Issues impacting council elections in Merseyside
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From potholes to bins and adult social care – the decisions made in town halls by local councillors affect our everyday lives.
And people living in Sefton, Halton and Knowsley can choose their local councillor in Thursday's elections.
A third of council seats in all three boroughs are up for grabs.
Knowsley and Halton have been dominated by Labour since they were created 50 years ago.
In Halton, 49 of the council’s 54 members represent the Labour party. There are two Conservatives and three Liberal Democrats.
In Knowsley it is a similar picture – although Labour’s majority has reduced since 2016 when for six years it had been the only party represented in the council chamber.
There are currently 31 Labour councillors, seven Green Party, four independents and three Liberal Democrats.
No political party had overall control of Sefton council for decades, but it has been controlled by Labour since 2012.
It is home to Merseyside’s only Conservative MP, Damien Moore who has represented Southport in parliament since 2017.
Southport will be Merseyside’s most interesting battleground at the next general election, but it is fair to say it is a key battleground for these local elections too.
There are some big local issues in Southport this year, which really could influence how people vote. The resort’s famous pier closed in December 2022 for safety reasons.
The council has estimated it would cost £13 million to repair – a cost which the authority has said it can’t afford.
People in Southport care about the town’s tourism industry and reputation – but also recognise the council has limited funds and has priorities like adult social care and its children’s services - which were rated inadequate in 2022.
Southport has also been the focus of protests over the installation of Open Reach infrastructure and speculation about the future of the Pontins holiday park.
Health and jobs
Bootle in the south of the borough has seen the start of major regeneration plans.
Knowsley is one of the most deprived boroughs in the country, with poor public health and obesity prevalent in many areas.
Voters will be looking to see what the parties are offering when it comes to the health of the borough, but also investment and jobs.
The local Green Party has been boosted in recent years by campaigns to save green spaces, but the demand for affordable housing is increasing.
The environment might be on some voters minds. Sefton and Halton councils declared a climate emergency in 2019, Knowsley council made the declaration in 2020.
But how much action has followed? Voters will have their say on 2nd May.
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