Polling stations have opened, with voters picking who will represent them on the city council and at a by-election in south Norfolk.

Thirteen of the 36 seats on the city council are up for grabs - one in each ward.

Residents in Mulbarton and Stoke Holy Cross in South Norfolk will also go to the polls for a by-election to replace Liberal Democrat councillor Vivienne Clifford-Jackson, who stepped down last month due to ill health.

Polling stations will be open until 10pm and results are set to be declared on Friday, with counting expected to start at 2pm.

The present political make-up of the city council is Labour (26), Greens (10) and Liberal Democrats (three).

Eastern Daily Press: The polling station on Christ Church Centre, Magdalen Road in NorwichThe polling station on Christ Church Centre, Magdalen Road in Norwich (Image: George Thompson/LDRS)

Norwich is the only council in Norfolk to elect members in thirds, with nine of the seats up for grabs currently controlled by Labour.

Three wards have entirely new faces on the ballot following Labour's Pattrick Manning and Marion Maxwell standing down in Lakenham and Crome respectively, while the Green's Nannette Youssef will not be returning to Nelson.

Anyone looking to Norfolk to see what impact the national Conservative government's 'partygate' scandals will have are likely to have to look beyond the city. The Conservatives have failed to gain a seat for 15 years.

However, last year proved one of their best efforts yet, coming within just 152 votes of Labour in the Crome Ward, in the Heartsease area.

Who are the Norwich City Council election candidates?

Bowthorpe: Sean Bennett (LD), Oscar Houseago (C), Maddie Lyall (G), Mike Sands* (L)

Catton Grove: Hassan Iqbal (C), Paul Kendrick* (L), Tony Park (G), Ian Williams (LD)

Crome: Steve Barber (C), Claire Kidman (L), James Killbery (G), Nigel Lubbock (LD)

Eaton: Caroline Ackroyd* (LD), Peter Prinsley (L), Jane Saunders (G), John Ward (C)

Lakenham: Paul Davies (LD), Robert Hammond (C), Gurpreet Padda (L), Sabine Virani (G)

Mancroft: Jess Carrington (L), Gordon Dean (LD), Iain Gwynn (C), Jamie Osborn* (G)

Mile Cross: Gunnar Eigener (G), Desmond Fulcher (LD), Eric Masters (C), Vivien Thomas* (L)

Nelson: David Fairbairn (LD), John Fisher (C), Lynda Groves (L), Simon Redding (I), Julie Young (G)

Sewell: Helen Arundell (LD), Alex Catt (G), Antony Little (C), Matt Packer* (L)

Thorpe Hamlet: Jeremy Hooke (LD), Simon Jones (C), Ben Price* (G), Cavan Stewart (L)

Town Close: Willem Buttinger (G), Mary Chacksfield (C), Carol Chilton (LD), Cate Oliver* (L)

University: Jane Fisher (C), Matthew Fulton-McAlister* (L), James Hawketts (LD), Tom Holloway (G)

Wensum: Alex Atkins (LD), Liam Calvert (G), David King (C), Kevin Maguire* (L)

Key: C - Conservative, G - Green, I - Independent, L - Labour, LD - Liberal Democrats. *Denotes sitting councillor