THE county electorate will go to the polls next Thursday (May 4) to vote for representatives in the Hampshire County Council elections.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.

District or borough councils administer the county council’s four-yearly elections on behalf of the county returning officer, county council chief executive John Coughlan.

In the case of East Hampshire residents, the election will be administered by East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) who have been responsible for issuing polling cards, and applications for postal and proxy votes.

When the polling stations close at 10pm, EHDC will count the district’s votes on behalf of the county council at Petersfield’s Festival Hall.

In East Hampshire, there are seven seats up for grabs in seven electoral divisions – Alton Rural; Alton Town; Catherington; Liphook, Headley and Grayshott; Petersfield Butser; Petersfield Hangers; and Whitehill, Bordon and Lindford.

A county-wide election takes place every four years and voters in all 76 electoral divisions choose who they want to run the range of essential local services that impact on all aspects of everyday life for 1.3 million people living in the Hampshire County Council area – from education, roads and social care for vulnerable children and adults to access to the countryside and libraries.

Councillors represent all the people within their divisions, decide how £1.9bn of taxpayers’ money is spent each year, and make the policies to secure services for the residents of, and visitors to Hampshire. Councillors provide a focus for local people when they have concerns or want things done, using their local knowledge of the area and the issues affecting residents to help the County Council make decisions and check the quality of services it delivers.

The current political make-up of the county council, following the last elections in May 2013 and five by-elections, is: Conservatives 47, Liberal Democrats 16, UKIP 7, Labour 4, Community Campaign (Hart) 1, Non-affiliated 2, Vacant 1.

The earliest results are expected in the early hours of next Friday morning.

The full council will meet for the first time after the elections on May 25, at which time the new administration will be formally established. The first meeting of the cabinet is on June 19.