Wakefield Council election results: Labour strengthens grip with eight gains as it claims 21 of the 22 seats up for grabs
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The party almost completed a clean sweep by claiming 21 of 22 seats up for grabs.
Six of the gains were made in seats held by independent councillors, all former Conservative members, who chose not to stand for re-election.
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Hide AdThe Tories failed to defend both of their seats, losing them to Labour.
The Lib Dems secured the day’s only victory for an opposition party, as Adele Hayes successfully held onto Knottingley ward.
The overall turnout was 24.94 per cent. The turnout in the 2023 election was 24.95 per cent.
The results mean Labour now holds 56 of the 63 Wakefield Council seats.
The Conservatives have three seats and the Lib Dems three.
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Hide AdNadiah Sharp, councillor for Wrenthorpe and Outwood West, is the only remaining independent councillor.
Labour dominated proceedings early in the day with three gains in Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton; Crofton, Ryhill and Walton, and Ossett.
Martin Roberts won Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton with 1,179 votes, defeating Green Party candidate Jody Gabriel (663) and Conservative Dylan Nykamp (611).
Faith Heptinstall gained Crofton, Ryhill and Walton for Labour with 1,918 votes.
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Hide AdDuncan Smith became the new councillor for Ossett, taking the seat comfortably with 1,890 votes. The Tory candidate Karl Clough was second with 879 votes.
Five more Labour gains were made in the afternoon as former Tory group leader Tony Hames lost his Pontefract South seat to Julie Craig by more than 800 votes.
Labour’s Andy Nicholls also took Wakefield Rural from the Conservatives.
Further Labour gains were made by Natalie Walton, in Wakefield East, Shabaan Ali Saleem, in Wakefield South, and Brendan Fraser, in Wrenthorpe and Outwood West.
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Hide AdOther new members elected in seats already held by Labour include Helen Antcliff, in Pontefract North, and Laura Jones, in Hemsworth.
Two councillors were elected for Normanton ward following the resignation of councillor Isabel Owen in March.
Julie Medford held onto her seat while Daniel Wilton became a new Labour councillor.
Wakefield Mayor Josie Pritchard held onto Altofts and Whitwood.
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Hide AdDarren Byford, who takes over as the new mayor later this month, defended Horbury and South Ossett.
Richard Forster was re-elected as councillor for Castleford Central and Glasshoughton.
Jackie Ferguson defended Airedale and Ferry Fryston. She won the seat with 1,135 votes. Neil Kennedy, of the Wakefield and District Independents, challenged strongly with 800.
Maureen Tennant-King won heavily in Featherstone, picking up 2,005 votes.
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Hide AdMichelle Collins, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, defended South Elmsall and South Kirkby.
Matthew Morley, portfolio holder for planning and highways, comfortably held onto Stanley and Outwood East.
Hilary Mitchell was re-elected in Wakefield West and Elizabeth Rhodes defended Wakefield North.
The Wakefield Council elections results for 2024 were:
Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton – Ward 1
Jody Gabriel – Green Party 663 votes
Dylan Nykamp – Conservative 611
*Martin Roberts – Labour 1,1719
Airedale and Ferry Fryston – Ward 2
*Jackie Ferguson – Labour 1135
John Ingham – Green Party 115
Neil Kennedy – Wakefield District Independents 800
Eamonn Mullins – Conservative 171
Altofts and Whitwood – Ward 3
Peter Forster – Conservative 451
Krys Holmes – Green Party 233
*Josie Pritchard – Labour 1684
John Thomas – Wakefield District Independents 828
Castleford Central and Glasshoughton – Ward 4
Stephen Brennan – Green Party 158
*Richard Forster – Labour 1713
Paul Phelps – Yorkshire Party 558
Joanne Smart – Conservative 242
Crofton, Ryhill and Walton – Ward 5
Elizabeth Cowton – Conservative 971
*Faith Heptinstall – Labour 1918
Garry Newby – Green Party 406
Featherstone – Ward 6
Cynthia Dickenson – Green Party 324
Anthony Hill – Conservative 425
*Maureen Tennant-King – Labour 2005
Hemsworth – Ward 7
Michael Johnson – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 168
*Laura Jones – Labour 1292
Lyn Morton – Green Party 382
Doreen Smart – Conservative 261
Horbury and South Ossett – Ward 8
*Darren Byford – Labour 2409
Madalena Coutinho – Conservative 618
Mark Goodair – Liberal Democrats 223
Mark Harrop – Independent 304
Richard Norris – Green Party 157
Knottingley – Ward 9
Theo Biddle – Labour 695
*Adele Hayes – Liberal Democrats 1363
Ruth Love – Green Party 79
Amy Swift – Conservative 155
Normanton – Ward 10 (Two elected)
John Clayton – Green Party 426
*Julie Medford – Labour 1709
Tomas Mestre – Conservative 379
Cliff Parsons – Wakefield and District Independents 584
Chad Thomas – Conservative 406
*Daniel Wilton – Labour 1303
Ossett – Ward 11
Simon Biltcliffe – Yorkshire Party 216
Karl Clough – Conservative 879
Tony Sargeant – Liberal Democrats 184
Stephen Scott – Green Party 153
Sandra Senior – Reform UK 465
*Duncan Smith – Labour 1890
Pontefract North – Ward 12
*Helen Antcliff – Labour 1717
Jack Crosswaite – Conservative 418
Chris Dawson – Yorkshire Party 685
Emma Tingle – Green Party 193
Pontefract South – Ward 13
*Julie Craig – Labour 1925
Tony Hames – Conservatives 1102
Oliver Watkins – Green Party 304
South Elmsall and South Kirkby – Ward 14
*Michelle Collins – Labour 1893
Stefan Ludewig – Green Party 305
Daniel Wrightson – Conservative 383
Stanley and Outwood East – Ward 15
Richard Copeland – Green Party 279
Darren Lumber – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 52
*Matthew Morley – Labour 2432
Jenny Prest – Wakefield and District Independents 409
Margaret Woolmer – Conservative 688
Wakefield East – Ward 16
Naeem Formuli – Conservative 477
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Hide AdMichael Griffiths – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 149
Janet Mackintosh – Green Party 857
*Natalie Walton – Labour 1754
Wakefield North – Ward 17
Tom Griffiths – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 71
Ashton Howick – Green Party 733
Andy Mack – Yorkshire Party 347
*Elizabeth Rhodes – Labour 1613
Tim Woolmer – Conservative 460
Wakefield Rural – Ward 18
David Herdson – Yorkshire Party 640
Mark Lord – Liberal Democrats 169
*Andy Nicholls – Labour 1710
Karen Sadler – Green Party 319
Ian Sanders – Conservative 1363
Wakefield South – Ward 19
Daniel Cochran – Yorkshire Party 391
Kate Dodd – Green Party 652
James Hardwick – Conservative 1270
*Shabaan Saleem – Labour 1326
Wakefield West – Ward 20
Susan Hayes – Liberal Democrats 113
John Higson – Conservative 636
*Hilary Mitchell – Labour 1475
Susan Stretton – Heritage Party 169
Laura Towle – Green Party 383
Wrenthorpe and Outwood West – Ward 21
Waj Ali – Conservatives 462
David Dews – Reform UK 459
*Brendan Fraser – Labour 1558
Brent Hawksley – Yorkshire Party 208
Daniel Russell – Green Party 191
Nic Stansby – Wakefield and District Independents 981
Janet Walton – Liberal Democrats 73