VOTERS in Worcester are set to select every one of their city councillors in a single election for the first time in 28 years.

Boundary changes have altered the face of the city's political scene.

Worcester will be divided into 15 wards instead of 12 in a shake-up that has created several new wards, including Cathedral in the centre, Rainbow Hill and three wards covering Warndon and Warndon Villages.

The number of councillors - who will sit in twos and three - has also changed, reduced by one to 35.

Whatever the new structure, all parties are sure they will make gains in the June 10 vote.

The council is led by the Conservatives with 18 seats - seven more than nearest rivals Labour, but representing no overall majority.

Council leader Stephen Inman was confident his Tory party's policies would lead to "clear blue water" being opened between them and opponents.

"We're positive because of our record, particularly over the past two years delivering a balanced budget and a 2.5 per cent increase in council tax. On the door steps we're finding that's going down very well," he said.

The group would be focusing on promising to keep tax increases down, continuing recycling rubbish and possibly expanding the street cleaning service.

Labour hopes its six election pledges - including reduced traffic congestion, garden waste collections, free bus travel for the elderly and improved public transport - will entice voters.

"They are issues people have raised with us over the past couple of years and those are the ones we think aren't happening and would look to implement," said group leader Councillor Adrian Gregson.

"We've put a strong team together, people with experience on the city and county councils and from other involvement in the local community. Our aim is to win control of the city council."

Liberal Democrat leader Coun Sue Askin was very pleased with her party's 11 "extremely strong candidates" who will campaign on public transport, recycling, tackling litter and dog fouling and arts provision.

"We're confident we should be able to keep our seats in Claines and we're hoping to add a third," she added.

Arboretum (two seats); Richard Ian Bird, Ombersley Road, Worcester (Lab); Jonathon Brandon Cunningham, Lansdowne Street, Worcester (Con); Oliver Simon Orr, Wyld's Lane, Worcester (LibDem); Robert Clifton Peachey York Place, Worcester (Lab); Haris Saleem, Wyld's Lane, Worcester(Con)

Battenhall (two seats); Paul Henry Griffiths Edward Close, Worcester (LibDem); Robert Henry Rowden Battenhall Road, Worcester (Con); Louis Joseph Shay Stephen, Bath Road, Worcester (LibDem); David Arthur Tibbert, Whittington Road, Worcester (Con); Andrew Terence Watson Battenhall Road, Worcester (Lab); Christopher John Winwood, Vincent Road, Worcester. (Lab)

Bedwardine (three seats); David Kingsley Clark, Columbia Drive, Worcester (Con); Mark Eric Heaton, Grasmere Drive, Worcester (Brit Nat); Vaughan William Hencher, Henwick Road, Worcester (LibDem); Gary Paul Kibblewhite, Weir Lane, Worcester (Lab); Barry James George Mackenzie-Williams, Earlisdon Road, Worcester (Con); Derek William Prodger, Cormorant Rise, Worcester (Con)

Cathedral (three seats); Patricia Ann Agar, Tolladine Road, Worcester (Lab); Ali Asghar, Victoria Avenue, Worcester (Lab); Simon Jeremy Cronin, London Road, Worcester (Lab); Allah Ditta, Richmond Road, Worcester (Con); Francis David Lankester, Stanley Road, Worcester (Con); Ian David MacBriar, Bath Road, Worcester (LibDem); Mohammed Riaz, Victoria Avenue, Worcester (Con)

Claines (three seats); Clive Andrews, Ombersley Road, Worcester (Lab); Susan Askins, St Stephen's Terrace, Worcester (LibDem); Robert Campbell, Sandys Rd, Worcester (Con); William Alexander Elsy, Lea Close, Worcester (Con); Alexander James Kear, Droitwich Rd, Worcester (LibDem); Nicola Carol Lynas, Northwick Close, Worcester (Con); Elizabeth Ruth Smith, Park View Trc, Worcester (LibDem)

Gorse Hill (two seats): Roger Edward Berry, Park Avenue, Worcester (Lab); Gordon Barry Hazelton, Balmoral Close, Worcester (Con); Martin David Roberts, Monarch Drive, Worcester (Brit Nat); Geoffrey Peter Williams, Park Ave, Worcester (Lab);

Nunnery (three seats); Nicholas Paul Balson, Prestwich Avenue, Worcester (Lab); Keith Burton, Spetchley Road, Worcester (Ind); James Stuart Maguire Denlegh-Maxwell, St Mary's Terrace, (Con); Stanley Henry John Knowles, Salters Close, Worcester (Ind); Michael John Layland, Shap Dr, Worcester (Ind); Christopher Jonathan Taylor, Brentwood Close (Lab)

Rainbow Hill (two seats): Sajeeda Begum, Victoria Avenue, Worcester (Con); Paul Denham, Bath Road, Worcester (Lab); Adrian Stewart Gregson, Tunnel Hill, Worcester (Lab); Nicholas Charles Turner, Ombersley Road, Worcester (Con)

St Clement (two seats): Brian Reginald Chadd, The Mead, Worcester (Ind); Paul Coveney, Oldbury Road, Worcester (Ind); Allyson Enid Craigan, Lechmere Crescent, Worcester (Lab); Simon Eon Geraghty, Fern Road, Worcester (Con); Ian Russell Imray, Pevensey Close, Worcester (Con)

St John (three seats): Samuel Joseph Arnold, Drake Avenue, Worcester (Lab); David Christopher Candler, Foley Road, Worcester (Lab); Stephen Braithwaite Hall, Lichfield Ave, Worcester (Con); Matthew Lamb, Hawkswood Crescent, Worcester (Lab); Margaret Rose Layland, Broadway Grove, Worcester (Ind); Alastair Matthew Little, Palmers Green, Worcester (Con)

St Peter's Parish (two seats); Roger David Knight, Jasmine Close, Worcester (Con); Reginald Walter Price, Byfield Rise, Worcester (Lab); Frank Aubrey Tarbuck, Moseley Road, Worcester (Con)

St Stephen (two seats): Hilary Anne Craig, Bath Road, Worcester (LibDem); Celia Charlotte Foulger, Chatcombe Drive, Worcester (LibDem); Stephen Paul Inman, Stephenson Terrace, Worcester (Con); Gareth Glyn Jones, Chalfont Close, Worcester (Con); George Squires, Lansdowne Road, Worcester (Lab)

Warndon (two seats); Colin Lee Bruton, Southfield St, Worcester (Con); Pamela Clayton Chase End Cl, Worcester (Lab); Josephine Contance Hodges, Battenhall Rise, Worcester (Lab); Martin Nicholas Hudson, The Spinney, Worcester (Con)

Warndon Parish North (two seats); John William Buckley, Corfe Avenue, Worcester (Lab); Martin Hugh Clarke, Bell Close, Hallow (Con); Edward Joseph Francis Hartley, Rough Meadow (LibDem); Stephen Anthony Hodgson, Ronkswood Hill, Worcester (Con); Colin William Layland, Broadway Grove, Worcester (Lab)

Warndon Parish South (two seats): Lucy Caroline Hodgson, Ronkswood Hill, Worcester (Con); Rodney Leonard Staines, Grassington Drive, Worcester (Con); Richard Mark Udall, Skinner Road, Worcester (Lab)