VOTERS are preparing to go to the polls to elect dozens of local politicians.

All seven Essex County Council seats in the Epping Forest district will be up for grabs on June 4, and three sitting councillors have announced they will not be standing for re-election.

All seats are currently held by Conservatives, with the exception of the Loughton Central division where Loughton Residents’ Association (LRA) member Chris Pond will be fighting for re-election against opponents including former LRA member, and current district councillor, Mitch Cohen.

Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Epping Forest Ann Haigh will be standing in the Buckhurst Hill and Loughton South division, where councillor Colin Finn is stepping down.

Epping Forest District Council chairman John Knapman is standing for the Tories in the Chigwell and Loughton Broadway following the retirement of Mike Tomkins.

John Spencer is stepping down in the Epping and Theydon Bois division which will be contested by Tory James Surguy, Labour's Simon Bullough, and Lib Dem Janet Whitehouse.

Anthony Jackson will look to hold onto his seat in North Weald and Nazeing, with opponents including the BNP’s Redbridge Borough councillor Julian Leppert.

Former Essex County Council chairman Gerard McEwen will face competition for his Ongar and Rural seat from Labour's Sheila Spring.

Long-standing Waltham Abbey councillor Liz Webster will look to defend her seat from the challenge of the district's British National Party's group leader Pat Richardson.

For a full list of candidates log-on to www.essex.gov.uk.

There will also be a district council by-election in the Honey Lane ward of Waltham Abbey, and a parish council by-election in the Buckhurst Hill East ward; further details are available at www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk.

European elections will also take place on June 4 and a full list of candidates, including those standing for the East of England - which includes Essex - is available at www.europarl.org.uk.