East Suffolk council is preparing for its second election as unified authority after Suffolk Coastal and Waveney merged four years ago.

This time there are a number of different battlegrounds for what could be a fascinating contest on May 4.

The Conservatives are the only group contesting every seat on the 55-member council.

There are 29 wards returning between one and three councillors each - and there are wide variations between the contests.

In rural areas the Greens or Liberal Democrats are likely to be the main opposition to the Conservatives who have run the council for its first four years.

In Felixstowe and Lowestoft the Labour Party is traditionally strong and is likely to pose the greatest threat to the Tories.

Outgoing council leader Steve Gallant is not seeking re-election this time, but the last leaders of Suffolk Coastal and Waveney are standing again.

Ray Herring will be hoping to retain his Orford seat while Mark Bee is hoping to make a comeback as a Bungay councillor four years after losing his seat in Beccles to the Green Party.

Voting takes place on May 4 across the district - and for the first time people who go to polling stations will have to show photographic identification before being given ballot papers.

Aldeburgh and Leiston ward (3 councillors): Andrew Reid (C), Jocelyn Bond (C), Tony Cooper (C), Tom Daly (G), Katie Graham (G), Sarah Whitelock (G), Ray Beach (L), David Gugeon (L).

Beccles and Worlingham (3 councillors): Sarah Plummer (G), Sheryl Rumble (G), Caroline Topping (G), Bernard Reader (C), May Reader (C), Trish Mortimer (C), Sam Hunt (L), Tarek Lahin (L), Tony Burgess (L).

Bungay and Wainford (2 councillors): Mark Bee (C), Judy Cloke (C), Toby Hammond (G), Anthony Speca (G), Tim Mobbs (L), Chris Sadler (L), Natalie Carlile (I).

Carlford and Fynn Valley (2 councillors): Ben Coupe (C), Colin Hedgley (C), Dan Clery(G), Nigel Hiley (G).

Lowestoft Carlton and Whitton (2 councillors): Sonia Barker (L), Charlotte Barker (L), Jenny Ceresa(C), Jamie Starling (C), Anna Hammond (G), Daniel Keates (G), John Mercer (LD), Dave O'Neill (LD).

Deben (1 councillor): James Mallinder (C), Richard Noble (G).

East Felixstowe (3 councillors): Mark Jepson (C), Anthony Malster (C), Steve Wiles (C), David Rowe (L), Seamus Bennett(LD), Jan Candy (LD), David Underwood (LD), Hagar Babbington (Comm).

Framlingham (2 councillors): Maurice Cook (C), Tom Faulkner (C), Vince Langdon-Morris (G), Owen Grey (LD).

Lowestoft Gunton and St Margaret's (2 councillors): Linda Coulam (C), Ryan Harvey (C), George King (L), Graham Parker (L), Fiona Shreeve (LD), John Shreeve (LD), Kerri Edmondson (G).

Halesworth and Blything (2 councillors): Alison Cackett (C), Graham Catchpole (C), Beth Keys-Holloway (G), Geoffrey Wakeling (G), John Murray (L).

Lowestoft Harbour and Normanston (3 councillors): David Coulam (C), Deanna Law (C), Vince Rule, (C), Keith Patience (L), Janet Craig (L), Tess Gandy (L), Alice Eastaugh (G), Phillip Love (G), Debbie Ray (G).

Kelsale and Yoxford (1 councillor): Alexander Nicoll (C), Jules Ewart (LD), John Clark (L).

Kesgrave (3 councillors): Stuart Lawson (C), Debbie McCallum (C), Geoff Lynch (C), Brad Clements (LD), Sally Neal (LD), Lesley Bensley (L), Marcin Burcon (G).

Kessingland (1 councillor): Letitia Smith (C), Alan Green (L), Jon Coxon (G).

Lowestoft Kirkley and Pakefield (3 councillors): Peter Byatt (L), Louise Gooch (L), Malcolm Pitchers (L), June Ford (C), David Bromley (C), Jean Bowry (C), Alan Barnes (G), Christopher Hart (G).

Lothingland (1 councillor): Paul Ashdown (C), Rosemary Brambley (G), Susan Groome (LD), Thomas Leverett (L).

Martlesham and Purdis Farm (2 councillors): Chris Blundell (C), Guy Jenkinson (C), Mark Packard (LD), Edward Thompson (LD).

Melton (1 candidate): Rachel Smith-Lyte(G), Alan Porter (C), Katherine Bicknell (L)

Orwell (2 councillors): Patti Mulcahy (C), Mick Richardson (C), Mike Ninnmey (LD), Lee Reeves (LD).

Oulton Broad (3 councillors): Edward Back (C), Andree Gee (C), Keith Robinson (C), Paul Page (L),  Jen Jones (L), Bob Groome (L), Simon McDowall (LD), Timothy Sutton-Day (LD), Andrew Turner (LD), Jesse Timberlake (G), Susan Steward (G), Andrew Eastaugh (G).

Rendlesham and Orford (1 councillor): Ray Herring (C), Tim Wilson (G), Martin Foxton (HP).

Rushmere St Andrew (1 councillor): Deborah Dean (C), Stewart Belfield (G), Alistair Dick (L).

Saxmundham (1 councillor): John Fisher (I), Phillip Dunnett (C), James Sandbach (LD), Mark Turner (L).

Southwold (1 councillor) David Beavan (LD), Tony Goldson (C), Stephen Stansfield (L), Kevin Cross (I).

West Felixstowe (3 councillors): Steve Bain (C), Stuart Bird (C), Tracey Green (C), Mike Deacon (L), Amanda Folley (L), Rosie Smithson (L), Angus Thody(G), Richard Keyworth (G), Mark Jones (Comm).

Wickham Market (1 councillor): Carol Poulter (C), Sally Noble (G).

Woodbridge (2 councillors): Stephen Attwell (C), Geoff Holdcroft (C), Kay Yule (LD), Stephen Molyneux (G), Paul Richards (L).

Wrentham, Wangford, and Westleton (1 councillor): Norman Brooks (C), Paul Ashton (LD), Jane Murray (L).

Key:

C - Conservative

L - Labour

LD - Liberal Democrat

G - Green

I - Independent

Comm - Communist

HP - Heritage Party