Local elections 2018: Which ward am I in? Find out everything you need to know before voting day

If the prospect of returning to the ballot box yet again leaves you feeling like Brenda from Bristol, here's everything you need to know to put your mind at rest

England will hold its latest round of local council elections on Thursday, 3 May.

There will be 156 in total taking place across the country: all 32 London boroughs, 34 metropolitan boroughs, 68 district and borough councils, 17 unitary authorities and five mayoral elections in Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford.

West Tyrone in Northern Ireland will also stage a parliamentary by-election on the same day following the resignation of Sinn Fein MP Barry McElduff.

Here is everything you need to know for the forthcoming vote.

How can I find out which ward I’m in?

Boroughs are broken down into wards and the search box below from Democratic Dashboard is a really useful tool for figuring out which one you live in.

Simply enter your postcode and the service will tell you.

Devised by the London School of Economics’ Democratic Audit, the dashboard will also give you a wealth of information about the current political make-up of your council based on the results from the last round of polling in 2014 and notification of future votes upcoming.

How can I find out who my candidates are?

The Electoral Commission requires local election offices to publish lists of candidates standing in your area.

You can therefore find out who is standing by visiting your local council’s website. However, to avoid bias, councils are prohibited from giving information about a candidate’s individual policies or agenda so you need to visit the relevant party’s own website, that of the candidate in question or their campaign literature for a breakdown of what they stand for.

How can I find out where my nearest polling station will be?

Votes are typically cast in large venues like churches, school halls and community centres.

Voters are sent polling cards by the local council with maps and directions to their local polling station included.

If you misplace your polling card, you can always contact your local council for the information.

Do I still have time to register to vote?

No – the deadline for registering to vote for 3 May has now passed so if you are not currently registered you will not be able to participate.

However, you can register for future elections at www.gov.uk. You will need your National Insurance Number, or your passport if you are a British citizen living abroad.

Can I still vote by post?

No – the deadline for postal voting passed on Wednesday, 18 April.

However, you can still apply to vote by proxy if you cannot make it to the polling station on the day by downloading a form from yourvotematters.com.

The deadline for proxy vote applications is 5pm on Wednesday, 25 April so you will have to move fast.

You can also download a form to vote by post in future elections at the same site – you will need to print it, sign it and send it to your local authority.