A RECORD number of candidates will be standing in the local council elections in Poole on May 7.

And for the first time the Green Party is standing for all of the 42 seats, beating the Conservatives who have 41 candidates.

See who's standing in Poole here 

A total of 173 candidates will contest 42 seats across 16 wards representing a number of political parties and independents.

There will also be 31 Liberal Democrats, 25 UKIP, 19 Labour, 11 Poole People, three Independent and one Money Free Party candidate.

The last election in 2011 saw 118 candidates enter the fray and the result was a hung council with the Conservatives forming the administration.

With a battle for seats underway, there are up to 13 candidates fighting for three available places in some wards, the campaign to represent voters on Borough of Poole is hotting up.

With some veteran councillors standing down, there are new faces out tramping the streets, some changes of allegiance and others returning for another go.

Among those retiring after many years serving their residents are Liberal Democrat former mayor Charles Meachin at Alderney, Conservative Neil Sorton from Canford Cliffs and another former mayor, Carol Evans, who represented Poole Town for the Conservatives.

Liberal Democrat Vikki Slade has also stood down from Broadstone to concentrate on fighting the Mid Dorset and North Poole parliamentary constituency.

Returning to the fray again are two former Labour councillors, Brian Ellis who is fighting Oakdale and Jason Sanderson at Alderney, while former Liberal Democrat Lou Knight has swapped horses and is standing for the Poole People Party in Hamworthy East.

But all eyes are likely to be on the Newtown ward where father and daughter team Lindsay and Graham Wilson, who defected from the Liberal Democrats in favour of the Conservatives in January, will be facing former colleague and veteran Lib Dem councillor, Brian Clements.