LABOUR'S 27 years in charge of Staffordshire County Council could come to an end next month when voters go to the polls across the county.

All 62 county council seats in Staffordshire will be contested on June 4, with more than 260 candidates, representing eight different parties, fighting for votes.

The ruling Labour group currently has a slim majority on the council, holding 32 seats compared to the Conservatives' 26.

There are two Liberal Democrat county councillors, while the Staffordshire Independent Group has one.

National disillusionment with the Government could make it a difficult election for Labour, especially considering the recent revelations regarding MPs' expenses.

But locally youth and experience are set go head to head in one of the most intriguing contests of the election.

Council leader John Taylor and experienced councillor Margaret Astle will be hoping to defend their Kidsgrove and Talke seats for Labour, but will be up against two teenage Tory candidates.

Nineteen-year-olds Christian Barber and Stephen Blair, who were both recently elected to Newcastle Borough Council, do not believe their youth will put them at a great disadvantage.

Mr Barber, said: "We're getting a good reaction from people on the doorstep.

"I think they feel let down by the current councillors in Kidsgrove and the council as a whole.

"They're ready for change, and they know that can only be delivered by candidates who are committed, such as myself and Stephen.

"John Taylor and Margaret Astle have been there for a long time, but why are people still unhappy with how things are? Compared to Biddulph, things have not improved in Kidsgrove."

In their election manifesto, the Conservatives pledge to prioritise care services for vulnerable adults and children, introduce 20 mph safety zones around schools, while keeping council tax rises within two per cent for the next two years.

Mr Taylor said he hoped the electorate would ignore the national situation with MPs' expenses and focus on what the Labour-run county council had achieved over the last four years.

He said: "I'd never take anything for granted, and I know Margaret doesn't, and obviously it's up to the people in the Kidsgrove area who they vote for.

"But what hasn't helped our chances is the situation in London with the MPs. It's a different situation with councillors, but I can understand how people feel about it, because I'm quite annoyed myself.

"Something like that doesn't help when you're working so hard to help the people in Staffordshire. If you look at the last four years things have improved.

We are now a three star authority, and striving to do even better, and we have had the best school results ever."

The Labour group manifesto includes a promise to introduce half-price school meals, council tax rebates for foster carers and a voucher scheme to allow over-85s to improve their homes.

Lib Dem councillor Christina Jebb, who will be defending her Biddulph South and Endon seat, believes the election will be a great opportunity for her party to expand on the two seats it currently holds.

She said: "Although we only won two seats last time, we polled more than 20 per cent of the vote, meaning we were representing one in five people in the county.

Looking at the present situation nationally, this will be a good opportunity to make real progress this time.

"Our manifesto is very brief, because we want to focus on the basics.

For instance, we believe pot holes in roads should be fixed as as soon as they occur, rather than letting them get really bad."

Mrs Jebb said the Lib Dems would also halt cut backs in youth services, and use them to teach young people valuable life skills.

The BNP will also be looking to capitalise on voters' disillusionment with mainstream politicians.

The far-right party are contesting 12 divisions across the county, including two in Newcastle, four in Stafford and one in Uttoxeter.

BNP candidate John Burgess will be contesting the Stafford West division, having already been elected as a city councillor in Stoke-on-Trent and a district councillor in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

Mr Burgess said: "I've always worked all my life, always having at least two jobs. There's an old saying: 'If you want something doing, ask someone who's busy.'

"I think people are turning to us now because they no longer believe the story put about by the press that we're a bunch of Nazis."

Ukip, which will be fielding 23 candidates across Staffordshire, will be hoping to build on its successes in Newcastle borough.

Two borough council by-elections are set to take place in Newcastle on the same day as the county council elections.

Seabridge ward will be contested by Labour candidate David Beardmore, Lib Dem Mavis Brown, Conservative Ian Gilmore, and Paul Gregory, representing Ukip.

In Wolstanton, Nicola Davies will be representing the Conservatives, Trevor Johnson will be the Lib Dem candidate, Mark Olszewski will represent Labour while David Woolley will contest the seat for Ukip.