THE candidates who will fight the local elections in York and North Yorkshire have been unveiled.

A total of 177 people will contest 22 City of York Council wards when residents go to the polls on May 5 in what could be one of the tightest election battles in the authority’s history.

Candidate lists for the political battle in Ryedale and Hambleton have also been confirmed, while Selby District Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council were expected to announce who will be standing in those areas today.

The York list means 11 sitting councillors will be standing down, including the current Lord Mayor of York, Sue Galloway, and her fellow Lib Dems Richard Moore, Sue Sunderland, Richard Watson, Chris Hogg and Irene Waudby.

Former Lib Dem-turned-independent Ceredig Jamieson-Ball is also leaving his role as councillor in Heslington, along with Labour members Richard Cregan, Mick Hoban and Denise Bowgett and Conservative councillor Ben Hudson.

Coun Hoban, who works for the Forestry Commission, was elected in the Hull Road ward last October, but said he could not continue in his role due to the Government’s plans to make sweeping changes to the UK’s forests.

“This was a very difficult decision and I’m hugely disappointed I will no longer be able to serve my local community as a councillor, something I have thoroughly enjoyed doing,” he said.