PEOPLE are being reminded to make sure they are registered to vote in time to take to the elections next month.

Polls will be held on Thursday, May 22 to elect members to the 12 wards covered by Worcester City Council as well as seven MEPs for the West Midlands.

This will be the first city council election since the Labour and Lib Dem groups teamed up in May last year to seize control of the cabinet from their Conservative colleagues in a shock coup.

Currently three Conservative politicians represent the West Midlands in the European Parliament, along with one each from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the UK Independence Party.

Nikki Sinclaire was also elected as a member of UKIP in 2009 but left the party the next year in protest against alleged extreme right-wing views of some members of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group and formed the We Demand a Referendum Now Party, lobbying David Cameron to call a referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.

Those not yet registered to vote must apply by Tuesday, May 6 or the following day for applications to vote by post or cancel and existing postal vote.

The deadline to apply to vote by proxy is Wednesday, May 14 while applications for emergency proxy vote must be received by Thursday, May 22.

To register to vote or for any other questions call 01905 722 027, write to Electoral Registration Services, Electoral Services, Guildhall, High Street, Worcester, WR1 2EY or email electoralservices@worcester.gov.uk.