The town and county battle lines have been drawn now that the nomination period for candidates has closed.

Election day is on 3rd May and voters go to the polls with a chance to choose their town and county councillor in those wards where the number of candidates exceed the number of seats.

This year's election at county level proves to be more interesting than most, with a number of former Conservative councillors now standing as independents for the present Conservative-led local authority, Monmouthshire County Council (MCC).

Both Bob Hayward and Alan Wintle – Welsh Conservative (WC) councillors for seven years and 13 years respectively – have abandoned the Tory ticket in the hope of better representation of their wards at local level.

During the 2008 elections in Monmouthshire, the Conservatives were the opposition party at national level and may have been helped by the usual backlash against the sitting (then Labour) government.

With the Tories in power this time around at national and county level, local campaigns and candidates may feel some wrath from the fallout of the recent Budget.

With petrol prices soaring to record highs and ministerial 'foot in mouth' guidelines to hoard fuel in jerry cans larger than the law allows, it would seem a gift to prospective Labour candidates.

However, with continued criticism of the Labour leadership, coupled with the embarrassment of the former Labour MP and big brother housemate George Galloway's historic win in the Bradford West by-election, the Labour party have been put firmly back in their cage after scenting huge opportunities to capitalise on the great pastie debate, a contentious hot pie flavoured by a working tax credit filling, topped with saucy tax cuts for the wealthy.

With national politics only playing a supporting role in the local elections though, candidates here have everything to fight for in their respective seats.

The Drybridge ward, formerly WC Wintle territory, is a six-way battle, with the now independent Wintle in one corner and new boy to county politics, Terry Christopher, three times mayor of Monmouth and currently Monmouth Town Council's (MTC) much-respected vice-chairman, in another.

Add to this the Welsh Labour (WL) candidate Matthew Davies, the spearhead of the campaign to speed up the ambulance service in Monmouth, and the Green party's Chris Were and it could be the seat to watch.

Pictured above are Alan Wintle, Terry Christopher and Mathew Davies who are among the candidates for the Drybridge ward.

For the full story, see this week's Beacon (11th April)