Amidst all the sound and fury of the General Election, spare a thought for council candidates standing for election this year. The national media, though, has decided that these elections don’t exist.

Over 9,500 council seats will be contested throughout England (except London) the largest set of local elections held in a General Election since 1979. That has implications for any comparison with the last contest in 2011, with turnout much higher this time.

Sixty-seven shire district councils will be electing by a third and an additional 127 shire districts have all-out elections, Nineteen unitary councils will be electing by a third and another 30 will be all-out. Thirty-six metropolitan district councils will be electing a third of their council. We also have the added attraction of an action replay of the Mayoral contest in Tower Hamlets set for 11 June.