THE countdown to this year's Wyre Forest District Council elections has begun with the passing of Tuesday's deadline for nominations.

Elections will be held in 14 of the 18 wards on Thursday, May 1 and there will also be ballots in a number of parish councils and Stourport Town Council on the same day.

Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern will be hoping to hang onto control of the council, while the other parties will be campaigning to revive their positions.

Health Concern's Frank Baillie, a former district council chairman and current Bewdley Mayor, has decided not to seek re-election in Aggborough and Spennells, but to stand against veteran Labour councillor John Wardle in Wolverley.

Conservative Vera Tomlinson is standing down after completing one four-year term in Oldington and Foley Park and is moving back to her native Blackburn.

A second seat in the ward is also up for grabs following the resignation of another Tory, Mary Friend, prior to the end of her term of office, due to pressure of work.

Health Concern councillor Andrew Morgan is also standing down in the Habberley & Blakebrook ward.

Six Health Concern seats, three Labour, one Liberal Focus Save Our Hospital, three Conservative, one Liberal Democrat and one Independent are up for re-election.

There are currently 21 Health Concern councillors, five Labour, five Liberal Focus Save Our Hospital, six Conservative, two Liberal Democrat and two Independent councillors. There is one vacancy.