The Midlands Battleground
The last time this set of local elections were held in 2012, it was Ed Miliband's high water mark. He gained dozens of seats in Midlands councils - who can forget his triumphant hand-shaking on the steps of the council house in Birmingham when Labour took back control after eight years of Tory/Lib Dem power?
These elections are a test of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. Currently embroiled in an anti-semitism row within his own party, can he push through to make gains at a local level to secure his fighting base for future success?
A key council to watch is Walsall. Currently the Conservatives run a minority administration but it's on a knife edge. A few gains for Labour on the night and they win power - but if they fail it will be bad news for Mr Corbyn.
The Liberal Democrats have taken a battering over recent years - their support dwindling and in many cases completely absent. But, they do hold the reins at one council in our area - Cheltenham. Expect the Conservatives to mount a key challenge as well as the Green Party.
The Greens are the official opposition at Solihull - one of seven West Midlands metropolitan councils holding elections for a third of the seats. Currently it's Conservative controlled.
Labour are firmly in control at Birmingham, Coventry, Sandwell, and Wolverhampton. But the party is vulnerable in Dudley and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Elsewhere, interesting contests to watch will be at Worcester where the Conservatives rule by a slim majority of three and at Redditch Labour have power by the tightest of margins - just one seat!
In the East Midlands there are only five councils holding elections this year. Labour will be aiming to strengthen control at Derby and in Peterborough a minority Conservative administration will be hoping to make gains to secure overall control.
Ukip are fielding lots of candidates, insisting to voters that local issues are just as important to the party as the call to leave the EU. In Walsall they are challenging in 13 of the seats up for grabs.
Traditionally it's the party of opposition at Westminster that scores well in local elections. But with the growing turmoil in the Labour ranks at national level the results that come in after polls close this Thursday will be very revealing. Can the party consider itself closer to a comeback ? Or will it just be the start of a mighty mountain to climb?
Here is the full list of councils holding elections on May 5th. In most only a third of the seats are being contested.
West Midlands
Birmingham - Labour
Coventry - Labour
Dudley - Labour
Sandwell - Labour
Wolverhampton - Labour
Solihull - Conservative
Walsall - No party in overall control
Cannock Chase - Labour
Nuneaton Bedworth - Labour, 1/2 seats
Redditch - Labour
Tamworth - Conservative
Rugby - Conservative
Worcester - Conservative
Wyre Forest - Conservative
Cheltenham - Lib Dem, 1/2 seats
Newcastle Under Lyme - No party in overall control
East Midlands
Derby - Labour, 1/3
Peterborough - No party in overall control, Whole council
Amber Valley - Conservative, 1/3
Daventry - Conservative, 1/3
Lincoln - Labour, Whole council