ABERDEEN is perceived as enjoying immense wealth with high wages and low unemployment, but it also has pockets of extreme poverty.

Until 2003, it was a Labour stronghold, but power was wrested away by the Liberal Democrats, who secured 20 seats with 35.4% of the vote while Labour trailed in second with 14 seats and 24.2% of the vote.

Although the SNP secured only six seats, it polled just 1.2% less than Labour and even with the same result could expect a more representative number of councillors. However, the Nationalists are aiming to increase their vote and become the single biggest party in the new council.

This year, the number of wards will fall from 43 to 13, but there will still be 43 councillors representing the 202,000 population.

SNP, like Labour and the Conservatives, will highlight the fact that Aberdeen has the highest council tax in the country as demonstrative of the failure of the current administration. They see the Liberal Democrats as their main opponents and believe Labour will slip to third.

The SNP says it has been boosted by the reception received on the doorsteps, which echoes recent positive national polls, and says the council lacks the radical thinking required to overcome the transport infrastructure problems in the city.

It also condemns the recent "slashing" of the social work and education budget and expects success in the national elections will enable it to win a level playing field for funding for Aberdeen which, the SNP says, is the forgotten city and, instead of having streets paved with gold, represents poverty amidst plenty.

Labour is confident of regaining ground in spite of several party stalwarts retiring. They include June Lamond, after 32 years, and her husband, Jim, who was MP for Oldham for 22 years until 1992, after which he entered the council. However, the Lamonds hope the family tradition will be continued by daughter Jenny, who is standing in the city.

Labour says so much requires to be done in Aberdeen and one priority is to rebuild the relationship with the council staff it claims was destroyed by the way the equal pay agreement and the introduction of single status was handled.

It promises to tackle antisocial behaviour head on by using the powers available, and plans to abolish warden service charges for sheltered housing which, it says, are causing considerable angst to older people.

That would be part of a policy of reinstating the "massive cuts" in the voluntary sector. Labour insists the money is there already and it simply requires redistribution.

It accuses the Liberal Democrats of "announcing airy fairy plans every other day", but doing nothing. While in favour of creating pedestrian zones in the city, they would abandon plans to include Union Street.

The Liberal Democrats stand by their record and say they have provided more efficient council services over the past four years and have been more responsive to the needs of the citizens of the city.

They say they have consulted the people of the city in major issues and responded to their views in an unprecedented way and want to continue that work.

Power for a second term would enable them to see through many of the projects they have already started to ensure Aberdeen remains "a vibrant and sustainable city".

These include the creation of a regional sports centre - they are keen to ensure the city has an Olympic standard pool for its swimmers - and they would also like to be in power when the council moves from St Nicholas House, a blight on the city centre, to Marischal College, the historic and iconic granite building now lying unused by Aberdeen University.

The Conservatives, who have only three seats at the moment, hope to double that number and, after years of an uphill struggle on the council, have a slightly gentler gradient to cope with and be able to exercise more influence over the running of the city.

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