It is important to say that in elections which generally have a low turnout, it is easier for a committed band of campaigners and voters to make a big difference.
Turning that into success at a national level is tougher.
But wins in the Black Country for Reform UK would be a huge statement – and neighbouring Reform UK-run councils working together is a mouthwatering prospect for the party leadership. It would give them a louder voice nationally.
Yet power can bring other challenges as the party has discovered in nearby Staffordshire where it has been embroiled in a row over racism.
For the Tories, these elections could well be a defining moment, a chance to prove they are still relevant.
The Labour government is hoping that increased council budgets, targeted cash for poorer areas and measures to improve the wider economy can win people back round.
But these are long term changes and May is only five months away.
And speaking to people who live in the places that ministers say will benefit most, you often encounter the belief that nothing will change for them.