THERE has been a lot of hype about the local elections happening today – and some Cheshire West and Chester residents may be wondering why they haven't received their polling cards.

Indeed, a quick glance on the council's 'Elections 2022' webpage shows there are only the results of three town and parish council elections held earlier this year (one of them uncontested).

The answer is simple. Local elections for Cheshire West and Chester happen every four years, as has been the case since 2011, and the next one is not due to happen until May 4, 2023.

So while residents in North Wales, Wirral and Halton all go to the polls today, Chesire West and Chester residents don't have to indulge in such party games.

Since the formation of the unified authority with elections on May 1, 2008, Cheshire West and Chester Council has seen many changes to its make-up.

Back in May 2008, there were 72 ward seats up for grabs in the newly formed Cheshire West and Chester Council, with wards being allocated in the same way as the previous Cheshire County Council. For the first year, the new authority was a 'shadow' council, until taking over in April 2009 for the following two years, with elections being held every four years thereafter.

And in 2008, with the Labour Government at the time tanking in the polls under Gordon Brown following a disastrously received removal of the 10p income tax rate, the result was a rout for the Conservatives, taking 55 seats under leader Cllr Mike Jones. Labour could only manage 13 seats, with the Liberal Democrats grabbing four.

By 2011, the ward make-up had changed and a total of 75 seats were up for grabs. This time, the Liberal Democrats were seen as unpopular nationally, having been one year into a coalition Government with the Conservatives. For CWaC, Cllr Mike Jones retained a majority, but with a reduced number of 42 seats. The party locally had seen five councillors defect prior to the election. Labour took an improved 32 seats, while the Lib Dems took just one seat.

The most recent two local elections have been about as exciting as local elections get. For 2015, a marathon count spread over two days went down to the final seat to see who had won overall control of the council, with Labour taking the hotly contested Newton ward seat by just 34 votes. Labour therefore snatched victory with 38 seats to the Conservative Party's 36, making it the only council nationally to switch from Conservatives to Labour control.

While local elections usually mirror the trends nationally (the Conservatives won an absolute majority in that year's General Election), the situation can change if there are hotly contested local issues. Back in 2015, there was much discussion on fracking, while controversial plans for a large £100 million student village in Mollington were ultimately rejected in 2013.

That all meant Samantha Dixon became the first woman to lead the council, and the first Labour leader of CWaC. Taking the final seat was independent Martin Barker.

The most recent CWaC election in 2019 also went down to the wire. Boundary changes meant the council make-up was reduced from 75 to 70 seats, and Labour lost overall control of the council, missing out on an absolute majority in the final ward to be counted, by just seven votes.

Labour therefore took 35 seats out of the 70. The Conservatives took 28 seats, with the Liberal Democrats winning two seats. Independent Cllr Martin Barker retained his seat, while three other independent candidates won seats. One of those, Cllr Phil Herbert, later joined the Conservatives. Finally, the Green Party made a breakthrough with Paul Bowers becoming the first Green CWaC candidate to be elected. Labour's Louise Gittins became the new leader of CWaC.

What do these election results tell us to expect for 2023? Only that the next Cheshire West and Chester election is likely to be close, unpredictable and one where, potentially, every extra vote could make a crucial difference.