POLLING stations will be open from 7am to 10pm for local elections for six local councils today.

Voters can choose councillors in Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale,and Chorley boroughs.

There are no elections this year for Ribble Valley Borough or Lancashire County Councils.

Owing to new redrawn ward boundaries the entire Blackburn with Darwen Council is up for election rather than the usual third..

This year there are just 17 three-member wards and voter will choose 51 councillor instead of the previous 64 representing 23 wards. There are 112 candidates with Labour fighting for all 51 seats and the Conservatives fielding 49 hopefuls.

In Burnley 67 candidates will be fighting 15 wards to elect one-third of its 45 councillors.

In Hyndburn 11 of the 16 wards are up for election to choose 11 of the total 35 councillors.

In Pendle, balanced on a political knife edge, 16 of the 20 wards will be contested by 42 candidates.

With the current ruling Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition and the Conservatives neck and neck in terms of councillors, control of the borough could easily change hands.

In Rossendale 12 of the 14 borough wards are up for grabs.

In Chorley 17 out of 20 wards are up for election.