# 2024 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election

The 2024 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election took place on 2 May 2024 to elect members of Wakefield Council, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom being held on the same day. There were 22 of the 63 seats on Wakefield council up for election, being the usual third of the council plus a by-election in Normanton ward.
Labour won 21 of the 22 seats available, maintaining their overall control on the council which they have held since the modern district's formation in 1974.

## Background

These seats were last contested at the 2021 local election, in which Labour Lost 7 seats, whilst the Conservatives gained 6 seats and the Liberal Democrats gained one seat.
Labour have controlled the council since its formation in 1974.

## Election result

The results were announced the day after the election.
2024 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 21 | 9 | 95.5 | 35 | 56 | 88.9 | 36,875 | 53.9 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | 4.8 | 12,828 | 18.8 | –2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 | | 4.5 | 2 | 3 | 4.8 | 2,125 | 3.1 | –2.0 |
| | Independent | 0 | 7 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1.6 | 304 | 0.4 | –7.9 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 8,312 | 12.2 | +5.0 |
| | Wakefield Ind. | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,602 | 5.3 | N/A |
| | Yorkshire | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,778 | 4.1 | +0.2 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 924 | 1.4 | +0.7 |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 440 | 0.6 | +0.3 |

## Ward results

The results of the election were announced on 3 May 2024.
Seat gains and losses for each ward are calculated based on the party affiliation of the incumbent councillor as they were directly after the 2023 election. Due to this, they may not match the gains/losses in the election result table or the page's infobox, as some councillors may have switched their party affiliation post-2023 election.

### Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton

Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Roberts | 1,719 | 57.4 | +10.9 |
| | Green | Jody Gabriel | 663 | 22.2 | +12.4 |
| | Conservative | Dylan Nykamp | 611 | 20.4 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,056 | 35.2 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,993 | 22.4 | –1.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 0.8 | |

### Airedale and Ferry Fryston

Airedale and Ferry Fryston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jackie Ferguson* | 1,135 | 51.1 | +2.5 |
| | Wakefield Ind. | Neil Kennedy | 800 | 36.0 | +3.5 |
| | Conservative | Eamonnn Mullins | 171 | 7.7 | –4.1 |
| | Green | John Ingham | 115 | 5.2 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 335 | 15.1 | –1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,221 | 19.1 | +0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.5 | |

### Altofts and Whitwood

Altofts and Whitwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Josie Pritchard* | 1,684 | 52.7 | –0.1 |
| | Wakefield Ind. | John Thomas | 828 | 25.9 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Peter Forster | 451 | 14.1 | –1.6 |
| | Green | Krys Holmes | 233 | 7.3 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 856 | 26.8 | –1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,196 | 21.9 | –1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.9 | |

### Castleford Central and Glasshoughton

Castleford Central and Glasshoughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Forster* | 1,713 | 64.1 | +2.0 |
| | Yorkshire | Paul Phelps | 558 | 20.9 | +4.6 |
| | Conservative | Joanne Smart | 242 | 9.1 | –4.7 |
| | Green | Stephen Brennan | 158 | 5.9 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,155 | 43.2 | –2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,671 | 21.0 | –0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.3 | |

### Crofton, Ryhill and Walton

Crofton, Ryhill and Walton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Faith Heptinsall | 1,918 | 58.2 | –0.4 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Cowton | 971 | 29.5 | +3.4 |
| | Green | Garry Newby | 406 | 12.3 | +5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 947 | 28.7 | –3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,295 | 26.8 | –1.3 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | 1.9 | |

### Featherstone

Featherstone :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Maureen Tennant-King* | 2,005 | 72.8 | –0.3 |
| | Conservative | Anthony Hall | 425 | 15.4 | –1.5 |
| | Green | Cynthia Dickson | 324 | 11.8 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,580 | 57.4 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,754 | 20.8 | –0.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.6 | |

### Hemsworth

Hemsworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Laura Jones | 1,292 | 61.4 | +5.1 |
| | Green | Lyn Morton | 382 | 18.2 | –12.1 |
| | Conservative | Doreen Smart | 261 | 12.4 | –1.1 |
| | TUSC | Michael Johnson | 168 | 8.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 910 | 43.2 | +17.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,103 | 17.4 | –1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 8.6 | |

### Horbury and South Ossett

Horbury and South Ossett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Darren Byford* | 2,409 | 64.9 | +14.6 |
| | Conservative | Madalena Coutinho | 618 | 16.7 | –19.8 |
| | Independent | Mark Harrop | 304 | 8.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Goodair | 223 | 6.0 | –1.9 |
| | Green | Richard Norris | 157 | 4.2 | –1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,791 | 48.2 | +34.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,711 | 31.6 | +0.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 17.2 | |

### Knottingley

Knottingley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adele Hayes* | 1,363 | 59.5 | +0.9 |
| | Labour Co-op | Theo Biddle | 695 | 30.3 | –0.5 |
| | Conservative | Amy Swift | 155 | 6.8 | –0.8 |
| | Green | Ruth Love | 79 | 3.4 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 668 | 29.2 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,292 | 21.6 | –1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.7 | |

### Normanton

Normanton (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Julie Medford* | 1,709 | 71.1 | +24.0 |
| | Labour Co-op | Daniel Wilton | 1,303 | 54.2 | +7.1 |
| | Wakefield Ind. | Cliff Parsons | 584 | 24.3 | +4.8 |
| | Green | John Clayton | 426 | 17.7 | +11.2 |
| | Conservative | Chad Thomas | 406 | 16.9 | –1.6 |
| | Conservative | Tomas Mestre | 379 | 15.8 | –2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | ? | 37.0 | +16.2 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

### Ossett

Ossett :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Duncan Smith | 1,890 | 49.9 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Karl Clough | 879 | 23.2 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Sandra Senior | 465 | 12.3 | N/A |
| | Yorkshire | Simon Biltcliffe | 216 | 5.7 | –8.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Sargeant | 184 | 4.9 | –9.1 |
| | Green | Stephen Scott | 153 | 4.0 | –2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,011 | 26.7 | +1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,787 | 30.1 | +3.1 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |

### Pontefract North

Pontefract North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Helen Antcliff | 1,717 | 57.0 | –5.7 |
| | Yorkshire | Chris Dawson | 685 | 22.7 | +9.9 |
| | Conservative | Jack Crosswaite | 418 | 13.9 | –2.0 |
| | Green | Emma Tingle | 193 | 6.4 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,032 | 34.3 | –12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,013 | 20.6 | +0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.8 | |

### Pontefract South

Pontefract South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julie Craig | 1,925 | 57.8 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Tony Hames* | 1,102 | 33.1 | –4.4 |
| | Green | Oliver Watkins | 304 | 9.1 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 823 | 24.7 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,331 | 28.1 | +0.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 6.1 | |

### South Elmsall and South Kirkby

South Elmsall and South Kirkby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michelle Collins* | 1,893 | 73.3 | –6.5 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Wrightson | 383 | 14.8 | +4.7 |
| | Green | Stefan Ludewig | 305 | 11.8 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,510 | 58.5 | –11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,581 | 18.9 | –0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.6 | |

### Stanley and Outwood East

Stanley and Outwood East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Matthew Morley* | 2,432 | 63.0 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Woolmer | 688 | 17.8 | –2.5 |
| | Wakefield Ind. | Jennt Prest | 409 | 10.6 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Richard Copeland | 279 | 7.2 | +1.0 |
| | TUSC | Darren Lumber | 52 | 1.3 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,744 | 45.2 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,860 | 28.3 | +0.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 4.9 | |

### Wakefield East

Wakefield East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Natalie Walton | 1,754 | 54.2 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Janet Mackintosh | 857 | 26.5 | +21.2 |
| | Conservative | Naeem Formuli | 477 | 14.7 | –19.3 |
| | TUSC | Michael Griffiths | 149 | 4.6 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 897 | 27.7 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,237 | 27.4 | –2.2 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | 9.8 | |

### Wakefield North

Wakefield North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Rhodes* | 1,613 | 50.0 | –11.3 |
| | Green | Ashton Howick | 733 | 22.7 | +15.1 |
| | Conservative | Tim Woolmer | 460 | 14.3 | –7.4 |
| | Yorkshire | Andy Mack | 347 | 10.8 | +3.3 |
| | TUSC | Tom Griffiths | 71 | 2.2 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 880 | 27.3 | –12.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,224 | 25.9 | +1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 13.2 | |

### Wakefield Rural

Wakefield Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andy Nicholls | 1,710 | 40.7 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | Ian Sanders | 1,363 | 32.4 | –4.8 |
| | Yorkshire | David Herdson | 640 | 15.2 | +3.1 |
| | Green | Karen Sadler | 319 | 7.6 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Lord | 169 | 4.0 | –3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 347 | 8.3 | +8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,201 | 30.5 | +0.6 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.0 | |

### Wakefield South

Wakefield South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Shabaan Saleem | 1,326 | 36.4 | –6.2 |
| | Conservative | James Hardwick | 1,270 | 34.9 | –5.7 |
| | Green | Kate Dodd | 652 | 17.9 | +9.6 |
| | Yorkshire | Daniel Cochran | 391 | 10.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 56 | 1.5 | –0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,639 | 33.2 | +0.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 0.3 | |

### Wakefield West

Wakefield West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hilary Mitchell* | 1,475 | 53.1 | –10.9 |
| | Conservative | John Higson | 636 | 22.9 | –0.9 |
| | Green | Laura Towle | 383 | 13.8 | +8.3 |
| | Heritage | Susan Stretton | 169 | 6.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Hayes | 113 | 4.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 839 | 30.2 | +10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,776 | 24.3 | –1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.0 | |

### Wrenthorpe and Outwood West

Wrenthorpe and Outwood West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brendan Fraser | 1,558 | 39.6 | –0.6 |
| | Wakefield Ind. | Nic Stansby | 981 | 24.9 | –4.8 |
| | Conservative | Waj Ali | 462 | 11.7 | –4.6 |
| | Reform UK | David Dews | 459 | 11.7 | +7.6 |
| | Yorkshire | Brent Hawksley | 208 | 5.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Daniel Russell | 191 | 4.9 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Walton | 73 | 1.9 | –3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 577 | 14.7 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,932 | 30.2 | +1.0 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | 2.1 | |

## By-elections
### Featherstone by-election

Featherstone: 12 December 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Scott Haslam | 893 | 42.1 | −30.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Howden | 548 | 25.9 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Waj Ali | 463 | 21.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Pepe Ruzvidzo | 141 | 6.7 | −8.8 |
| | Green | Ali Wood | 74 | 3.5 | –8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 345 | 16.2 | −41.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,121 | 15.9 | −4.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 28.0 | |