While the general election dominates the headlines Tonbridge and Malling council is gearing up for a big change next month with all 54 seats up for grabs.

Labour, Liberal Democrat and Ukip candidates will be attempting to make inroads into the borough which is currently swathed in blue, with 47 of the current 53 seats held by Tory councillors.

Of the remaining six positions, four are held by the Lib Dems, one by Labour and one by independent councillor Mike Taylor.

Ukip is campaigning hard in the area, with 13 candidates standing in comparison to just three at the last election which was held in 2011.

Back then the conservatives tightened their grip on the council, gaining three seats from the Lib Dems and losing one to Labour, who returned to the council after a four-year absence.

There was shock as long-standing Lib Dem councillor David Thornewell lost his place on the council for the first time in 37 years.

This time around the election campaign will be without a familiar face, after former mayor and cabinet member Cllr Sue Murray was deselected by the Conservatives in February.

She had represented Borough Green and Longmill since 1999.

Current council leader Cllr Nicolas Heslop will hope to retain his role in two-seat Cage Green.

The amount of seats available has increased as a result of boundary changes, with Aylesford splitting in two and newly formed Aylesford North and Walderslade replacing Blue Bell Hill and Walderslade, with an extra seat becoming available as a result.

An additional seat is also available in both Kings Hill and Medway, while Higham loses a position, going from three to two representatives.

In the final significant change, two-seat wards East Peckham and Golden Green, and Hadlow, Mereworth and West Peckham merge to become three-seat Hadlow and East Peckham.

Polling will take place for all 24 wards on Thursday, May 7, between 7am and 10pm.

To register to vote go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote by midnight on Monday, while all postal votes must reach the Electoral Registration Office by 5pm on Tuesday.

A full list of candidates can be found here.