Local Elections are due to take place in more than 80 district and unitary authority wards in the county.

A full council election will be staged in Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire, and polling will open for approximately one-third of seats in the cities of Cambridge and Peterborough.

"It is important to vote," said South Cambridgeshire District Council leader Bridget Smith, who is fighting to keep her seat in Gamlingay.

"People feel that they are being taken for granted, are not listened to by government, and time and time again opportunities to help are missed or ignored."

Cllr Smith, of the Liberal Democrats, added that she is proud of her administration’s environmental record.

"We have focused on protecting and enhancing the rural character of our villages, building only the right sort of homes in the right places, doubling the number of new council houses and working with our communities," she said.

Cllr Simon Bywater is a Conservative Huntingdonshire District Council cabinet member.

He said: "It’s human nature to be drawn into big national issues at the doorstep – especially at a time when these issues such as Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis are pervasive.

"We as councillors can lobby and speak to our MPs, but bins need to be collected and council services need to continue, and that’s what we want to do in the district."

He added: "We have had a really difficult four years, but HDC has been able to keep collecting bins and keep services running despite the challenges."

Stephen Ferguson is an independent councillor on Cambridgeshire County Council and is contesting the St Neots Priory Park and Little Paxton seat in Huntingdonshire.

He said: "The last four years have been the most fulfilling of my life, if a little exhausting."

Cllr Ferguson added: "It’s incredibly important to vote if you live in St Neots, because there is a huge amount of investment into the town.

"It’s important that people who actually live in these places get councillors at the table who represent them, saying where that money goes.

"I think voting for an independent candidate is beneficial – I think it’s a lot easier to influence my views on local issues than someone who is aligned to a particular party."

In Peterborough, the Labour Party has said it wants to prioritise skills, education, and making sure young people are able to stay in the area if they want to.

Cllr Shaz Nawaz is leader of the Labour group at Peterborough City Council.

The council is currently run by a Conservative administration, and Labour has not been able to win a majority in the city since 1997.

He said: "We absolutely must look at building more council properties, making sure that young people can afford to stay in the area if they want to.

"The Department for Education placed Peterborough second-lowest in its SATs results table in 2019 – we need to improve skills and training for young people in the city.

"It’s really important you have your say."

As well as candidates from the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, more than 50 Green Party candidates will feature on ballots in the county.

Candidates from right-wing Reform UK (formerly Brexit Party) and the anti-lockdown protest party Freedom Alliance are also standing in a small number of seats.

To take part in the elections on May 5, residents must register to vote before 11.59pm on April 14: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The list of candidates in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is out now:

Cambridge

Abbey (1/3 seats to elect): Rosemary Ansell (LD), Amanda Hawkes (L), Matthew Howard (G), David Smith (C).

Arbury (2/2 seats to elect): Robert Boorman (C), Iva Divkovic (L), Timothy Haire (C), Stephen Lawrence (G), Peter Pope (G)

Castle (1/3 seats to elect): James Appiah (C), James Murray-White (G), Simon Smith (L), Caroline Stoddart (LD).

Cherry Hinton (1/3 seats to elect): Eric Barrett-Payton (C), Peter McLaughlin (LD), Russ McPherson (L), Richard Potter (G).

Coleridge (1/3 seats to elect): Monica Hone (Ind.), Robin Nelson (C), Sarah Nicmanis (G), Sam Oliver (LD), Anna Smith (L).

East Chesterton (1/3 seats to elect): Bob Illingworth (LD), Elizabeth May (G), Frank Ribeiro (C), Baijumon Thittala (L).

King's Hedges (1/3 seats to elect): Rory Clark (LD),Dan Kittmer (G), Martin Smart (L), Mohammed Uddin (C).

Market (1/3 seats to elect): Nicola Elliott (G), Sam Hunt (C), Katie Porrer (LD), Hollie Wright (L).

Newnham (1/3 seats to elect): Al Gadney (LD), Jean Glasberg (G), Cameron Holloway (L), Maureen Pantall (C).

Petersfield (1/3 seats to elect): Emmanuel Carraud (LD), Mohamed Hossain (C), Richard Robertson (L), Eddie Wilkinson (G).

Queen Edith's (1/3 seats to elect): Steve King (L), Daniel Lee (LD), Geoffrey Owen (C), Jacqueline Whitmore (G).

Romsey (1/3 seats to elect): Dinah Pounds (L), Paul Roper (C), John Walmsley (LD), Suzie Webb (G).

Trumpington (1/3 seats to elect): Ceri Galloway (G), Olaf Hauk (LD), Shapour Meftah (C), Carlos Toranzos (L).

West Chesterton (2/2 seats to elect): Jean-Ann Bartlett (C), Sam Carling (L), Jamie Dalzell (LD), Emma Garnett (G), Michael Harford (C), Shayne Mitchell (G), Shahida Rahman (LD), Jason Scott-Warren (Ind.), Richard Swift (L).

Huntingdonshire

Alconbury (One seat): David Bale (G), Ian Gardener (C).

Brampton (Two seats): Raz Ansary (C), Patricia Jordan (LD), Cameron Reed (C), Dave Shaw (LD).

Buckden (One seat): Sam Collins (C), Martin Hassall (LD).

Fenstanton (One seat): James Hughes (L), David Mead (C), Clare Tevlin (LD).

Godmanchester and Hemingford Abbots (Three seats): Sarah Conboy (LD), Brett Mickelburgh (LD), Debbie Mickelburgh (LD), Gus Rankin (C), Susan Simpson (C), Sarah Smith (Reform UK), Paula Sparling (C).

Great Paxton (One seat): Daniel Ashby (LD), Peter Goldsmith (L), Richard West (C).

Great Staughton (One seat): Alexander Bolingbroke (L), Stephen Cawley (C), John McCutcheon (G).

Hemingford Grey and Houghton (Two seats): Doug Dew (C), Michael Gleadow (L), Seona Gunn-Kelly (G), Georgie Hunt (G), David Keane (C), Keith Lucas (LD), David Priestman (LD).

Holywell-cum-Needingworth (Two seats): Paul Hodgson-Jones (C), Jon Neish (C).

Huntingdon East (Two seats): Paul Caswell (C), Jo Harvey (LD), Nathan Hunt (LD), Jonas King (C).

Huntingdon North (Three seats): Simon Burton (C), Leedo George (C), Marion Kadewere (L), Patrick Kadewere (L), Richard Valatka (C), Sam Wakeford (L).

Kimbolton (One seat): Jonathan Gray (C), Melina Lafirenze (G), Philip Sly (L).

Ramsey (Three seats): Roger Brereton (C), Jeff Clarke (C), Steve Corney (C), Tony Hulme (LD), Matthew Toyer (L).

Sawtry (Two seats): Simon Bywater (C), Ross Martin (C).

Somersham (One seat): Steve Criswell (C), Martha Evans (L).

St Ives East (Two seats): Michael Burke (Ind.), Shariqa Mokbul (Ind.), Adam Roberts (C), Craig Smith (C).

St Ives South (Two seats): Rianna D'Souza (C), Martin Gill (C), Cath Gleadow (L), Nic Wells (LD).

St Ives West (One seat): Ryan Fuller (C), Julie Kerr (Ind.), Daniel Laycock (G).

St Neots East (Two seats): Mokbul Ahmed (C), Lara Davenport-Ray (G), Ari Laakkonen (C), Marcus Pickering (Ind.).

St Neots Eatons (Three seats): Thomas Allard (G), Barry Banks (St Neots Ind.), James Catmur (LD), Bob Farrer (Ind.), Catherine Goodman (G), Jacqueline Hunt (LD), Andrew Jennings (C), Colin Maslen (St Neots Ind.), Anna Pritchard (G), Geoffrey Seeff (LD), Gordon Thorpe (St Neots Ind.), Graham Welton (C), Neal Weston (C).

St Neots Eynesbury (Three seats): Sue Beeby (C), Amy Duckworth (L), Nigel Eaton (C), Victoria Fowler (L), David Millar (C), Helen Stroud (L), Ian Taylor (St Neots Ind.), Simone Taylor (St Neots Ind.), Doug Terry (St Neots Ind.).

St Neots Priory Park and Little Paxton (Three seats): Stephen Ferguson (Ind.), Jean Matheson (C), Ben Pitt (Ind.), Keith Prentice (C), Richard Slade (Ind.), Malcolm Lewis (C).

Stilton, Folksworth and Washingley (Two seats): Tim Alban (C), Marge Beuttell (C), Robert Bowden (L), Margaret Cochrane (L), Rebecca Davis-Marsh (G).

The Stukeleys (Three seats): Ann Blackwell (Ind.), Peter Brown (C), Pete Digby (C), Steve McAdam (Ind.), Phil Pearce (C), Tom Sanderson (Ind.).

Warboys (Two seats): Adela Costello (C), Charlotte Lowe (C), Ambrose Ntuk (L), Iain Ramsbottom (L), Beth Watson (G).

Yaxley (Three seats): Eric Butler (C), Kevin Gulson (C), Sally Howell (Ind.), Richard Ilett (L), Tony Lawson (L), Mc McGuire (C), Andrew Wood (LD).

Peterborough

Bretton: Dave Craig (Ind.), Nick Thulbourn (L), Scott Warren (C), Rohan Wilson (LD).

Central: Steve Cawley (Trade Unionist and Socialist), Alison Jones (L), Raymond Knight (G), Aleem Miran (C), Paul Whittaker (LD).

Dogsthorpe: Kelsey Brace (G), Dennis Jones (L), Robert Petch (Freedom Alliance), Sandra Ringler (LD), Marius Vainauskas (C).

East: Luke Chapman (G), Stuart Clark (LD), Sam Hemraj (L), Domnic Pereira (C).

Eye, Thorney & Newborough: Michael Alexander (G), Annie Geraghty (LD), Kim Lewis (L), Rylan Ray (C).

Fletton & Stanground (Two seats): Christian Hogg (LD), Asim Mahmood (L), Jade Seager (LD), Vishal Vichare (C), Irene Walsh (C).

Fletton & Woodston: Alan Dowson (L), David Stevenson (G), Neil Walton (LD), Andrew Willey (C).

Gunthorpe: Andrew Bond (LD), Jack Gower (L), John Peach (C).

Hampton Vale: Marco Cereste (C), Arturs Fedrovs (Freedom Alliance), Polly Geraghty (LD), Bill Thompson (L), Berry Warne (G).

Hargate & Hempsted: Mohammed Farooq (C), Timothy Kujiyat (L), Rachel Speed (LD), Michael Whitaker (G).

North: Akim Akim (C), Noreen Bi (L).

Orton Longueville: June Bull (G), Nick Penniall (LD), Michael Perkins (C), Wendy Smith (L).

Orton Waterville: Vince Carroll (LD), Julie Howell (G), Henry McKearney (L), Michael Samways (C).

Park: Shazia Bashir (C), Ian Hardman (LD), Sue Morris (Reform UK), Fiona Radic (G), Mohammed Sabir (L).

Paston & Walton: Tony Allen (Reform UK), Angie Fenner (C), Amanda Horne (G), Gregory Mickiewicz (L), Asif Shaheed (LD).

Ravensthorpe: Richaed Cham (LD), Ed Murphy (Ind.), Mohammed Rangzeb (C), Mohammed Tokir (L).

Stanground South: Ray Bisby (C), Timothy Fish (L), Stuart Middleton (G).

Werrington: Simon Kail (LD), Steve Lane (Werrington First), Jason McNally (L), Hayley Shelton (C), Georgia Wade (G).

South Cambridgeshire

Balsham (One seat): Richard Biggs (C), Bob Ensch (G), Geoff Harvey (LD), Jason Walter (L).

Bar Hill (One seat): David Barlow (LD), Thomas Lachlan-Cope (G), Bunty Waters (C).

Barrington (One seat): Chris Chapman (C), Aidan Van De Weyer (LD).

Bassingbourn (One seat): Soma Pemmireddy (C), Simon Saggers (G), Turlough Stone (L), Susan Van De Ven (LD).

Caldecote (One seat): Oliver Barnett (C), Tumi Hawkins (LD).

Cambourne (Three seats): Aftab Ahmed (Ind.), Shrobona Bhattacharya (C), Madhuparna Datta (C), Stephen Drew (LD), Kirsty Ellerker (L), Mark Herson (LD), Helene Leeming (LD), Marcus Pitcaithly (G), Conor Smith (C), Sobia Zaman (Ind.).

Caxton and Papworth (Two seats): Gaynor Clements (G), Tanya Gray (C), Mark Howell (C), Sean Lindsay-Smith (LD), Peter Sandford (LD).

Cottenham (Two seats): Nigel Bolitho (C), Colin Coe (G), John Loveluck (LD), Frank Morris (C), Annika Osborne (LD).

Duxford (One seat): Peter McDonald (LD), Luigi Murton (C).

Fen Ditton and Fulbourn (Three seats): Tim Andrews (L), Graham Cone (C), Vince Farrar (LD), Oliver Fisher (G), Carla Hofman (LD), Uroga Okello (L), Neil Prem (C), Joanne Shiret (C), Luke Viner (L), John Williams (LD).

Foxton (One seat): James Hobro (LD), Deborah Roberts (C).

Gamlingay (One seat): Harriet Gould (C), Bridget Smith (LD).

Girton (Two seats): Tom Bygott (C), Corinne Garvie (LD), Marcelo Gonclaves De Lima (L), Andrew Margetts (G), Gita Patel (C), Richard Stobart (LD).

Hardwick (One seat): Joe Beastall (L),Lina Nieto (C), Marcus Streets (LD).

Harston & Comberton (Three seats): Michael Atkins (LD), Amanda Bacon (C), Ariel Cahn (LD), Steve Edmondson (G), Lorraine Mooney (C), Lisa Redrup (LD), Michael Tierney (L), Joshua Vanneck (C).

Histon & Impington (Three seats): Sandra Archer (G), Gail Arnold (C), Olawale Awoyinka (C), Martin Cahn (LD), Louise Daily (C), Sunita Hansraj (LD), Pippa Heylings (LD), Geoff Moore (L), Gareth Owen (L), Simon Patenall (L), Edd Stonham (Ind.).

Linton (Two seats): John Bald (C), Henry Batchelor (LD), John Batchelor (LD), Jessica Eve (G), Merrie Mannassi (C), Michael Murray (L), Ernie Turkington (L).

Longstanton (Two seats): Harry Challands (C), Sarah Cheung Johnson (LD), Alex Malyon (LD), Clare Wilson (L), Khadijeh Zargar (C).

Melbourn (Two seats): Jonathan Carter (C), Paul Evans (G), Thomas Goldie (C), Jose Hales (LD), Sally Hart (LD), Peter Sarris (L).

Milton & Waterbeach (Three seats): Paul Bearpark (LD), Anna Bradnam (LD), Eleanor Crane (G), Elizabeth McWilliams (L), Alison Melton (C), Clive Rabbett (C), Judith Rippeth (LD), Christine Smith (C), Anna Stevenson (L), Gareth Wright (L).

Over & Willingham (Two seats): Sephie Donnelly (L), Leslie Edwards (C), Bill Handley (LD), James Hutchcraft (C), Daniel Lentell (LD), David Parker (L).

Sawston (Two seats): Paul Bryant (C), Donald Douglas (C), Libby Earle (LD), Brian Milnes (LD), Anand Pillai (L).

Shelford (Two seats): Andrew Appleyard (C), Peter Fane (LD), William Jackson-Wood (LD), Gregory Price (G), Benjamin Shelton (C).

Swavesey (One seat): Susan Ellington (C), John Turner (G), Natalie Warren-Green (LD).

The Mordens (One seat): Holly Derrett (G), Sebastian Kindersley (LD), Heather Williams (C).

Whittlesford (One seat): Barry Carolan (LD), Richard Williams (C).