The Green Party has revealed its candidates for May's city council elections - but three high profile councillors have decided not to run again.

Adrian Ramsay, former leader of the Green group at City Hall, current Lord Mayor Tom Dylan and Wensum ward councillor Rupert Read have all announced they are not seeking re-election to Norwich City Council.

Mr Ramsay, is deputy leader of the Green Party nationally and has decided to concentrate on that role, at least for the time being.

The councillor for Nelson ward, who was 21 when he was first elected in 2003, said: 'I really enjoy being a councillor for the area where I grew up but I've decided, at least for the moment, to concentrate more on my national role as deputy leader of the Green Party.

'I will continue to actively campaign on local issues. We have a very strong list of candidates for this election and I am looking forward to canvassing to support them.'

Rupert Read, who has represented Wensum ward for the past seven years, intends to focus more on his academic work and on his involvement with politics at a regional and national level.

In 2009 Dr Read set his sights on becoming the Green Party's first MEP, but he failed to win a seat in the European elections.

Tom Dylan, the current Lord Mayor of Norwich, who represents Mancroft ward, has decided to 'explore other work opportunities'.

Among the 13 candidates the Greens, which are the opposition group at City Hall with 14 councillors, are Jo Henderson (Thorpe Hamlet), who has run a local catering business and worked as the manager for a sheltered accommodation scheme; Penny Edwards (Lakenham), a teacher and amateur athlete and Megan Lewis (Sewell) who has been a researcher in the European parliament.

Claire Stephenson, leader of the Green group at City Hall, said she was confident the 'strong and varied list' of 13 candidates would do well in the elections, which take place on Thursday, May 5.

She said: 'I'm very excited about working with this year's new councillors and think the Green Party will be able to build on the work of previous councillors.

'We'll make the most of the experience of our new councillors to find creative solutions to the severe lack of resources the council will suffer in the next year.'

The full list of Green Party candidates for the election is:

Bowthorpe - Jean Bishop; Catton Grove - Lee Cozens; Crome - Christine Way; Eaton - Jeremy Bartlett; Lakenham - Penny Edwards; Mancroft - Amy Stammers; Mile Cross - Ben Duffy; Nelson - Denise Carlo; Sewell - Megan Lewis; Thorpe Hamlet - Jo Henderson; Town Close - Stephen Little; University - Robert Laird; Wensum - Lucy Galvin.