2023 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2023 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council elections were held on 4 May 2023 alongside other elections across the United Kingdom. 24 out of the 69 seats on Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council were contested.

2023 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election
← 2022 4 May 2023 2024 →

24 of 69 seats on Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council
35 seats needed for a majority
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Shabir Pandor[1] David Hall John Lawson
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Current seats 35 18 8

 
Leader Andrew Cooper
Party Green Independent
Current seats 3 4[a]

The winner of each seat in the 2023 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council Elections

Incumbent Leader

Shabir Pandor
Labour



The Labour party retained its majority on the council.[2][3]

Background

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The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Kirklees was a district of the West Yorkshire metropolitan county.[4] The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority was established in 2014 and began electing the mayor of West Yorkshire in 2021.[5]

Kirklees Council has generally been under no overall control or Labour control since its creation, with the Conservatives controlling the council between 1976 and 1979. Labour have been in control (with both majority and minority administrations) since 2018.[6] It is considered one of the most marginal councils in West Yorkshire.[7]

In the most recent council election in 2022 Labour regained overall control of the council, winning 14 seats (gaining two), the Conservatives won 5 seats (losing one), the Liberal Democrats won three seats, the Green Party won one seat and an independent candidate lost their seat.[8]

The seats that are up for election in 2023 were last contested in 2019, along with one additional seat in Ashbrow ward.[9] Of the seats contested, Labour hold 11, the Conservatives hold five, the Liberal Democrats hold four, the Green Party hold one and independent candidates hold three.[10]

Electoral process

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The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year.[11] Councillors are elected via first-past-the-post voting, with each ward represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Kirklees aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

As a result of the Elections Act 2022 electors will, for the first time, be asked to provide photographic identification in order to cast their votes at the polling station.[12]

Previous council composition

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After 2022 election[8] Before 2023 election[13]
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 36 Labour 35
Conservative 18 Conservative 18
Liberal Democrats 8 Liberal Democrats 8
Independent 4 Independent 4
Green 3 Green 3
    vacant 1

Results summary

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2023 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Labour 14   3 58.3 25 39 56.5 43,711 42.6 +1.7
  Conservative 5   20.8 13 18 26.1 31,190 30.4 -1.5
  Liberal Democrats 4   16.7 4 8 11.6 13,966 13.6 +0.4
  Green 1   4.2 2 3 4.3 10,733 10.5 +1.5
  Independent 0   2 0.0 1 1 1.4 2,519 2.5 +0.8
  Reform UK 0   0.0 0 0 0.0 321 0.3 +0.2
  Yorkshire 0   0.0 0 0 0.0 61 0.1 ±0.0
  SDP 0   0.0 0 0 0.0 53 0.1 ±0.0

Ward Results

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Almondbury

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Almondbury[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paola Davies 1,906 46.3 +0.8
Conservative Maria Carthy 1,048 25.5 +2.9
Labour Patricia Colling 832 20.2 −0.3
Green Peter Taylor 243 5.9 −5.5
Independent Josie McCabe 88 2.1 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Ashbrow

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Ashbrow[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Amanda Pinnock 2,092 55.7 +4.9
Labour Zarina Shahbaz 1,763 47.0 −3.8
Conservative Ian Carthy 927 24.7 −1.8
Conservative Ian Roberts 848 22.6 −3.9
Green Brenda Smmithson 412 11.0 −4.5
Green Heidi Din 344 9.2 −6.3
Liberal Democrats Manjit Singh 264 7.0 −0.2
Majority
Rejected ballots 14
Turnout 3,768 26.6
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Batley East

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Batley East[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Habiban Zaman 1,978 44.3 −26.2
Conservative Hanif Mayet 1,964 44.0 +26.8
Liberal Democrats Gill Long 262 5.9 +2.1
Green Simon Duffy 256 5.7 −2.8
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Batley West

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Batley West[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Yusra Hussain 2,342 59.4 +11.1
Conservative Mohammed Laher 953 24.2 +13.3
Liberal Democrats Stephen Long 391 9.9 +8.1
Green John Phillips 255 6.5 +4.0
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Birstall & Birkenshaw

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Birstall & Birkenshaw[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joshua Sheard 1,839 49.2 −4.6
Labour Julie Smith 1,363 36.5 +13.7
Liberal Democrats Louise Walsh 323 8.6 −1.1
Green Tahir Akram 160 4.3 −9.4
SDP Mark Steele 53 1.4 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing

Cleckheaton

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Cleckheaton[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew Pinnock 2,763 67.8 +3.3
Conservative Piers Briggs 691 17.1 +2.0
Labour Khalid Patel 443 11.0 +1.7
Green Nicholas Whittingham 165 4.1 −7.0
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Colne Valley

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Colne Valley[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Beverley Addy 2,543 50.4 +20.6
Conservative Isaac Barnett 1,336 26.5 +1.4
Liberal Democrats Jake Marchington 689 13.7 −12.0
Green Julia Norman 479 9.5 +1.2
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Crosland Moor & Netherton

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Crosland Moor & Netherton[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Imran Safdar 2,237 52.3 +0.8
Green Alex Vickers 1,049 24.5 +15.1
Conservative Matthew Crompton 752 17.6 −0.3
Liberal Democrats Suzanne Barraclough 242 5.7 −1.1
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Dalton

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Dalton[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mus Khan 1,664 52.4 +13.9
Conservative Kash Masih 661 20.8 +4.3
Green Clare Walters 410 12.9 +2.5
Liberal Democrats Dominic Black 304 9.6 −6.7
Independent Clare Holden 134 4.2 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Denby Dale

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Denby Dale[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hannah McKerchar 2,417 45.5 +13.1
Conservative Michael Watson 2,164 40.7 −0.8
Green Michael Shaw 253 4.8 −7.5
Liberal Democrats Alison Baskeyfield 251 4.7 −9.1
Independent Jonathan Tilt 226 4.3 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Dewsbury East

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Dewsbury East[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Moore 1,809 55.6 +15.6
Conservative Hazel Sharp 911 28.0 +16.5
Liberal Democrats Dan Woodlock 337 10.4 +6.9
Green Gideon Richards 194 6.0 +2.7
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour gain from Dewsbury Borough Independents Swing

Dewsbury South

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Dewsbury South[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nosheen Dad 2,405 65.7 +1.4
Conservative Sean Guy 689 18.8 +1.0
Independent Richard Beck 260 7.1 N/A
Green Toby Cooper 184 5.0 −5.9
Liberal Democrats Dennis Hullock 124 3.4 −3.6
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Dewsbury West

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Dewsbury West[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Darren O`Donovan 2,664 56.8 −15.3
Conservative Sajid Hussain 1,663 35.5 +22.7
Green Simon Cope 217 4.6 −4.6
Liberal Democrats John Rossington 145 3.1 −2.7
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Golcar

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Golcar[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrew Marchington 1,743 41.7 −0.1
Labour Angela Sewell 1,581 37.8 +9.6
Conservative Jackie Firth-Walker 511 12.2 +3.2
Green Nina Roberts 270 6.5 −1.1
Independent Mark Finch 77 1.8 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Greenhead

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Greenhead[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carole Pattison 2,882 67.3 +2.3
Conservative Pauline McGleenan 584 13.6 +3.6
Green Heather Peacock 548 12.8 +2.8
Liberal Democrats Andrew McCaig 271 6.3 −1.2
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Heckmondwike

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Heckmondwike[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Aafaq Butt 2,292 64.3 +16.4
Conservative Keith Mallinson 900 25.2 +5.2
Liberal Democrats Josie Pugsley 209 5.9 +1.5
Green Graham Simpson 164 4.6 −4.8
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Holme Valley North

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Holme Valley North[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Donna Bellamy 1,730 32.6 +14.5
Labour Jo Murtagh 1,527 28.8 +8.6
Independent Richard Noon 1,338 25.2 −11.9
Green Samuel Midgley 335 6.3 −2.0
Independent Miri Finch 196 3.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Kingsley Hill 153 2.9 −1.6
Independent Suzanne Gannon 26 0.5 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Conservative gain from Independent Swing

Holme Valley South

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Holme Valley South[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Paul Davies 2,785 45.5 +13.6
Conservative Damian Brook 2,585 42.2 +14.0
Green Darryl Gould 478 7.8 −2.8
Liberal Democrats Jon Bloom 276 4.5 −4.9
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Labour hold Swing

Kirkburton

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Kirkburton[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Taylor 2,311 50.3 +4.2
Labour Edward Bowen 1,066 23.2 +7.3
Green Richard Burton 953 20.7 −13.8
Liberal Democrats Craig Armistead 172 3.7 +0.3
Independent Lisa Beck 92 2.0 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing

Lindley

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Lindley[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Anthony Smith 2,649 46.4 +14.1
Conservative Robert McGuin 1,783 31.3 +1.2
Labour Munir Ahmed 982 16.3 −6.6
Green Chris Green 258 4.5 −0.6
Independent Mike Chalker 82 1.4 −0.8
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Liversedge & Gomersal

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Liversedge & Gomersal[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lisa Holmes 2,030 54.2 −7.4
Labour Emily Warrillow 1,341 35.8 +13.0
Green Linda Simmons 214 5.7 −4.1
Liberal Democrats David Snee 163 4.3 −1.5
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing

Mirfield

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Mirfield[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Itrat Ali 2,052 39.5 −19.2
Labour Geoff Kernan 1,866 35.9 +18.0
Green Catherine Whittingham 695 13.4 −4.5
Reform UK Samuel Griffith-Jones 321 6.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Stephen Bird 265 5.1 −0.4
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Conservative hold Swing

Newsome

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Newsome[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Susan Lee-Richards 2,197 64.3 +1.5
Labour Jane Rylah 837 24.5 −3.4
Conservative Charles Ayugbo 258 7.6 +0.8
Liberal Democrats Patrycja Bartosinska 64 1.9 −0.5
Yorkshire Bikatshi Katenga 61 1.8 N/A
Majority
Rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered electors
Green hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ Of the four independent councillors prior to the election, three formed the "Independent Group" led by Charles Greaves, and one was described as an "Independent".
  1. ^ "Councillors". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Local election results 2023: Labour continue to dominate in West Yorkshire". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  3. ^ Norden, Jasmine (5 May 2023). "Kirklees Council local election results 2023: Find out who won in each ward". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  4. ^ Local Government in England and Wales: A Guide to the New System. London: HMSO. 1974. p. 7. ISBN 0-11-750847-0.
  5. ^ "West Yorkshire devolution deal". GOV.UK. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  6. ^ Marlow, Abigail (20 April 2023). "Kirklees local elections and the key battleground wards to watch". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  7. ^ Teale, Andrew (30 April 2023). "Previewing the English local elections of 4th May 2023". Britain Elects. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Kirklees election result". BBC News. May 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Candidates confirmed for Kirklees Council elections May 2023". Kirklees Together. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  10. ^ Marlow, Abigail (25 April 2023). "Kirklees residents urged to check they can vote before 5pm today". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Local government structure and elections". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Requirement to show photo ID at polling stations". Kirklees Council. November 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Councillors by Party". Kirklees Council. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Almondbury" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Ashbrow" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Batley East" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  17. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Batley West" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Birstall & Birkenshaw" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Cleckheaton" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Colne Valley" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Crosland Moor & Netherton" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Dalton" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Denby Dale" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Dewsbury East" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Dewsbury South" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Dewsbury West" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Golcar" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  28. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Greenhead" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Heckmondwike" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Holme Valley North" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Holme Valley South" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  32. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Kirkburton" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  33. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Lindley" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  34. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Liversedge & Gomersal" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  35. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Mirfield" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  36. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated - Newsome" (PDF). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
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