THE battle lines are being drawn up for next month s North Herts District Council elections. And in Royston there will be a key contest in the Palace ward where the Liberal Democrats are attempting to hold the seats they have gained in the past three year

THE battle lines are being drawn up for next month's North Herts District Council elections.

And in Royston there will be a key contest in the Palace ward where the Liberal Democrats are attempting to hold the seats they have gained in the past three years.

Both Liberal Democrat councillors, Robert Inwood and Liz Beardwell, are standing for re-election.

Cllr Beardwell took the seat in last year's election from sitting Conservative councillor Bill Davidson.

She had a narrow majority of 52 votes.

Three years ago Cllr Inwood gained the seat for the Liberal Democrats.

It was then that he was standing against Graham Palmer, who again will be a Conservative candidate in the ward.

The seat had previously been held by Tory Martin Beaver, who resigned due to ill health three years ago.

This year's elections sees virtually a re-run of the contest 12 months ago when Bill Davidson stood against Liz Beardwell.

For almost the past 10 years the Palace ward has been the most intriguing in Royston with the seat in various elections being taken by Conservative, Liberal Democrat and for a time Labour candidates.

This year's Labour candidate will be Ken Garland, who stood in last year's election.

Elsewhere in Royston sitting councillors F John Smith, the leader of the district council, and Tony Hunter will be defending their seats in the Meridian ward, while Cllr Fiona Hill and long-serving Cllr Peter Burt will be looking for re-election in the Heath ward.

Standing for the Liberal Democrats in the Heath ward will be Caroline Coates, who recently led a residents' campaign over a controversial planning application in Green Drift.

- In the Arbury ward which covers Ashwell and Bygrave, Cllr Andrew Young will be defending his seat against Liberal Democrat Ian Simpson.

Mr Simpson is a former district councillor and was for a period county councillor for a rural division which stretched across the necklace of villages outside Royston.

- In the Ermine ward - a ward which sprawls over the villages of Reed, Therfield, Barkway and Barley - Conservative Howard Marshall will be standing for re-election against Liberal Democrat Joan Inwood.

THREE-CORNERED FIGHT IN TOWN COUNCIL BY-ELECTION

THREE candidates are standing for a vacant seat in Heath ward on Royston Town Council.

The by-election was called after the resignation of Conservative town councillor Chris Barton.

Standing for the Conservatives will be Craig Doel, who was a candidate in last year's town council elections.

The Liberal Democrats candidate will be Nanya Lilley while stalwart Robin King will be standing as the Labour candidate.

CANDIDATES LINE-UP

ROYSTON HEATH

Peter BURT (Conservative)

Caroline COATES (Liberal Democrat)

Fiona HILL (Conservative)

Robin KING (Labour)

Nanya LILLEY (Liberal Democrat)

ROYSTON MERIDIAN

Karen HARMEL (Green Party)

Tony HUNTER (Conservative)

John LEDDEN (Liberal Democrat)

David MAY (Liberal Democrat)

F John SMITH (Conservative)

Vaughan WEST (Labour)

ROYSTON PALACE

Liz BEARDWELL (Liberal Democrat)

Bill DAVIDSON (Conservative)

Ken GARLAND (Labour)

Robert INWOOD (Liberal Democrat)

Graham PALMER (Conservative)

ARBURY WARD

Ian SIMPSON (Liberal Democrat)

Andrew YOUNG (Conservative)

ERMINE WARD

Joan INWOOD (Liberal Democrat)

Howard MARSHALL (Conservative)

VOTING will take place on Thursday, May 3 and polling stations will be open from 7am-10pm.

The counting of votes will be taking place on Friday, May 4 at the North Herts Leisure Centre, Letchworth.