VOTERS from across North Yorkshire will go to the polls this week, with the ruling Conservative group hoping to retain its control of the county.

The Conservatives hold more than 50 per cent of the seats on the council, after a landslide victory in the last election, in 2005.

A total of 41 seats on the 68-seat authority are held by Conservative councillors.

The Liberal Democrats is the next largest party, with 15 members.

Labour collected eight seats, with three independents and one member declaring no party allegiance.

Councillor John Weighell, leader of the council and Conservative member for Bedale, will defend his seat in Thursday’s vote.

Bedale town councillor Ian Watkins is standing against Coun Weighell as an independent candidate, along with Labour’s Alan Richardson.

The county council’s vast geographical area is split up into seven districts: Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby.

Councillor Gareth Dadd, Conservative member for Thirsk, has urged residents to exercise their right to vote.

He said: "I think whoever wins the election is going to have to maintain the excellent four star rating that the county council was given by the Audit Commission.

"I also think that all local politicians should be giving out the message that they are not involved in any of the shenanigans of Westminster."

The British National Party (BNP) is fielding 13 candidates, with most contesting wards in the Selby district The group did not win any seats in the 2005 elections.

BNP candidate Christopher Impett is the far-right party’s solitary candidate in the Hambleton district, where he will contest Great Ayton ward.

He will take on on John Tierney of the Liberal Democrats, Conservative Heather Moorhouse and Labour’s Michael Newton.

Coun Dadd said: "I think that the people of North Yorkshire will see the very simple message that the BNP has.

"Their views are not those of the people of North Yorkshire and I’m sure they will be firmly repulsed."

Environmental issues are set to form part of the electoral battleground this year, as the Green Party fields nine candidates in wards across three districts; Richmondshire, Ryedale and Scarborough.

At district council level, by-elections in Hambleton’s Tollerton and Swainby wards will also take place on Thursday.