Local elections 2024: When are they, who is standing and where can I vote?

There's a local election happening near you this Thursday - even if you might not know it.

From directly-elected Mayors through to police and crime commissioners and thousands of councillors the local elections in England and Wales are often seen as a guide for an upcoming general election (whenever that arrives).

If you're unsure of what, when and who is up for election near you then the kind people at Democracy Club have created this handy tool.

Pop your postcode in and you can find a polling station, the candidates and more.

Unfortunately you need voter ID to be able to vote - see our campaign to remove this unnecessary step in the democratic process.

Pollster Sir John Curtice, who if you are staying up to watch the TV coverage of the elections will definitely be on your screen, has written for the BBC about what the local elections will mean for a general election.

He writes: "True, not everyone votes the same way in local elections as they would in a general election – about one in five people do not.

"As a result, the Liberal Democrats and Greens, in particular, typically outperform their current standing in the national polls.

"Nevertheless, the rises and falls in party support in the local ballot boxes typically reflect the ups and downs in the parties’ standings in the polls.

"Most of the elections on 2 May are for seats that were previously contested three years ago, in May 2021.

"The electoral climate was very different then."

As well as council elections there's also a by-election in Blackpool South, which you can see extensive coverage of via The Blackpool Lead.

It was triggered when the disgraced Scott Benton decided, eventually, to step down after being caught in a lobbying scandal.

And expect the race to be the Tees Valley Mayor to be attracting lots of eyes looking North Eastwards for a sign of what the general election voting intentions may well end up being. See all our coverage on The Teesside Lead.

And back down South, Michael Savage in the Guardian says Dorset Council is one to watch for whether the Lib Dems can make any inroads in their scrap with the Tories.

In our Northern editions, for Bolton and Hyndburn, we'll be watching closely to see who has control of the Town Halls there and which colour they go.