# 2021 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2021 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 6 May 2021 to elect members of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections. One-third of the seats were up for election.
The election was originally scheduled for 7 May 2020, alongside the later cancelled 2020 West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner election and other local elections across the UK, but was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Council results

2021 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough 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 | 8 | | 42.1 | 20 | 28 | 54.9 | 24,775 | 37.3 | ±0.0 |
| | Conservative | 9 | 3 | 47.4 | 6 | 15 | 29.4 | 25,940 | 39.0 | +9.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2 | 2 | 10.5 | 3 | 5 | 9.8 | 7,511 | 11.3 | -2.9 |
| | Independent | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | 5.9 | 2,163 | 3.3 | -2.1 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 5,525 | 8.3 | -1.1 |
| | Yorkshire | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 325 | 0.5 | -1.1 |
| | Freedom Alliance | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 90 | 0.1 | New |
| | National Front | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 86 | 0.1 | -0.2 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 51 | 0.1 | New |
| | SDP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 15 | <0.1 | New |
Note that due to by-elections being run in some wards, electors in those wards had two votes. This means the change in percentage of votes is not representative of the true swing.

## Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 28 | 12 | 7 | 4 |
| Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem | Ind |
After the election the composition of the council was:
| 28 | 15 | 5 | 3 |
| Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem | Ind |
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 28 | 28 |
| | Conservative | 12 | 15 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 7 | 5 |
| | Independent | 4 | 3 |
| Total | Total | 51 | 51 | 51 |

## Ward results
### Brighouse

Brighouse :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tina Benton | 1,643 | 51.7 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative | Brenda Monteith | 1,431 | 45.0 | +3.6 |
| | Independent | Colin Stout | 977 | 30.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Charlotte Butterick | 900 | 28.3 | −5.3 |
| | Labour | Oliver Willows | 660 | 20.8 | −12.8 |
| | Green | Kim Atkinson | 318 | 10.0 | +7.1 |
| | Green | Joanne Core | 250 | 7.9 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Sutton | 112 | 3.5 | −0.7 |
| | Independent | Colin Peel | 50 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 531 | 16.7 | +8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3178.5 | 45.3 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The incumbent Scott Benton for the Conservative Party, who stood down at this election upon his election as a Member of Parliament in 2019.
Colin Peel, initially elected for the Conservative Party but defected to Change UK in the summer of 2019, but sought re-election as an Independent.

### Calder

Calder :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Josh Fenton-Glynn | 3,399 | 66.0 | +16.2 |
| | Conservative | Gail Lund | 936 | 18.2 | +8.7 |
| | Green | Alan McDonald | 480 | 9.3 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nikki Stocks | 220 | 4.3 | −26.5 |
| | Freedom Alliance | Helen Lasham | 90 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,463 | 47.8 | +28.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5148 | 55.4 | +4.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.71 | |
The incumbent was Josh Fenton-Glynn for the Labour Party. The swing is expressed between Labour and Conservative. The swing was 21.31% from Liberal Democrat who were second in 2016 to Labour.

### Elland

Elland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Ford | 1,209 | 36.7 | +14.7 |
| | Labour | Jim Gallagher | 1,147 | 34.8 | +17.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pat Allen | 699 | 21.2 | −22.2 |
| | Green | Barry Crossland | 220 | 6.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 | 1.9 | −19.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,296 | 37.89 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 18.45 | |
The incumbent was Pat Allen for the Liberal Democrats.

### Greetland and Stainland

Greetland and Stainland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Bellenger | 1,814 | 58.8 | +20.4 |
| | Conservative | Jacob Cook | 1,020 | 33.1 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex Parsons-Hulse | 997 | 32.3 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Matthews | 954 | 30.9 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | Kathleen Foster | 435 | 14.1 | +1.8 |
| | Green | Jacquelyn Haigh | 296 | 9.6 | +5.8 |
| | Independent | Ed Greenwood | 240 | 7.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Rahat Khan | 234 | 7.6 | −4.8 |
| | Green | Matt Lawson | 154 | 5.0 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 | 0.7 | −5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3083 | 42.4 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
The incumbents were Marilyn Greenwood for the Liberal Democrats who died in February 2021, and Paul Bellenger for the Liberal Democrats.

### Hipperholme and Lightcliffe

Hipperholme and Lightcliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Robinson | 2,679 | 67.5 | +3.3 |
| | Labour | Joe Thompson | 910 | 22.9 | +6.0 |
| | Green | Elaine Hey | 265 | 6.7 | −1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sophie Sutton | 92 | 2.3 | −7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,769 | 44.6 | −2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,968 | 43.8 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.37 | |
The incumbent was George Robinson for the Conservative Party.

### Illingworth and Mixenden

Illingworth and Mixenden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Guy Beech | 1,226 | 42.4 | +17.7 |
| | Labour | Stuart Cairney | 1,133 | 39.2 | −9.3 |
| | Yorkshire | Paul Farrell | 325 | 11.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Mark Mullany | 90 | 3.1 | +1.0 |
| | Independent | Sean Loftus | 48 | 1.7 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Pittaway | 46 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| | SDP | Martin Roberts | 15 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 3.22 | −20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,889 | 31.9 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 13.5 | |
The incumbent was Lisa Lambert for the Labour Party who stood down at this election. There was a swing of 19.2% from UKIP, who did not stand this time, to the Conservatives.

### Luddendenfoot

Luddendenfoot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jane Scullion | 1,735 | 45.6 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | Jill Smith-Moorhouse | 1,365 | 35.8 | +10.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Bampton-Smith | 372 | 9.8 | −8.0 |
| | Green | Kate Sweeny | 313 | 8.2 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 370 | 9.7 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,808 | 47.6 | +4.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.5 | |
The incumbent was Jane Scullion for the Labour Party.

### Northowram and Shelf

Northowram and Shelf :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Caffrey | 2,193 | 58.1 | −2.4 |
| | Green | Martin Hey | 902 | 23.9 | +19.1 |
| | Labour | Frank Darnley | 596 | 15.8 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Catherine Crosland | 75 | 2.0 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,291 | 34.2 | −1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,777 | 41.4 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.3 | |
The incumbent was Peter Caffrey for the Conservative Party. The swing is expressed between Conservative & Labour who were second in 2016. It was 10.7% from Conservative to Green.

### Ovenden

Ovenden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Danielle Durrans | 979 | 45.2 | −14.5 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Tagg | 811 | 37.4 | +14.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sean Bamforth | 245 | 11.3 | +6.5 |
| | Green | Finn Jensen | 114 | 5.3 | −6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 168 | 7.8 | −29.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,166 | 25.6 | +2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -14.7 | |
The incumbent was Anne Collins for the Labour Party who stood down at this election.

### Park

Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jenny Lynn | 2,375 | 60.6 | −10.1 |
| | Conservative | Shakir Saghir | 1,297 | 33.1 | +26.6 |
| | Green | Laura Beesley | 124 | 3.2 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ruth Coleman-Taylor | 100 | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,078 | 27.5 | −26.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,919 | 41.4 | −1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -18.3 | |
The incumbent was Jenny Lynn for the Labour Party.

### Rastrick

Rastrick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sophie Whittaker | 2,112 | 58.2 | +10.1 |
| | Labour | Peter Judge | 1,082 | 29.8 | −8.5 |
| | Green | Gareth Owen | 327 | 9.0 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Javed Bashir | 91 | 2.5 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,030 | 28.4 | +18.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,627 | 43.4 | +6.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.3 | |
The incumbent was Sophie Whittaker for the Conservative Party.

### Ryburn

Ryburn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Thornber | 1,785 | 47.1 | +11.7 |
| | Independent | Peter Hunt | 848 | 22.4 | −10.3 |
| | Labour | Leah Webster | 798 | 21.0 | −2.0 |
| | Green | Freda Davis | 207 | 5.5 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pete Wilcock | 85 | 2.5 | −1.2 |
| | Reform UK | Chris Green | 51 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 937 | 24.7 | +22.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,783 | 42.2 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 11.0 | |
The incumbent was Geraldine Carter for the Conservative Party who stood down at this election. Robert Thornber had previously held one of the other seats in this ward but lost to an independent candidate in 2019.

### Skircoat

Skircoat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Janet Kingstone | 2,143 | 49.3 | +19.8 |
| | Conservative | Mohammad Ilyas | 1,524 | 35.1 | −8.9 |
| | Green | Mary Betteridge | 378 | 8.7 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kathleen Haigh-Hutchinson | 268 | 6.2 | −7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 619 | 14.2 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,346 | 45.2 | +4.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.4 | |
The incumbent was John Hardy for the Conservative Party who stood down at this election.

### Sowerby Bridge

Sowerby Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Adam Wilkinson | 1,805 | 52.3 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Mark Edwards | 1,272 | 36.8 | +8.9 |
| | Green | David Booth | 238 | 6.9 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Stringfellow | 109 | 3.2 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 533 | 15.4 | −6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,453 | 39.5 | +1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.0 | |
The incumbent was Adam Wilkinson for the Labour Party.

### Todmorden

Todmorden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Diana Tremayne | 1,951 | 51.5 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | Craig Oates | 824 | 21.7 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Doyle | 552 | 14.6 | +3.5 |
| | Green | Kieran Turner | 361 | 9.5 | −0.1 |
| | National Front | Chris Jackson | 86 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,127 | 29.7 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,791 | 41.6 | +2.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.9 | |
The incumbent was Steve Sweeney for the Labour Party who stood down at this election.

### Town

Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Megan Swift | 1,385 | 49.7 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Naveed Khan | 916 | 32.9 | +11.6 |
| | Green | Elliot Hey | 316 | 11.4 | +7.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mick Taylor | 141 | 5.1 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 469 | 16.8 | −7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,784 | 30.9 | −0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -4.9 | |
The incumbent was Megan Swift for the Labour Party.

### Warley

Warley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ashley Evans | 1,493 | 42.2 | −4.7 |
| | Labour | David Veitch | 1,108 | 31.3 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | David Budgen | 743 | 21.0 | +7.4 |
| | Green | Katie Witham | 172 | 4.9 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 385 | 10.9 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,535 | 39.0 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -0.3 | |
The incumbent was Ashley Evans for the Liberal Democrats.

## By-elections between 2021 and 2022
### Park ward, 2021

Park By-Election 2 September 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Mohammed Shazad Fazal | 1,980 | 82.4 |
| | Conservative | Naveed Khan | 212 | 8.8 |
| | Green | Jacquelyn Haigh | 137 | 5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Javed Bashir | 60 | 2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,768 | 73.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,402 | 25.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
The incumbent was Mohammad Naeem for Labour who had died in July.

### Ryburn ward, 2021

Ryburn By-Election 2 September 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Felicity Thea Issott | 1,188 | 53.5 |
| | Labour | Leah Webster | 798 | 35.9 |
| | Green | Freda Mary Davis | 163 | 7.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pete Wilcock | 66 | 3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 390 | 17.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,220 | 24.9 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |
The incumbent was Rob Holden, an Independent, who had resigned for health reasons.