Voters will head to the polls this Thursday (May 5) to elect councillors to Pembrokeshire County Council, as well as Town and Community Councils across the county.

The council does not currently have a political party with overall control with 21 unaffiliated members, 13 Independent group seats, 11 Conservative members, seven Labour seats, six Plaid Cymru members and one seat each for the Lib Dems and UKIP.

There are 19 uncontested seats where there will be no vote and the incumbent member will be returned unopposed. This includes five Conservative councillors, four Labour, one Plaid Cymru member and nine independent councillors.

There will be no polls in St Dogmael, Cilgerran and Eglwyswrw, Fishguard: North West, Letterston, Wiston, Rudbaxton and Spittal, Haverfordwest: Priory, Haverfordwest: Portfield, Merlin’s Bridge, Neyland: East, Neyland: West, Milford: East, Milford: Hubberston, Martletwy, Narberth: Rural, East Williamston, Tenby: North, Pembroke Dock: Market, and Pembroke Dock: Pennar.

There are 106 names nominated for various seats across the county with political parties and independents represented.

The number of wards in the county has been reduced by one following acceptance by the Welsh Government of Local Democracy and Boundary Commission recommendations to improve electoral parity.

This will be the first election under the new boundary arrangements and some voters will be casting their votes in different wards but further information will be provided with voter material in the run up to May 5.

This is also the first time 16 and 17-year-olds can vote, with the registration deadline midday on April 14.

Statements of Persons Nominated and Notices of Uncontested Elections can now be found at: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/elections-and-voting

Votes will be counted on Friday, May 6.

Anyone aged 16 or over and legally resident in Wales can vote in these elections, as long as they are registered to vote.

You can find more information about the Local Government Elections at: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/elections-and-voting

Taking a closer look at some of the wards in the locality, in Tenby South, Paul David Rapi (Plaid Cymru) and Sam Skyrme-Blackhall (Independent) will contest the seat, with current county councillor for the ward Mike Evans not standing. Tenby North ward’s county councillor Michael Williams (Plaid Cymru) will be uncontested.

With current Saundersfoot county councillor Phil Baker standing down, James Bishop (Welsh Conservative), along with Independent candidates Mike Wainwright and Chris Williams will battle for the village’s South ward seat.

Tony Baron (Welsh Conservative), Alec Cormack (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Leigh McShane (Wales Green Party) will contest the Amroth and Saundersfoot North ward seat.

With boundary changes factored in, Plaid Cymru candidate Jon Preston (currently county councillor for the Penally, St Mary Out Liberty and Gumfreston ward) will take on Rhys Jordan (Welsh Conservative) for the St Florence and St Mary Out Liberty (New Hedges) seat; whilst the Manorbier and Penally ward will be contested by Phil Kidney (Independent) and Steve Thomas (Plaid Cymru).

Kilgetty and Begelly ward will be contested by current county councillor David John Pugh (Independent), along with Peter John James Adams (Plaid Cymru), Alistair Ronald Cameron (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Gretta Marshall (Propel), Chris Ebrey and Paul Wyatt (both Independents).

Elwyn Albert Morse (Independent) will be uncontested for the Narberth Rural seat; but there will be a two-way battle for the Narberth Urban ward between Victoria McAndrew (Independent) and Marc Tierney (Welsh Labour).

After recently declaring he would be standing down from his role as county councillor, Joshua Beynon (Welsh Labour) has had a change of heart, and will contest Rhian Cowen (Welsh Conservative) for the Pembroke Dock Central ward.

Candidates for other wards in the area are listed as follows:

Carew and Jeffreyston ward - Peter Vincent Everall, James Harrison-Allen and Vanessa Thomas (all Independents).

Lamphey ward - Josh Carey (Welsh Conservative) and Tessa Hodgson (Independent).

Pembroke St Michael ward - Aden Brinn (Welsh Conservative) and Mel Phillips.

Pembroke St Mary North ward - Jon Harvey (Indendent) and Deborah Carne Willocks (Welsh Conservative).

Monkton and St Mary South ward - Daphne Margaret Jane Bush and Reginald Thomas Ebrey (both Independents), Aaron Carey and Jonathan Grimes (both Welsh Conservatives), David William Edwards and Marcel Louis Laval (both Welsh Labour), Lee Herring (Welsh Liberal Democrats), and Jonathan Nutting.

Pembroke Dock Bush ward - Maureen Bowen (Welsh Labour), Sarah Jane Harvey (Independent) and Paul Haywood Dowson.

Pembroke Dock Bufferland ward - Billy Gannon (Independent), Gordon Goff and Michele Wiggins.

Milford Central ward - Terry Davies, Martin Jones, Tom Sinclair (all independent), and Anthony Powell (Welsh Conservatives).

Milford North ward - Bill Abbott (Welsh Conservative) and Alan Dennison (Independent).

Milford West ward - Stephen Joseph (Independent) and Rhys Sinnett (Plaid Cymru).

Milford Hakin ward - Lee Bridges (Welsh Conservative), Duncan Ritchie Edwards and Mike Stoddart (both Independents).

Lampeter Velfrey ward - Lizzie Lesnianski (Welsh Conservative) and David Simpson (Independent).