Voters in Norwich are going to the polls on Thursday to pick who will represent them on the city council.

Thirteen seats are up for grabs in Norwich when people head to the ballot box on May 5.

At the same time, residents in Mulbarton and Stoke Holy Cross in South Norfolk will 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 from 7am to 10pm. 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).

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

The group, which currently controls the council, will be battling to avoid further losses.

The Green group has made several gains from the leading party over the last few years, with five seats gained in 2019 and another one in 2021.

Three incumbents have decided to stand down this year - Labour's Pattrick Manning and Marion Maxwell in Lakenham and Crome respectively.

Wards to watch include Thorpe Hamlet, which has been hotly contested in previous years and came down to a single vote between the Lib Dem winner and the Green runner up in 2007.

While the Greens will be looking to claim Sewell, a ward currently controlled by Labour cabinet member Matt Packer.

Anyone looking to Norfolk to see what impact the national Conservative government's 'partygate' scandals will likely 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 bets yet, coming within just 152 votes of Labour in the Crome Ward, in the Heartsease area.

Some of the more unusual places Norwich residents will find themselves voting on Thursday include the Castle Quarter shopping mall and a judo centre.

One polling station will consist of a temporary mobile unit specially set up in Sloughbottom Park in Mile Cross, so people do not have to travel so far to vote.

Previously, people in that polling district had to leave it to cast their ballot.

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