BIRKENHEAD voters go to the polls tomorrow to choose their last group of councillors of this Millennium.

One third of the wards in Wirral are up for grabs - enough seats to change the complexion of the Council from its present Labour control.

The Council of 66 members currently has a split of 42 Labour, 16 Conservative and eight Liberal Democrats.

Of the 22 seats that are being fought on Thursday 16 are Labour, four are Conservative and two held by the Liberal Democrats. This includes those left vacant by retiring councillors and one vacant after the death of Councillor Andrew Day from Claughton last year.

The three main parties are fighting all the wards, the Green Party are fighting in the majority and Socialist Labour Party are fighting one seat.

There are eight wards being contested in the Birkenhead area, mainly held by Labour.

The Birkenhead seat is currently held by Coun Phil Davies (Labour), but is likely to be the most hotly contested with four other candidates fighting it out with the incumbent.

The candidates are: Susan Bebell (Conservatives), Stuart Harvey (Green Party), Alec McFadden (Socialist Labour Party) and Mary Williams (Liberal Democrats).

Claughton is being contested by Stephen Blaylock (Liberal Democrats), Barbara Brassey (Conservatives), Elisabeth Heydon (Green Party) and Denise Roberts (Labour Party).

Oxton ward is held by Coun Patricia Williams for the Liberal Democrats. She will be defending the seat against Pamela Mitchell (Green Party), Leonard Moore (Conservatives) and John Salter (Labour).

Tranmere is being defended for Labour by Christine Meaden, who will be competing with Yvonne Sanne (Conservatives), Christopher Teggin (Liberal Democrats) and Angela Upton (Green Party).

The councillor for Egerton ward, Labour's Walter Smith, will be competing with Conservative Cyrus Ferguson, Liberal Democrat Philip Lloyd and the Green Party's Catherine Page.

Fighting it out for Prenton are David Elderton (Conservatives), Simon Holbrook (Liberal Democrats), Caeryn Riley (Labour) and John Wilson (Green).

In Upton, the incumbent Peter Corcoran (Labour) will compete with Joy Hogg (Green), Darryl Milligan (Conservatives) and Michael Redfern (Liberal Democrats).

Labour Coun Harry Smith defends the Bidston seat from Robert Mitchell (Green), Doreen Pike (Conservatives) and John Tomlinson (Liberal Democrats).

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