Candidates confirmed for Election 2017

The SNP has put forward 15 names, Labour 13 and the Conservatives nine.

But there are also 12 independents, nine greens, one Ukip and one member of Solidarity bidding for success.

Following boundary changes, the number of councillors needed falls from 32 in 2012 to 30 this time, with Ward 7 Falkirk South and Ward 2 Grangemouth both reduced from four to three.

The list of candidates is: Ward 1 Bo’ness and Blackness: David Aitcheson (Scottish Labour), Michael Burnett (Scottish Labour), Mari-Ellena Corvi (Scottish Greens), Alan Gilbert (SNP), Lynn Munro (Scottish Conservative), Ann Ritchie (SNP).

Ward 2 Grangemouth: David Balfour (SNP), Allyson Black (Scottish Labour), James Bundy (Scottish Conservative), Judith McLaughlin (Scottish Greens), Margaret-Anne Milne (SNP), Robert Spears (Independent).

Ward 3 Denny and Banknock: Jim Blackwood (Scottish Labour), Cheryl Brind (Scottish Greens), Fiona Elizabeth Collie (SNP), Paul Garner (SNP), Khalid Hamid (Scottish Labour), Nigel Harris (Scottish Conservative), Brian McCabe (Independent), Sean Mellon (Tommy Sheridan - Solidarity - Hope Over Fear), Anne Montgomery (Independent), Alexander John Waddell (Independent).

Ward 4 Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst: Safia Ali (Independent), Gary Bouse (SNP), Joan Margaret Coombes (Scottish Labour), Jim Flynn (Scottish Conservative), Chris Marsh (Scottish Greens), Martin Murray (Scottish Labour), Laura Murtagh (SNP).

Ward 5 Bonnybridge and Larbert: Billy Buchanan (Independent), Tom Coleman (SNP), Linda Gow (Scottish Labour), David Grant (Scottish Conservative), Janine Danielle Rennie (Independent), David George Robertson (Scottish Greens).

Ward 6 Falkirk North: David Alexander (SNP), Robert Bissett (Scottish Labour), Wendy Chandrachud (Scottish Conservative), Dennis Goldie (Scottish Labour), Cecil Meiklejohn (SNP), Debra Pickering (Scottish Greens).

Ward 7 Falkirk South: Lorna Catherine Binnie (SNP), Donnie Buchanan (Scottish Greens), John Patrick (Scottish Conservative), Pat Reid (Scottish Labour).

Ward 8 Lower Braes: Chris Brind (Scottish Greens), Sam Hemple (Independent), Steven Jackson (Independent), Stuart Martin (UKIP), Adanna Bridget McCue (SNP), Malcolm Nicol (Scottish Conservative), Alan Nimmo (Scottish Labour), Ricky Wilson (Independent).

Ward 9 Upper Braes: Neil Durning (Independent), Farah Farzana (SNP), Gordon Hughes (SNP), James Kerr (Scottish Conservative), Tom McLaughlin (Scottish Greens), John McLuckie (Scottish Labour), Jim Robertson (Independent).