The runners and riders in the fight to take control of Oxford City Council in May are drawing up battlelines.

The council goes to the polls on Thursday, May 1, when half the authority's 48 seats will be contested.

At stake is stewardship of the Town Hall - currently run by a minority Liberal Democrat administration - for at least the next two years.

This year, there are some notable inclusions - and exclusions - from the list.

Val Smith, the wife of Labour's Oxford East MP Andrew, stands in Blackbird Leys, while the elections marks the return as candidates of former Labour councillor Maureen Christian and Tony Brett, the Liberal Democrat who lost his seat in 2006.

Dr Frances Kennett, of Jericho, who fought a public battle with Jean Fooks over fortnightly waste collections, stands for the Conservatives in North ward, while Neil Fawcett, once a member of Oxfordshire County Council's ruling executive, stands in Littlemore against Oxford Lord Mayor John Tanner.

Liberal Democrat and Deputy Lord Mayor Stephen Tall stands down at the elections.

There are also elections for district councils in west Oxfordshire and Cherwell.

Candidates standing in the city are: BARTON AND SANDHILLS Timothy Stephen Hamer (Conservative) Raymond Leslie Hitchins (Green) Andrew Philip Lomas (Labour) Patrick Murray (Liberal Democrat) BLACKBIRD LEYS Ian Corthan Bearder (Liberal Democrat) Lee Craig Cole (Independent Working Class Association) Gareth Edward Jennings (Conservative) Val Smith (Labour) Sue Tibbles (Green) CARFAX Stephen Thomas Brown (Liberal Democrat) Claudia Mary Fitzherbert (Green) Sarah Jane Hutchinson (Labour) Paul Sargent (Conservative) CHURCHILL Gordon Alexander Bell (Conservative) Peter Bonney (Liberal Democrat) Eliza Ruth Hilton (Green) Claire Kent (Independent Working Class Association) Mark Lygo (Labour) COWLEY MARSH Tony Brett (Liberal Democrat) Saj Malik (Labour) Lilian Julia Sherwood (Green) Martin Young (Conservative) COWLEY Alyson Joanna Duckmanton (Green) Paul John Garraway (Independent) Susan Jane Gonzalez (Liberal Democrat) Judith Anne Harley (Conservative) Bryan Claude Keen (Labour) HEADINGTON HILL AND NORTHWAY Marc Anthony Borja (Conservative) Maureen Lena Christian (Labour) Jock Coats (Liberal Democrat) Mary Watkins Livingstone (Green) HEADINGTON Chris Clifford (Conservative) Van Coulter (Labour) Jill Haas (Green) Ruth Elaine Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat) HINKSEY PARK Joe Chick (Liberal Democrat) Deborah Madeline Glass Woodin (Green) Simon Robert Mort (Conservative) Oscar van Noojen (Labour) HOLYWELL Kieran Hutchinson Dean (Labour) Nathan Pyle (Liberal Democrat) Chip Sherwood (Green) Alex Stafford (Conservative) IFFLEY FIELDS Elise Danielle Benjamin (Green) Nick Carter (Conservative) Mike Rowley (Labour) JERICHO AND OSNEY Colin Cook (Labour) Sandhya Drew (Green) Cameron David Alexander Penny (Conservative) Adrian Clive Rosser (Liberal Democrat) LITTLEMORE Neil Fawcett (Liberal Democrat) Yvonne Lowe (Conservative) Fionn Stevenson (Green) John Tanner (Labour) LYE VALLEY John Daniel Kentish (Green) John Lowe (Conservative) Bob Timbs (Labour) Dave White (Liberal Democrat) MARSTON Michael Christopher Haines (Independent) Duncan Valentine Hatfield (Conservative) Beverley Jane Hazzell (Labour) Alistair David Pryce Morris (Green) Caroline van Zyl (Liberal Democrat) NORTH Clark Lannerdahl Brundin (Liberal Democrat) Frances Margaret Gaynor Kennett (Conservative) Sue Ledwith (Labour) Merlyn Lyons (Green) NORTHFIELD BROOK Stuart John Craft (Independent Working Class Association) Patricia Gwendoline Mary Jones (Conservative) Rosemary Anne Beatrice Morlin (Liberal Democrat) Kate Ellen Prendergast (Green) Richard Michael Stevens (Labour) QUARRY AND RISINGHURST Laurence Peter Baxter (Labour) Tia Khadija MacGregor (Conservative) Pat Mylvaganam (Independent) Donald Martin O'Neal (Green) Roz Smith (Liberal Democrat) ROSE HILL AND IFFLEY Catherine Zena Bearder (Liberal Democrat) Siddo Deva (Conservative) Larry Sanders (Green) Edward Owen Turner (Labour) ST CLEMENT'S Matthew Edwin Dieppe (Liberal Democrat) Altaf Hussain (Labour) Elizabeth Mills (Conservative) Nuala Ann Young (Green) ST MARGARET'S James Fry (Labour) Chris Goodall (Green) Vernon Porter (Conservative) Gwynneth Leila Royce (Liberal Democrat) ST MARY'S Julia Goddard (Liberal Democrat) David J Green (Labour) Matt Morton (Green) Carolyn Ten Holter (Conservative) SUMMERTOWN Clara Gladys Bantry White (Conservative) Stuart McCready (Liberal Democrat) Sarah Elizabeth Pethybridge (Green) Scott Andrew Seamons (Labour) WOLVERCOTE Joanne Louise Bowlt (Conservative) Mary Rachel Franklin (Green) Michael Leonard Gotch (Liberal Democrat) Michael Robert Taylor (Labour)