14:47

How many families are there like this up and down the UK? I’ve been chatting to a couple ahead of casting their votes in the Midlands district council area of Cannock Chase – something of a bellwether.

Clive and Cheryl Aanansen are divided on Europe as well as domestic politics. He’s a trade unionist and supporter of one party, she is a staunch backer of another and a voter who still can’t forgive Labour for, as she put it, “spending all the money and leaving this mess behind”.

Yet they were united on what they regarded as the most burning issue in their local ward: dog fouling. “It’s about people just having respect for one another,” said Cheryl, as her husband nodded. Another thing we both feel very strongly about is the antisocial behaviour. It’s a nice area, but some young people really don’t behave sometimes.”

National issues were factors in how they voted – though somewhat distant ones. As for Clive’s view of the Labour leadership, he added: “To be honest I don’t really like Jeremy Corbyn, and while I might think about swaying towards the Tories I’ll probably stick with Labour.”

Both also believe that it is in areas like their own that Labour needs to be performing strongly if the party hopes to have any chance of success in the next national election.

Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75) The calm before the (#Bellwether ) storm? Touch in Cannock of the opening scenes of 28 Days Later https://t.co/qykQEpjawK

While the roads leading up to their polling station was a leafy one, for example, with new Mercedes and BMWs sitting behind gated gardens, Cannock’s broader bellwether status is underlined by other mixed demographics, which include pockets of urban deprivation, traditional Labour strongholds with their roots in coal mining, as well as affluent Staffordshire villages.

At a Westminster level, Cannock Chase is a semi-marginal Tory seat, having been a surprise gain for the Conservatives in 2010. Previously it was a safe Labour seat during the 1997, 2001 and 2005 contests.

Increasingly, the area has also emerged as an affluent commuter area for the West Midlands area to its south. Is the Labour party’s message getting through to those voters?