A MAN who threatened to form an association of fed-up Eastleigh residents to seize power in May's borough elections is bidding to oust the deputy leader of the council in next month's poll.

In February Sam Snook, 67, urged residents groups to join the new association in a bid to challenge high-profile Eastleigh council decisions such as the recently unveiled £22m town centre development scheme and the controversial move to build homes on allotments.

He says he has received good support from residents' associations and will be standing as an independent candidate in Eastleigh North ward - a seat currently held by deputy council leader Peter Wall.

He told the Daily Echo: "I will be standing this time and next year we hope to field even more candidates."

Fifty names were in the frame when nominations closed for the 14 council seats which will be up for grabs on May 1.

Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Labour will be contesting every seat while United Kingdom Independence Party candidates will join the fray in half the wards which will be going to the polls.

It would take a landslide to wrest power away from the ruling Liberal Democrat group. Current state of the parties is: Liberal Democrats 31 seats, Conservatives nine and Labour four.

Leading councillors seeking re-election include Councillor Wall in Eastleigh North, current Eastleigh mayor Councillor Gillian Connell and chairman of the Hedge End, West End and Botley local area committee Councillor Martin Kyrle in West End North.

Former Cabinet member George Fraser will be bidding to get back on to the council in Hedge End Wildern after failing to seek re-election last year.

He takes over the Liberal Democrat candidacy in the ward from Sharon Mintoff who is stepping down after just one year on Eastleigh council.

The full list of candidates is:

Bishopstoke East: Peter Bryant (Con), Stephen Challis (UKIP), Angela Roling (Lib-Dem), Mary Shephard (Lab).

Bishopstoke West: Michael McKay (Con), Andrew Moore (Lib-Dem), Susan Toher (Lab).

Bursledon and Old Netley: Maurice Bennett (UKIP), Antonia Craig (Lib-Dem), Rodney Cummins (Lab), Paul Elswood (Con).

Eastleigh Central: Timothy Cuell (UKIP), Stephen Gosling (Con), William Luffman (Lab), Steven Sollitt (Lib-Dem).

Eastleigh North: Christopher Abraham (Lab), Richard Hall (Con), Samuel Snook (Ind), Peter Wall (Lib-Dem).

Eastleigh South: Ann Bays (UKIP), Gillian Connell (Lab), William Furness (Lib-Dem), Susan Hall (Con).

Fair Oak and Horton Heath: Martin Briggs (Con), George McGuinness (UKIP), Roger Smith (Lib-Dem), John Sorley (Lab).

Hamble-le-Rice and Butlocks Heath: Mal-colm Cross (Lib-Dem), Beryl Humphrey (UKIP), Elsie Truscott (Lab), Bernard Wright (Con).

Hedge End St Johns: Paul Christopher (Lab), Frederick Estall (UKIP), Paulette Holt (Con), June Hughes (Lib-Dem).

Hedge End Grange Park: Philip Grice (Lab), Paul Philip (Con), Derek Pretty (Lib-Dem). Hedge End Wildern: George Fraser (Lib-Dem), Thomas Harvey (Con), Ian Jelly (Lab).

Netley Abbey: Anthony Blackman (Con), Matthew Crocker (Lab), George Wintle (Lib-Dem).

West End North: Steven Broomfield (Con), Christine Hadley (Lab), Martin Kyrle (Lib-Dem).

West End South: David Goodall (Lib-Dem), Colin Murphy (Con), Nigel Welton (Lab).