On Thursday voters in Halton will head to the polls for May's crucial local elections - here's everything you need to know about key battlegrounds, candidates and issues before casting your vote.
There are 54 members on the Labour-dominated Halton Council. The local authority has the least opposition members in the whole of the Liverpool City Region, with just two Lib Dems and two Conservatives compared to 50 Labour councillors.
This current make-up hasn't changed in four years, and there has never been any significant shift in the balance of power.
Even in Labour-led Liverpool, where the ruling party hold 75 out of 90 seats, the Lib Dems and even the Tories have been in control at some point in the city's history.
But over the water in Halton, Labour has been in control since it officially formed as an authority in 1974.
While that isn't expected to change any time soon, opposition parties are hoping 2019 could be the year they finally make a comeback with gains in some areas, such as Heath.
Here is everything you need to know before casting your vote
How things stand
Halton Council is made up of 54 councillors who represent 21 areas, known as electoral wards.
50 councillors represent the Labour Party, meaning there are just four opposition members across the borough.
The opposition parties are confined to just two areas of Runcorn. The Lib Dems hold two seats in the Heath ward, while the Conservatives hold two seats in the affluent village of Daresbury.
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Unlike other local authorities in the Liverpool City Region, the Green Party hold no seats on Halton Council, and there are no independents.
Who is up for election?
Because of the cycles that council elections are held in, next month will see just under a third of the council's seats up for grabs.
The majority of wards in Halton are represented by three councillors, but smaller areas such as Hale and Windmill Hill only have one elected councillor and will not be holding elections this year.
For the full list of candidates standing in every ward, click here
Labour and the Conservatives have put forward a councillor for all 19 wards, while the Lib Dems have put forward six councillors and the Green Party have put forward two.
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The Lib Dems will be hoping to consolidate their hold on the Heath area of Runcorn this year, where the town's controversial waste plant has been causing misery for some residents.
Party leader Chris Rowe and colleague Gareth Stockton hold two out of the three seats in the ward, while the third - and the one being contested this year - is represented by Labour.
Labour councillor Charlotte Gerard took the seat from then Lib Dem councillor Margaret Ratcliffe in 2015 - but is stepping down after just four years.
Ms Ratcliffe is returning to politics to try and take back the seat after a tense few months which has seen drama unfold over Runcorn's Energy from Waste plant. (EfW).
Earlier this year Halton Council approved an application to allow plant managers Viridor to burn more waste at the facility - leading to cries of 'shame' and 'disgrace' from members of the public.
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Local residents across the Heath and Mersey wards of Runcorn claim they are unable to open their windows because of vomit-inducing smells coming from the plant, and have expressed concerns about air pollution and noise.
The Lib Dems were the only party to oppose the plans - and are hoping this stance will help them make gains this year.
The party is campaigning for better air monitoring around incinerators in the borough, and say their main aim at this year's local elections is to address the "major imbalance" on the council so they can better hold Labour members to account.
In Heath, ex-councillor Margaret Ratcliffe will be up against Labour candidate Victoria Begg, UKIP hopeful Dave Myers and Conservative Ian John Adams.
Key issues - Tolls, taxes and takeaways
Last year saw Labour retain all their seats in Halton, despite some speculation the controversial Mersey Gateway Bridge could impact the vote.
Halton Council don't actually have the authority to scrap the charges on the new crossing, and the vast majority of voters are eligible for free travel across it.
Despite the new bridge bringing many benefits to the region - such as quicker travel and a boom in the local property market - the tolls could still play a major role in this year's election.
The Labour-run council have been heavily criticised for sending out bailiffs to collect forgotten £2 toll fees. People have reported being pushed to despair and being forced to used food banks as debt spirals into thousands.
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Halton Council has recently defended its position - saying bailiffs are only used as a last resort after an individual has been warned five times about their unpaid toll.
But some anti-toll campaigners feel the council could do more to make the payment system fairer - putting the issue of tolls back on the voting table.
Takeaways
People living in Runcorn's Old Town have spoken of their frustration at the amount of takeaways filling empty shops in the area.
Conservative candidate Daniel Clarke says he has a 'personal vendetta' against fast food shops and wants to crack down on them if elected.
But Labour rival Norman Plumpton Walsh says this can only be done if planning laws change - something that would have to be implemented by the Conservative government.
Cllr Walsh - who will be standing against Daniel Clarke in the Mersey ward- said there have been cases in the past where the planning committee have opposed takeaways, only to be over turned on appeal by a government planning inspectorate.
Although some recent planning decisions have caused upset in parts of Halton, the Labour-ran council have also unveiled several major plans to regenerate the borough, which may help them remain dominant once again.
Taxes
The controversial 'Metro Mayor' tax has caused something of a backlash across the region, but it has particularly stung those in Halton who see themselves as residents of Cheshire rather than the Liverpool City Region.
Conservatives are opposed this tax and another local Council Tax rise - and this may appeal to voters who feel strongly that Halton should be taken out of the Liverpool City Region.
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However, Labour have campaigned strongly to protect services in the borough - and say hiking up Council Tax is necessary to do this because of the huge cuts to funding they have suffered from central government.
Being part of the Liverpool City Region has also brought many benefits to Halton, such as funding for the new Halton Curve railway line.
Voting
Voting in the Halton local elections will take place between 7am and 10pm on Thursday May 2nd.
The counting and deceleration of results will take place immediately after at the Widnes Viking Stadium.
