Millions of people will be voting in local elections this week, but not across Cheshire West and Chester.

More than 5,000 councillors in 146 councils in England are up for election tomorrow, Thursday, May 7, but the electoral cycle means residents in the borough will be sitting this one out.

That is because Cheshire West only has its elections every four years and the last vote took place in 2023.

Some councils – such as neighbouring Halton – have an election every three out of four years, where a third of seats are up for grabs.

But authorities like Cheshire West and Chester (CWAC) adopt an 'all out' model, where every four years every single one of its 70 seats are contested, with the victor in each ward seat serving a four-year term.

This means residents in CWAC will not vote again for councillors until May 2027.

During the last election in 2023, Labour gained overall control of Cheshire West and Chester Council, winning 39 out of its 70 seats. The council had previously been under no overall control, with Labour running a minority administration.

However defections and by-elections has seen that picture change since then, with Labour once again running a minority administration.

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The current make-up of Cheshire West and Chester Council:

• Labour (35)
• Conservative (20)
• Green (three)
• Independent (two)
• Reform UK (three)
• Liberal Democrat (one)
• Unaligned Independent members (five)

Next year's local elections will also see voters put a tick in the box for their preferred candidate for the elected mayor for the new combined Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority (CA).

The CA is separate from its constituent councils – Cheshire West, Cheshire East and Warrington – and while each council will remain distinct, the new mayor will have considerable power – and budgets – for things like housing strategy, transport and employment.

So far Dan Price – the current police and crime commissioner for Cheshire – has been confirmed as the Labour candidate and businessman Ben Fletcher has been named the Conservative candidate.