Polling stations in 394 local authority areas across the country opened their doors at 7.30am on Wednesday as voting begins for new city, town and district councils.

In the Hague, Rotterdam and Groningen, one polling station was open at midnight and hundreds of people cast their votes before going to bed.
In total, 8,700 council seats are up for grabs and voters will use 50,000 red pencils to make their preferences felt.
Polling stations will close at 9pm and counting will then begin. Unlike the previous local elections, voting computers are not being used because of concerns about privacy.
Caretaker prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende cast his vote at 8.30am in a nursing home close to Capelle aan den IJssel where he lives.
The KNMI weather bureau is predicting sunshine for much of the day, which pundits say will have a beneficial result on the turnout.
Nevertheless, only around 50% of the 12 million people allowed to vote are expected to do so.
Labour
Support for the Labour party (PvdA) is likely to be hard hit, following the party’s strong performance in 2006, when it took 23% of the vote. Nevertheless, Labour’s fortunes have been boosted in the polls by its decision to pull out of the government over Afghanistan.
In 2006, support for the ruling Christian Democrats came in at 17%, and according to the Telegraaf, officials will be happy if they can match that this year.
A stable share of the vote will help head off the looming discussion about Jan Peter Balkenende, set to lead the CDA into the next general election campaign despite growing opposition to him.
All eyes will also be on Almere and the Hague, where Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam PVV is competing for the first time. The PVV is set to lead overall in Almere and is battling for first place in the Hague with Labour.