While 4 May is polling day for local elections taking place in England and Northern Ireland, campaigning and postal voting is already underway. Very many key services that directly affect the areas we live and work in, are controlled or influenced by councils and elected mayors. Think social care, education, environment, planning, social housing, business support and taxation. So, local elections matter to all of us as citizens.

Local elections bring real scope to progress or achieve particular policy aspirations, supporting or impeding local initiatives. Political parties and politicians at a local level will have different agendas and there is much opportunity for campaigning charities and advocacy organisations to promote their policy priorities – often with more scope for a tangible and early outcome than can be the case with national-level issues.