authorities the council holds an election only once every four years, with every seat up for grabs.

The votes will be counted at Applemore Health and Leisure Centre on Friday, May 5. The results are expected to be announced from early afternoon onwards.

The current political line-up is 43 Conservatives, 13 Liberal Democrats and four Independents.

Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill (2 seats)

Chloe Bellamy - Labour 

Geoff Blunden - Conservatives

Jill Cleary - Conservatives

Simon Morgan - Liberal Democrats

Paul Moxey Pitt - Green Party

John Pemberton - Green Party

Kate Roberts  - Labour

Michael Scott-Johns - Liberal Democrats

Ashurst, Bramshaw, Copythorne & Netley Marsh (2)

Muriel Frend - Labour

James Hartley-Binns - Conservatives 

Tim Mawby - Labour

Joe Reilly - Independent

Ben Thompson - Liberal Democrats

Derek Tipp - Conservatives

Ballard (1)

Charles Baker - Liberal Democrats

Emily Hamilton  - Green Party

Nick Lambert - Britain First

Neil Tungate - Conservatives

Helen Wallis-Dowling - Labour

Barton & Becton (2)

Kristina Bourdillon - Green Party

Keith Craze  - Conservatives

Susan Lewis - Liberal Democrats

Day Macaskill - Green Party

Alan O'Sullivan - Conservatives

Rainer Preis - Liberal Democrats

Pete Terry - Labour

Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East (2)

John Adams - Conservatives

Anna Collar  - Green Party

Kevin Flack - Labour

Pippa Haywood - Labour

Nigel Linford  - Independent

Neil Millington - Green Party

Dean Samber - Conservatives

Brockenhurst & Denny Lodge (1)

Michael Harris - Conservatives

Jon Horne - Labour

Adam Parker - Green Party

Dibden & Dibden Purlieu (2)

Emily Heron - Conservatives

Stephanie Osborne - Liberal Democrats

Leigh Smith  - Labour

David Twydell - Conservatives

Malcolm Wade - Liberal Democrats

Brian Wilkinson - Labour

Downlands and Forest North (1)

Annie Bellows - Conservatives

Martin Phillips - Labour

Janet Richards - Green Party

Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot & Langley (2)

Alan Alvey - Conservatives

Michael Garside - Labour

Patricia Gillam - Labour

Matthew Hartmann - Conservatives

Angela Pearson - Liberal Democrats

Jeni Rose - Liberal Democrats

Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde (2)

Jasmine Bessey - Labour

Leila Cameron - Labour

Robert Heron - Conservatives

David Millar - Liberal Democrats

Ann Sevier - Conservatives

Phil Woods - Liberal Democrats

Forest & Solent (1)

James Gallagher - Green Party

Dan Poole - Conservatives

Vincent Slattery - Labour

Hardley, Holbury & North Blackfield (2)

Peter Armstrong - Independent

David Cole - Liberal Democrats

Allan Glass - Conservatives 

Sherri Johnstone- Labour

Josie Poole - Conservatives

Sally Read - Liberal Democrats

Ceri Roberts - Labour

Paul Saunders - Independent

Hythe Central (2)

Ivan Caric - Labour

Philip Dowd - Liberal Democrats

Chris Harrison - Conservatives

Terri Marwood - Conservatives

Scott Saffin - Labour

Alex Wade - Liberal Democrats

Hythe South (2)

Mark Clark - Liberal Democrats

Sean Cullen - Liberal Democrats

Eric Davey - Conservatives

Clare Davison - Labour

Katherine Herbert - Labour

Brenda Spearing - Conservatives

Lymington (2)

Barry Dunning - Conservatives

Jacqui England - Independent

Trina Hart - Labour

Ted Jearrad - Liberal Democrats

Hannah Phillips - Liberal Democrats

Simon Smith - Conservatives

Jerry Weber - Labour

Lyndhurst & Minstead (1)

Hilary Brand - Liberal Democrats

Brice Stratford - Conservatives

Christopher Willsher - Labour

Marchwood & Eling (2)

Sue Bennison - Conservatives

Kenneth Kershaw - Labour

Patrick Mballa - Liberal Democrats

Dave Moran - Labour

Lindsey Shelley - Liberal Democrats

Richard Young - Conservatives

Milford & Hordle (3)

Dominic Boddington - Green Party

Sandra Delemare - Liberal Democrats

David Hawkins - Conservatives 

Emily Jagger - Liberal Democrats

Stuart Nundy - Labour

Reid Alvin - Conservatives

Helen Sloan - Labour

Ivor Spreadbury - Independent

Christine Ward - Conservatives

Milton (2)

Martin Ashman - Labour

Steve Clarke - Conservatives

Steve Davies - Conservatives

Wyn Davies - Liberal Democrats

Jo Drayton - Liberal Democrats

Pennington (2)

Bronwen Bridges - Labour

Tom Brindley - Conservatives

Jack Davies - Liberal Democrats

Ian Loveless - Conservatives

Colm McCarthy - Liberal Democrats

Joanna Sawkins - Labour

Ringwood North & Ellingham (2)

Liz Barron - Liberal Democrats

Luke Dadford - Liberal Democrats

Jeremy Fenner - Green Party

John Haywood - Labour

Peter Kelleher - Labour

Derek Scott - Conservatives

Michael Thierry - Conservatives

Ringwood South (2)

Jeremy Allen - Liberal Democrats

Philip Day - Independent

Gareth Deboos - Independent

Jeremy Heron - Conservatives

Cameron McDonald - Liberal Democrats

Stephen Rippon-Swaine - Conservatives

Timothy Rowe - Green Party

James Swyer - Labour

Glenys Turner - Labour

Sway (1)

Peter Dance - Labour

Simon King - Green Party

Barry Rickman - Conservatives

Totton Central (2)

Ian Coombes - Independent

Adrian Johnstone - Labour

Matt Kangarani - Liberal Democrats

Ian Murray - Conservatives

Frances Orchard - Independent

Stephen Shepherd -Liberal Democrats

John Sleep - Conservatives

David Smith - Labour

Totton North (3)

Roland Bishop  - Labour

Alex Brunsdon - Liberal Democrats

Kathleen Crisell - Conservatives

Lin Francis - Liberal Democrats

Kenneth Garrick - Labour

Lynne Garrick - Labour

Steve Hardingson - Liberal Democrats

Chris Lagdon - Independent

Neville Penman - Conservatives

Dave Penny - Conservatives

Ron Scrivens - Independent

Totton South (2)

Lisa Carter - Conservatives

Alan Goodfellow - Labour

Len Harris - Conservatives

David Harrison - Liberal Democrats

Caroline Rackham - Liberal Democrats

Kit Rogers - Labour