74 join race for power

And they’re off — the race is on to be first past the post in the 6 May local council elections.

A total of 74 candidates will fight for council seats across 20 wards.

The three main parties — Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives — will field candidates in every ward.

There are three Independent candidates, Frank Salt in Castleton, Darren Pedley in Balderstone & Kirkholt and Carl Faulkner in Spotland & Falinge.

There are two Green candidates and for the first time in Rochdale, the Respect Party will field hopefuls.

The party, made famous by “Celebrity Big Brother” contestant George Galloway, vehemently opposes the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and follows a broadly socialist agenda.

The controversial British National Party will field four candidates.

As it stands, the council is made up of 32 Liberal Democrat councillors, 18 Labour, 8 Conservatives and 2 independent, though the current independents are not 'independent' independents without political affiliation, one is a former Labour councillor who has continued to vote with Labour and one a former Lib Dem councillor who continues to vote with the Lib Dems.

At next month’s elections, the Lib Dems will fight to keep 14 seats while Labour have 5 places to keep hold of and the Conservatives are defending just two of their current seats.

A full candidate list can be found on the Election Special Pages:

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/elections/election-summary/1/local-election-2010