Labour have won the majority of seats in the latest local elections in Kirklees.
Labour gained three seats, securing 36 out of 69, becoming the major political party in the district.
Labour successfully defended eleven of its seats in Kirklees and gained three seats in Colne Valley, Golcar, and Holme Valley bringing their total seats up to 36 and setting a majority.
The Conservatives held on to only three of their previous seats in Liversedge and Gomersal, Kirkburton and Mirfield but gained a seat in Holme Valley with Tony McGrath taking 33% of the votes.
Green Party member Karen Alisson successfully defended her seat in Newsome with 61% of the votes but the party did not secure any new seats.
John Lawson, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Kirklees held on to his seat in Cleckheaton winning 61% of the votes, alongside Alison Murano who defended her seat winning 48% of the votes and Cahal Burke who also kept his seat with 49% of the votes.
Labour leader and Leader of Kirklees Council, Cllr Shabir Pandor said: “I didn’t want to count my chickens, but I was quietly confident that we would get a good showing. I am delighted with the three gains we have made – in Colne Valley, Golcar and Holme Valley South – but the icing on the cake is the return of Graham Turner.
“Labour has been victorious in Kirklees, especially with the help of Kier Starmer who has increased the Labour majority in the county twice. Kirklees was particularly important for the party as it was the area that would keep the red wall in Yorkshire.”
David Hall, leader of the Conservatives in Kirklees who held his seat in Liversedge and Gomersal, said: “Today was a very mixed bag. We are extremely disappointed that we didn’t hold onto Colne Valley and Holme Valley South, but we are delighted that we gained a seat in Holme Valley North. The fact that so many of our councillors kept their seat is because of their commitment over the many years.
“There were several reasons we lost the two seats. National politics was in play, we were up against very well-oiled political machines in the Labour Party. We will be back and working hard to regain some new ground.”
Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Kirklees, John Lawson, said: “We had three very solid defences in Cleckheaton, Almondbury and Lindley. We very narrowly lost out to Labour in Golcar and that was a full-election as a consequence of a byelection last year, there were 49 votes in it and our candidate was pipped to the post, unfortunately.
“labour has gained full control in Kirklees and it will be interesting to see what they do with it. The Liberal Democrats will, of course, continue to hold them to account and to make sure that they are working towards everyone’s best interests in the borough.”
There were only 72 votes between veteran independent Terry Lyons and the Tory winner Tony McGrath in Holme Valley North. Speaking to the LDRS, Cllr Charles Greaves, lead member for the Holme Valley Independents, said he was “gutted” to lose his colleague and that the close result was “a real shock.”
Labour held:
- Dewsbury East with Cathy Scott winning 49% of the votes.
- Dewsbury South with Masood Ahmed winning 71% of the votes.
- Dewsbury West with Ammar Anwar winning 65% of the votes.
- Batley East with Adam Zaman winning 45% of the votes.
- Ashbrow with Fran Perry winning 57% of the votes.
- Denby Sale with Will Simpson winning 50% of the votes.
- Batley West with Gwen Lowe winning 64% of the votes.
- Dalton with Tyler Hawkins winning 52% of the votes.
- Heckmondwike with Viv Kendrick winning 44% of the votes.
- Greenhead with Mohan Sokhal winning 66% of the votes.
- Crossland Moor and Netherton with Jo Lawson winning 56% of the votes.
Labour gained:
- Colne Valley with Harry McCarthy winning 45% of the votes over incumbent Conservative councillor Donna Bellamy.
- Golcar with Graham Turner winning 38% of the votes over incumbent Liberal Democrats councillor Robert Iredale.
- Holme Valley South with Moses Crook winning 47% of the votes with Conservative councillor Nigel Patrick standing down in this election.
Libs Dems held:
- Almondbury with Alison Murano winning 48% of the votes.
- Cleckheaton with John Lawson winning 61% of the votes.
- Lindley with Cahal Burke winning 49% of the votes.
The Conservatives held:
- Liversedge and Gomersal with David Hall winning 57% of the votes.
- Kirkburton with Bill Amer winning 50% of the votes.
- Mirfield with Vivien Lees-Hamilton winning 54% of the votes.
The Conservatives Gained:
- Holme Valley North with Tony McGrath winning 33% of the votes over incumbent Independent councillor Terry Lyons.
Greens held:
Newsome with Karen Alison winning 61% of the votes.
