BATTLE is joined in the Worcestershire County Council elections after the deadline for nominations expired.

There are some intriguing contests in prospect, not least in Chase ward, where the current Liberal Democrat member Diane Rayner is being challenged by the Chase district councillor Alex Stewart-Cleary.

With Barbara Watton standing aside, the Link is guaranteed a new face. There is also a good contest in Powick, where the sitting Liberal Democrat councillor Tom Wells is being challenged by Hanleys district councillor Toby Bruce-Morgan for the Conservatives.

CROOME

Andrew Boughton (Lib Dem): 49-year-old architect Andrew Boughton spent 15 years living in the Croome ward and has lived in rural Worcestershire for most of his life. Education - particularly funding - is one of his key concerns, he has a daughter at The Chase, which he describes as "the epitome of what state education should be". He is also concerned about Government financial support for local councils and the need for better rural services.

Robert Bullock (Conservative): Robert Bullock has represented the Croome ward for 17 years and previously held a seat in Worcester, giving him continuous service on the former Hereford and Worcester County Council and Worcestershire County Council since 1973. He was the leader of H&W CC between 1989 and 1993 and has also chaired key committees such as policy and resources and strategic planning and transportation. He also chaired the West Midlands Regional Forum, forerunner to the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, and is a former Mayor of Worcester. He describes the election issues as the key areas of education, social services and highways, and winning better funding from the Government.

Ann Storey-Day (Green): Ann Storey-Day served as a Malvern Hills district councillor for the Hanleys ward for three years following the 1995 elections, her efforts including support for the cycle route to Hanley Castle High School from Upton. She has lived in Guarlford for 17 years, is concerned about the health risks of dioxins and organised a petition against the now closed Hanley Swan incinerator. She is an organic gardener and member of the Organic Living Association.

MALVERN CHASE

Alex Stewart-Cleary (Conservative): Alex Stewart-Cleary represents the Chase ward on Malvern Hills District Council, winning the seat at the last election having switched from Morton ward, which he represented since 1992. He is also a member of MHDC's Executive Board and has previously served on Castlemorton Parish Council.

Diane Rayner (Lib Dem): Diane Rayner has represented the Chase ward since 1993, first on the old Hereford and Worcester County Council and then Worcestershire County Council. She also served as a county councillor for Malvern South between 1974 and 1977, after a stint with Malvern Urban District Council. In the current administration she had chaired the cultural and community services committee and its subsequent policy panel.

MALVERN LANGLAND

Jennette Davy (Lib Dem): Jennette Davy has served the Langland ward since 1985, first on Hereford and Worcester County Council and then Worcestershire County Council. She also held the Malvern Hills District Council seat between 1983 and 2000 and served for three years on Malvern Town Council until 1999. She has also worked with a number of voluntary organisations. She names the state of roads, primary school class sizes and closer working between health and social services as issues for the new council.

Robert Dowler (Green Party): Bob Dowler has served on Malvern Town Council since May last year, having come to the town ten years ago and settled after extensive travelling. He works locally and has organised group cycle tours of the Three Counties area.

Joyce Draper (Conservative): Standing in her first election, Joyce Draper moved to Malvern in 1992 and is a qualified social worker with extensive experience in residential care and work in the community. Married with four children, she says her decision to stand was influenced by rising Council Tax bills without improvements in services. She is also concerned at plans for Regional Assemblies, which she says will lead to the loss of the county council.

Matthew Mead (Labour): Matthew Mead is one of two Labour candidates standing in Malvern. the 27-year-old civil engineer has previously stood for Malvern Town Council, including the elections for the Langland ward last year, saying he is concerned about the council's policies and spending. Mr Mead lives in Barnards Green and highlights raising standards in education and promoting lifelong learning as a key issue for the county council.

MALVERN LINK

Mark Dodsworth (Labour): Mark Dodsworth is the first Labour candidate for the county council's Link seat for some years. "I live here, my kids go to school here, my life is here - I want to have a say in what's going on around me," he said. A self-employed business consultant, he has previously fought the seat at district level.

Beryl Hickling (Conservative): Beryl Hickling is the current Malvern Hills District Council member for Priory ward and is one of the Malvern town councillors who resigned to allow fresh elections following disquiet over the council's spending plans. She represented the Link ward on Worcestershire County Council for a four-year term after the 1989 elections.

David Williams (Lib Dem): Providing value for money and services for people is David Williams aim if he is elected for the Link ward. He has served on Malvern Hills District Council for Trinity ward since the new authority came into being and has also served on Malvern Town Council since its beginnings and has just completed a year in office as mayor.

MALVERN TRINITY

David McKerracher (Conservative): David McKerracher is already a councillor, representing the Chase ward on Malvern Hills District Council and also holding the vice chairmanship of its southern area planning committee. He is also a member of the board of the Malvern Hills Conservators and a member of the Community, Safety and Police Liaison Working Party. He is an LEA representative on the governing body of Dyson Perrins CE High School and treasurer of St James's Church PCC, West Malvern. As key issues he lists education, social services and rural services.

Jeremy Webb (Lib Dem): Jeremy Webb has represented the Trinity division since Worcestershire County Council came into being in 1998 and previously served as an early member of Malvern Town Council. Mr Webb says he is against national politics in the local scene and believes some of the issues of the election will include the Council Tax level, pressure on school places, roads and meeting the challenge of waste disposal in the future.

POWICK

Toby Bruce-Morgan (Conservative): Toby Bruce-Morgan is looking to recapture the Powick seat he held from a by-election win in 1978, when it was then Malvern East, until he relinquished it to Tom Wells when the new Worcestershire County Council came into being. Mr Bruce-Morgan is one of the longest serving Malvern Hills District Council members, currently holding the Hanleys seat and having previously represented Powick and Chase wards. He is also chairman of Age Concern Herefordshire and Worcestershire and a member of Worcestershire Community Health Council.

Tom Wells (Lib Dem): Elected to Worcestershire County Council in 1997, Tom Wells is now a member of its Executive Board and its spokesman on the environment. He is also a member of Malvern Hills District Council for Powyke ward and a member of MHDC's Executive Board, as well as leader of the Liberal Democrat group. Coun Wells, also on the board of the Malvern Hills Conservators, said he welcomed the increased spending on road maintenance due to come on stream this summer but said his first priority was to represent the villages in his ward.