SIXTY-six candidates are standing in the elections to South Lakeland District Council next month.

Sixteen seats on the 51-member council are up for election on May 2 which will be contested by five political parties and an independent.

Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour, Greens and UKIP are fielding candidates, as is an independent.

Graham Vincent, the Liberal Democrat portfolio holder for economy and assets at the council, is standing as an Independent this time, while cabinet member for the environment, Dyan Jones, also faces the voters.

On the blue side of the chamber, shadow deputy Conservative group leader Tom Harvey is also up for re-election.

Currently, the council is run by the Liberal Democrats which has 29 councillors to 19 Conservatives with three Labour members making up the full chamber.

Last year, electors were asked to select up to two candidates for a two-councillor ward or three candidates for a three-councillor ward.

It followed a change by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

It means that the seat held by the councillor who received the lowest number of votes in 2018 is up for election this year.

The successful candidate will serve a four-year term of office.

The district wards of Cartmel and Kendal North are not up for election this year. The next election for these wards will be held in 2020.

This is because these wards are represented by two councillors instead of three. They have an additional ‘fallow year,’ which is a year when there is no election because SLDC is elected in thirds.

Ambleside and Grasmere is also a two-councillor ward, and their next fallow year is 2020.

Twenty four parish councils are also scheduled to have elections on May 2.

SLDC has warned that people can only vote if your name is on the register of electors.

People who have not received a poll card you may not be registered but can  register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The process involves a national insurance number and it only takes five minutes.

Those unable to register online, need to check if they are registered or need to change their details and can contact SLDC’s electoral services on 01539 733 333.

The deadline for registering to vote is Friday, April 12.

If you are registered to vote but are away on holiday or working on May 2, or have difficulty getting to the polling station, you can apply for a postal or proxy vote.

Please contact electoral services on 01539 733333 for a postal or proxy vote application form or visit www.yourvotematters.co.uk to download a form.

The last day to apply for, change or cancel a postal vote is 5pm on Monday, April 15.

The last day to apply for, change or cancel a proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday, April 24.

Polling stations will open at 7am and close at 10pm on Thursday, May 2.

Candidates – one candidate will be elected from each seat

Ambleside and Grasmere 

Cons: Tim Brown

Green: Christina Birch

Lab: Joshua Gilroy

Lib Dem: Malcolm Lamb

Arnside and Milnthorpe 

Cons: Rachel Ashburner

Green: Jill Abel

Lab: Alison Gilchrist

Lib Dem: Pete McSweeney

Bowness and Levens

Cons: Brian Rendell

Green: Helen Bentley

Lab: Kate Tordoff

Lib Dem: Steve Bavin

Broughton and Coniston

Cons: Matt Brereton

Green: Lynette Gilligan

Lab: Paul Martin

Lib Dem: Ian Wharton

UKIP: Alan Piper

Burton & Crooklands

Cons: Tom Harvey

Green: Simon Blunden

Lab: Jim Ring

Lib Dem: Christine Herbert

Furness Peninsula

Cons: Andrew Butcher

Green: Peter Howlett

Lab: Eirik Hunt

Lib Dem: Janet Willis

Grange-over-Sands

Cons: Daniel Asplin

Green: Robin Le Mare

Lab: Paul Casson

Lib Dem: Dave Khan

Kendal East

Cons: James Alexander

Green: Paul Woods

Lab: Helen Stafford

Lib Dem: Helen Ladhams

Kendal Rural

Cons: Mike Nicholson

Green: Fran Richardson

Lab: Hanna Burke

Lib Dem: Hazel Hodgson

Kendal South and Natland

Cons: John Waddington

Green: Elsa Fuster

Lab: Lois Sparling

Lib Dem: Doug Rathbone

Kendal Town

Cons: Aron Taylor

Green: Ian Rodham

Lab: Paul Braithwaite

Lib Dem: Phil Dixon

Kendal West

Cons: Hannah Lane

Green: Claire Wickham

Lab: Trevor Batchelor

Lib Dem: Susanne Long

Ind: Graham Vincent

Sedbergh & Kirkby Lonsdale

Cons: Sheila Capstick

Green: Daphne Jackson

Lab: Nick Cross

Lib Dem: Suzie Pye

Ulverston East

Cons: Maf Servante Haddow

Green: Chris Loynes

Lab: Shirley-Anne Wilson

Lib Dem: Andrew Hudson

Ulverston West

Cons: Amanda Rigg

Green: Judy Filmore

Lab: Sharon Webster

Lib Dem: Ray Beecham

Windermere

Cons: Jane Hoyle

Green: Kate Threadgold

Lab: Penny Henderson

Lib Dem: Dyan Jones