Runcorn will provide the focus of the Liberal Democrat campaign at the local elections on Thursday, with the party fielding just one candidate in Widnes.

Millions of voters at more than 230 council areas around the country head to the polls this week, and in Halton a third of seats across the borough's 18 wards will be contested. Halton Council currently has 54 seats in total, 48 of which are held by Labour, with three Lib Dems and three Conservatives.

The Lib Dems were a sizeable force in Halton politics until the coalition years where they were punished locally and some councillors quit to become independents. But they have never had a foothold in Widnes, a town which is now completely Labour-dominated.

With three councillors left on Halton Borough Council, all hold seats in the same ward of Beechwood and Heath - in part due to local opposition to the nearby incinerator - where they have proven an immovable obstacle for Labour despite repeated attempts to defeat them.

And the party said its first objective on Thursday will be to retain that ward.

One of those standing again will be Chris Rowe.  A former Mayor of Halton, he has served on the council since 2004 and also served as church warden at St John’s, Weston, as governor at Weston Primary School and recently become a governor at Beechwood Primary School. He is also a director of Halton Play Council.

He said: “I want to make sure  the voices of residents are heard, particularly over planning applications.

"Current applications I am working on are the application to build a petrol station in Clifton Village and the plan to develop the SOG Heath Office site and surrounding fields."

Diane Inch is aiming to regain the Norton North seat which she held for 10 years. Diane and her husband Chris have lived in Norton for 34 years.  They have a son and a granddaughter. She served on two local school governing bodies, worked with a number of voluntary bodies and is a trustee of Halton Community Transport.

She said: "Our Widnes dominated Labour council  says that all the problems we face can be blamed on the national government. This is a game as old as the hills."

A number of parties will be vying for votes on Thursday, including Labour, Conservative, Green, Liberal Democrat, Reform UK and independent candidates.

This year will be the first local elections where voters will be required to show photo ID when they head to the polling station. Acceptable forms of photo ID include: UK-issued passport or driving licence, bus pass, blue badge, PASS proof of age card. A full list can be found here.

A full list of Halton candidates is available here.