Almost 300 candidates will be contesting the 82 seats in the first Dorset Council election on Thursday, May 2.

In most of the 52 wards there are at least three candidates with the larger areas having 10 or more candidates for two or three seat wards.

The largest number of candidates are being fielded is in Gillingham (13), Bridport (11), Rodwell and Wyke Regis (10) and Portland (10) which all have three councillor wards.

The biggest field in two seat wards is Shaftesbury with 11 candidates and Swanage with 8.

The main political parties are represented in most of the wards with the UKIP standing for 29 seats and the Green Party for 23.

There are 22 candidates listed as independent and three who have left the column for affiliation blank. Here are the candidates for local divisions.

BEAMINSTER: (ONE SEAT)

Robert Casey (Green)

Stephen Everington (Labour)

Rebecca Knox (Conservative)

Chris Turner (Liberal Democrats)

BRIDPORT: (THREE SEATS)

Heath Barrett (UKIP)

Dave Bolwell (Liberal Democrats)

Nick Boothroyd (Labour)

Derek Bussell (Conservative)

Una Christopher (Conservative)

Kelvin Clayton (Green)

Ronald Coatsworth (Conservative)

Mark Gage (Labour)

Bill Mellish (Labour)

Sarah Williams (Liberal Democrats)

Iain Young (Liberal Democrats)

CHESIL BANK: (ONE SEAT)

Sally Holland (Liberal Democrats)

Vaughan Jones (Green)

Richard Nicholls (Labour)

Mark Roberts (Conservative)

EGGARDON: (ONE SEAT)

Anthony Alford (Conservative)

Lucy Campbell (Labour)

Anne Clements (Green) Robin Potter (Liberal Democrats)

LYME & CHARMOUTH: (ONE SEAT)

Rikey Austin (Labour)

Cheryl Reynolds (---)

Rob Smith (Green)

Daryl Turner (Conservative)

MARSHWOOD VALE: (ONE SEAT)

Simon Christopher (Conservative)

Phyllida Culpin (Labour)

Simon Fairlie (Green)

Eddie Gerrard (Liberal Democrats)

Jacqui Sewell (Independent)