It has now been more than 50 days since the residents of Kirklees elected 69 councillors – many of whom were brand new – to represent the district.
Now, this has affected key decisions that have been delayed as political tensions continue to dominate the chamber. The all-out local elections on May 8 dramatically reshaped the political landscape in Kirklees. Reform UK emerged as the largest party, Labour lost all representation on the council and several long-serving councillors, including group leaders, were voted out.
Most recently, Reform UK lost two councillors: Craig Wiles, for Almondbury, resigned, and Susan Maxfield, for Liversedge and Gomersal, defected to run as an independent. The Deputy Group Leader – Christine Smith – also stepped down from her role, though continues to act as Reform UK councillor.
Despite becoming the largest party, Reform UK has been unable to secure enough support to form an administration. Two attempts to elect a council leader ended in deadlock, leaving the authority in a prolonged period of uncertainty.
The stalemate has attracted criticism from political figures across West Yorkshire, while councillors continue to debate how a stable administration can be formed.
The council is expected to revisit the issue on 26 July to decide the leader. As Kirklees is stuck in political turmoil, here is a timeline of everything that has happened in Kirklees Council since the polls closed.
Key moments in first 50 days since Kirklees Council elections
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 7 May | Polls opened across Kirklees from 7am to 10pm as residents voted in the all-out local elections. |
| 8 May | Reform UK became the largest party on Kirklees Council with 29 seats across 12 wards. Three group leaders, including Labour Council Leader Carole Pattison, lost their seats. The council was left in No Overall Control, with 14 Independents, 12 Greens, nine Conservatives and five Liberal Democrats also elected. |
| 20 May | Councillors failed to elect a new leader at the council’s Annual Meeting. Confusion over procedures and voting rules led to the vote being postponed until 28 May. |
| 22 May | A leaked letter revealed Chief Executive Steve Mawson had urged councillors to continue discussions in an effort to secure a leader before the next meeting. |
| 23 May | The Kirklees Independents Group publicly ruled out supporting a Reform UK administration, saying they would only work with Reform if the party lost a leadership vote. |
| 28 May | A second attempt to elect a leader ended in deadlock after neither Green Group Leader Andrew Cooper nor Reform UK Group Leader Sarah Wood secured a majority in two private ballots. |
| 29 May | Police received a report of an alleged assault inside Huddersfield Town Hall following the previous evening’s council meeting. No injuries were reported. |
| 18 June | Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board met with a council director attending in place of an elected cabinet member due to the ongoing leadership vacuum. |
| 18 June | West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin wrote to all Kirklees councillors urging them to elect a leader amid concerns about the authority’s lack of representation at regional meetings. |
| 19 June | Reform UK leader Sarah Wood publicly claimed she had not received the mayor’s letter by email. Later that day, Reform UK released a strongly worded response rejecting any coalition arrangement and highlighting tensions within the council. |
| 25 June | Kirklees Council remained unrepresented at the annual meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority due to the continuing leadership deadlock. |
| 26 June | Reform UK councillor Craig Wiles resigned from his Almondbury seat, citing health reasons. |
| 2 July | Former Kirklees Mayor Andrew Palfreeman criticised the council’s “dire undemocratic lack of leadership”. |
| 3 July | Reform UK councillor Susan Maxfield resigned the party whip and became an Independent councillor. |
| 3 July | Reform UK councillor Christine Smith stepped down as the group’s deputy leader for personal reasons. Councillor Mark Smith was appointed to the role. |
| 28 May – 3 July | At least six council meetings were cancelled or unable to proceed as intended due to the absence of an elected council leader and administration. |
