Voters go to the polls on Thursday in council elections and the Alternative Vote referendum. We have a complete list of candidates standing in every ward, plus a guide to the issues in the AV debate.

The MEN will be publishing the results as they are announced in the early hours of Friday morning with our live coverage online and will also publish a special eight-page supplement on Friday afternoon with the votes cast for every candidate in every ward.

Labour currently controls four councils in Greater Manchester - Manchester, Salford, Wigan and Tameside while the Conservatives control Trafford and Lib Dems control Stockport. Three other councils - Bolton, Bury, Oldham do not have a majority party in control. Rochdale is also notionally in no overall control but Labour effectively has control after a number of defections from the Lib Dems in recent months.

Click on the links below for a guide to the issues and balance of power in each of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities - and for links to a list of the candidates standing in every ward.

Manchester council

Salford council

Trafford council

Tameside council

Stockport council

Oldham council

Rochdale council

Bury council

Bolton council

Wigan council

Alternative Vote referendum:

Voters will also be asked to vote in the referendum on a change in the election system for the UK Parliament. These links are to articles providing background and an explanation of the issues at stake:

MEN poll: Greater Manchester split on AV

The AV debate - rival camps set out their case

David Ottewell explains the AV referendum

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