THE Conservative Party is fielding candidates in all 53 Herefordshire Council wards in next month's election.

Voters will go to the polls on May 2 to choose their county councillors and the Tories face a fight to keep their overall majority in the Shire Hall.

Herefordshire's three largest opposition groups – The Greens, It's Our County and the Independents – have agreed to support each other in the run up to the elections.

Their group leaders hope to form an alliance if they receive enough support from the electorate to oust the Tories from power.

They have asked voters to get behind the alliance candidate standing in their area to bring about a change in the council.

However, they will not be alone in seeking to take on the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, Labour and UKIP have all fielded a number of candidates of their own.

The list of persons nominated has just been published and confirms the Tories have the most candidates with 53.

There are 44 listed as independent and councillor Bob Matthews said 21 of those belong to his Herefordshire Independents group.

Meanwhile, 18 people are standing for election for the Lib Dems while there are 12 for the Green Party, 10, for It's Our County, 10 for Labour and 9 for UKIP.

The Conservatives currently have 26 seats out of the 52, giving them a narrow majority. One seat is vacant following the death earlier this year of Jenny Hyde.