With South Norfolk going to the polls on Thursday, Dan Grimmer looks at how the political battle is shaping up.

The Liberal Democrats suffered a massive defeat when South Norfolk last went to the polls in 2007, losing control of an authority which had been theirs for 12 years.

Those 2007 council elections were a huge success story for the Conservatives, who seized control at South Norfolk House in some style.

Voters returned 39 Conservatives and just seven Liberal Democrats in that election and the Tories will be keen to hold on to that hefty majority when the people go to the polls on Thursday.

In places such as Wymondham and Hethersett, the building of new homes is a big election issue, but district-wide, it will be interesting to see how much voters are influenced by their feelings towards the coalition government.

With both the Conservatives and the Lib Dem fielding candidates in all 36 wards, its a campaign both are taking seriously.

The Conservatives say they will keep council tax down, promote the local economy, build the Big Society, lay down strict rules to developers to ensure homes are well designed and use the government's new homes bonus to create more community facilities in towns and villages.

The Lib Dems say they will make South Norfolk greener, strengthen services for young people, support the frail, vulnerable and elderly and control excessive housing development.

But could the AV campaign be the joker in the pack? Both parties could pick up local election votes if they can persuade people of the importance to head for the polls to tick that box, be it yes or no.

There are also 14 Labour, 10 Green, five UKIP and two independent candidates hoping to benefit from any disillusionment with the national picture.

The Greens are still hoping to build on their success in county and city council elections, while Labour will be keen to appeal to disaffected Lib Dems.

There are also parish council elections across the district, where people will be able to vote for parish councillors.

Candidates in South Norfolk

Abbey: Robert Savage* (C), Peter Smith (Lib Dem)

Beck Vale: Keith Tilcock* (C), Kerri Worrall (Lib Dem)

Bressingham and Burston: Ashley Camm (Lib Dem), Keith Weeks* (C)

Brooke: John Fuller* (C), Judith Tryggvason (Lib Dem)

Bunwell: Nigel Crouch (Lab), Rodney Myall (Lib Dem), Bev Spratt* (C)

Chedgrave and Thurton: Peter Arnold (Lib Dem), Derek Blake* (C), Ronald Murphy (UKIP)

Cringleford: Christopher Kemp* (C), Jan Kitchener (Green), Robert Pell (Green), John Peterson (Lib Dem), Victoria Smillie (Lab), Garry Wheatley* (C)

Cromwells: Melvyn Elias (Lib Dem), Neil Ward* (C)

Dickleburgh: Pamela Reekie (Lab), Paul Seeman (Lib Dem) Martin Wilby* (C)

Diss: Trevor Clark (Lab), Evan Heasley (UKIP), Keith Kiddie (C), Tony Palmer* (C), Glyn Walden* (C), Fiona Wenman (Lib Dem), Trevor Wenman (Lib Dem)

Ditchingham and Broome: Pauline Allen* (Lib Dem), Sam Carter (C)

Earsham: Jethro Elsden (C), Murray Gray* (Lib Dem)

Easton: Allan Bedford (Lib Dem), Margaret Dewsbury* (C)

Forncett: Barry Duffin (C), Bob Mcclenning (Lib Dem)

Gillingham: Kay Billig (C), Mandy Smith (Lib Dem)

Harleston: Susan Kuzmic (Lib Dem), Fran Pitt-Pladdy (Lib Dem), David Reekie (Lab), Brian Riches (C), Jeremy Savage* (C)

Hempnall: Fiona Clarke (Lib Dem), Michael Windridge* (C)

Hethersett: David Bills* (C), Leslie Dale* (C), Laura Green (Lab), Jacky Sutton (Lib Dem)

Hingham and Deopham: Yvonne Bendle (C), Peter Eldridge (Green), Lindsey Wright (Lib Dem)

Loddon: Alan Baugh (UKIP), Colin Gould* (C), Mary Quarmby (Lib Dem)

Mulbarton: Shirley Hagger (Lib Dem), Jon Herbert* (C), Nigel Legg* (C), Margaret Pitcher (Lib Dem), Roy Walmsley (Green)

New Costessey: Ian Boreham (Green), Cid Gibbs (Labour), Jan Hardinge (Lib Dem), John Seddon (Green), Oliver Taylor (C), Gerard Watt* (Lib Dem), Vivienne Weeks (C)

Newton Flotman: Eve Domeyer (Lib Dem), Laura Webster (C)

Northfields: Pat Dore (Lib Dem), Joe Mooney* (C), Douglas Underwood (Lab)

Old Costessey: Vivienne Bell* (Lib Dem), Tim East* (Lib Dem), Caroline Savage (C), Ronald Smith (C)

Poringland with the Framinghams: Oliver Best (Lib Dem), Nicola Fowler (Lab), Lisa Neal* (C), John Overton* (C)

Rockland: Joanne Bissonnet (Lab), Daniel Scott (Lib Dem), Sue Thomson* (C), Ingo Wagenknecht (Ind)

Roydon: David Goldson* (C), Paul Howling (Lib Dem)

Rustens: Jeremy Dore (Lib Dem), Colin Fougler (C), Jo Hardy (Green), Sandra Underwood (Lab)

Scole: Brian Fookes (Lib Dem), Roy Philpot (UKIP), Jenny Wilby* (C)

Stoke Holy Cross: Jane Hutchings (Green), Jeremy Kent (UKIP), Trevor Lewis* (Lib Dem), Stella Rice (C)

Stratton: Terry Blowfield (C), Janet King (Lab), Alistair Miller (Lib Dem), Linden Parker (Lib Dem), Andrew Pond (C)

Tasburgh: Florence Ellis (C), Philippa Grant (Lib Dem)

Thurlton: Claire Jackson (Lib Dem), William Kemp* (C), Derek West (Green)

Town: Michael Crouch (Lab), Lee Hornby (C), Jane Walker (Lib Dem)

Wicklewood: Jessica Austin (Ind), Paul Blathwayt (Lib Dem), Michael Edney (C), Quentin Logan (Green), Dominic Roskrow (Lab)

* - denotes sitting councillor