Here are the candidates standing in this year's local elections

Voters will head to the polls next month to select their local representatives.

One seat in each of the 25 wards across Wigan and Leigh is up for grabs.

That means each of the three biggest parties is standing two candidates in that ward.

There are a number of big names standing for re-election, including Wigan Council leader David Molyneux in Ince, leader of the opposition Michael Winstanley in Orrell and several members of the current cabinet.

This year's local elections will be the first time in two years Wiganers have had their say at the ballot box as last year's vote was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The full list of candidates is:

Abram: David Bowker (Independent), Beverley Bridgewater (Conservatives), Daniel Simm (Liberal Democrats), Martyn Smethurst (Labour).

Ashton: Danny Fletcher (Labour), Geoffrey Matthews (Liberal Democrats), Edward Sturdy (Conservatives).

Aspull New Springs Whelley: Laura Flynn (Labour), Andrew Holland (Liberal Democrats), John Hulme (Independent), Luke Marsden (Conservatives).

Astley Mosley Common: David Stirzaker (Conservatives), Paula Wakefield (Labour).

Atherleigh: Paul Fairhurst (Conservatives), Lorraine Gillon (Liberal Democrats), John Harding (Labour), Natasha Hodgkinson (Independent Network), Zoe Irlam (Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Together).

Atherton: Julie Hilling (Labour), Jamie Hodgkinson (Independent Network), Emily Siddall (Conservatives), Quinton Smith (Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Together).

Bryn: Judith Atherton (Conservatives), Mary Callaghan (Labour), Steve Jones (Independent), Denise Melling (Liberal Democrats).

Douglas: Margaret Atherton (Conservatives), Patricia Draper (Labour), Donald Macnamara (Liberal Democrats).

Golborne and Lowton West: Stanley Crook (Conservatives), Yvonne Klieve (Labour), Susan Spibey (Independent), Brian Witt (Liberal Democrats).

Hindley: Alan Baines (Independent), Paul Blay (Labour), Hilda Byrne (Independent Network), John Skipworth (Liberal Democrats), Mark Temperton (Conservatives).

Hindley Green: Bob Brierley (Independent), Paul Chapman (Conservatives), James Palmer (Labour), Graham Suddick (Liberal Democrats).

Ince: Allan Atherton (Conservatives), Jordan Gaskell (Ukip), David Molyneux (Labour).

Leigh East: Trevor Barton (Independent), Keith Cunliffe (Labour), James Geddes (Conservatives), James Morley (Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Together), Lewis Parkin (Liberal Democrats).

Leigh South: Kevin Anderson (Labour), Simon Brooks (Liberal Democrats), Dave Fraser (Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Together), Joshua Yates (Conservatives).

Leigh West: Susan Greensmith (Labour), Sharron-Lee Honey (Liberal Democrats), Gerard Houlton (Conservatives), Jayson Lomax-Hargreaves (Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Together).

Lowton East: Marie Cooper (Conservatives), Garry Lloyd (Labour), Christopher Noon (Liberal Democrats).

Orrell: Marjorie Clayton (Conservatives), Joseph Saunders (Labour), Neil Stevenson (Liberal Democrats), Mark Tebbutt (Labour), Stuart Thomas (Liberal Democrats), Michael Winstanley (Conservatives).

Pemberton: David Burley (Liberal Democrats), Jean Peet (Conservatives), Jeanette Prescott (Labour).

Shevington with Lower Ground: Brian Crombie-Fisher (Liberal Democrats), Michael Crosby (Labour), Gareth Fairhust (Shevington Independents), Gary Robinson (Conservatives).

Standish with Langtree: Debbie Fairhurst (Standish Independents), Caroline Waddicor (Liberal Democrats), Raymond Whittingham (Conservatives), Dave Wood (Labour).

Tyldesley: Susan Atherton (Conservatives), Jack Davies (Liberal Democrats), James Fish (Reform UK), Julian Marsh (Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Together), Antonino Panebianco (Independent), Nazia Rehman (Labour).

Wigan Central: Lawrence Hunt (Labour), Benjamin Thomas (Liberal Democrats), Joe Worthington (Conservatives).

Wigan West: Ian Dyer (Liberal Democrats), Terence Halliwell (Labour), Marie Winstanley (Conservatives).

Winstanley: Paul Kenny (Labour), Michael Owens (Conservatives), Robert Stevenson (Liberal Democrats).

Worsley Mesnes: Danny Cooke (Independent), David Hurst (Labour), John Parrott (Liberal Democrats), Cyril Pendlebury (Conservatives).

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