# Knottingley (electoral ward)

Knottingley is an electoral ward of the City of Wakefield district used for elections to Wakefield Metropolitan District Council.

## Overview

The ward is one of 21 in the Wakefield district and has had the same boundaries since the 2004 Council election. As of 2015, the electorate stands at 12,495 of which 96.2% identify as "White British" and 69.4% of who identify as Christian.
Notable parts of the ward include Knottingley and Ferrybridge with notable landmarks including Ferrybridge Power Stations, Kellingley Colliery and Willow Garth Nature Reserve.

## Representation

Like all wards in the Wakefield district, Knottingley has 3 councillors, whom are elected on a 4-year-rota. This means elections for new councillors are held for three years running, with one year every four years having no elections.
The current councillors are the Liberal Democrats' Adele Hayes, Peter Girt and Rachel Speak. Knottingley is the only ward with a Liberal Democrat councillor in Wakefield Council since 2011, winning the seat after not standing a candidate in the ward since 2003.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor |
| 1996 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Graham Clarke (Lab) |
| 1998 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Graham Clarke (Lab) |
| 1999 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Graham Clarke (Lab) |
| 2000 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Graham Clarke (Lab) |
| 2002 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Graham Clarke (Lab) |
| 2003 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Graham Clarke (Lab) |
| 2004 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Patricia Doyle (Lab) |
| 2006 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Patricia Doyle (Lab) |
| 2007 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Patricia Doyle (Lab) |
| 2008 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Patricia Doyle (Lab) |
| 2010 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2011 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2012 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2014 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2015 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2016 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2018 | Glenn Burton (Lab) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2019 | Thomas Gordon (LD) | Graham Stokes (Lab) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2021 | Thomas Gordon (LD) | Adele Hayes (LD) | Harry Ellis (Lab) |
| 2022 | Thomas Gordon (LD) | Adele Hayes (LD) | Peter Girt (LD) |
| 2023 | Rachel Speak (LD) | Adele Hayes (LD) | Peter Girt (LD) |
| 2024 | Rachel Speak (LD) | Adele Hayes (LD) | Peter Girt (LD) |

## Election results since 1996

2024 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| 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 | |
2023 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rachel Nadine Speak | 1,398 | 58.6 | −4.5 |
| | Labour | Theo Biddle | 734 | 30.8 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | Eamonn Malachy Mullins | 182 | 7.6 | −0.2 |
| | Green | Ruth Alexandra Love | 72 | 3.0 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 664 | 27.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,386 | 22.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 11 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
2022 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Girt | 1,504 | 50.6 | −3.6 |
| | Labour | Paul Green | 1,216 | 40.9 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Roger Kirby | 254 | 8.5 | −5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 288 | 9.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,974 | 28.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | 7.8 | |
2021 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adele Hayes | 1,624 | 54.2 | +54.2 |
| | Labour Co-op | Kerron Cross | 867 | 28.9 | −32.6 |
| | Conservative | Hilary Plumbley | 415 | 13.8 | +3.1 |
| | Green | Garry Newby | 91 | 3.0 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 757 | 25.3 | −16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,997 | 28.6 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour |
2019 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Gordon | 1906 | 63.1 | +63.1 |
| | Labour | Glenn Burton | 642 | 21.3 | −45.3 |
| | Green | Willow Tolley | 237 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Joshua Spencer | 235 | 7.8 | −25.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1264 | 41.8 | −5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3020 | 29.4 | +8.7 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 52 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |
2018 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harry Ellis | 1419 | 66.6 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative | Joshua Spencer | 713 | 33.4 | +22.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 999 | 46.9 | +13.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2132 | 20.7 | −5.7 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 29 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2016 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Stokes | 1597 | 61.5 | −15.0 |
| | UKIP | Lewis Thompson | 724 | 27.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Eamonn Mullins | 277 | 10.7 | −12.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 873 | 33.6 | −19.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2598 | 26.4 | −24.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2015 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Glen Burton | 4070 | 76.5 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative | Rebecca Norris | 1253 | 23.5 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2817 | 53.0 | −2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5323 | 50.7 | +26.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2014 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harry Ellis | 1951 | 77.9 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | Rebecca Norris | 555 | 22.1 | +11.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1395 | 55.8 | +5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2506 | 24.2 | +0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2012 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Stokes | 1,788 | 69.7 | +12.2 |
| | UKIP | Clinton Rhodes | 494 | 19.3 | +8.6 |
| | Conservative | Jon Wadey | 282 | 11 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,294 | 50.5 | +8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,564 | 23.8 | −5.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2011 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Glenn Burton | 1,803 | 57.5 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Jon Wadey | 493 | 15.7 | −9.2 |
| | Independent | Jack Wright | 486 | 15.5 | +15.5 |
| | UKIP | Nathan Garbutt | 336 | 10.7 | +10.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,319 | 41.8 | +10.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,135 | 29.5 | −22.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2010 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Harry Ellis | 3,092 | 55.9 |
| | Conservative | Jon Wadey | 1,379 | 24.9 |
| | BNP | Norman Tate | 1,012 | 18.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,713 | 31.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,528 | 52.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
2008 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Stokes | 1,417 | 56.7 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Tom Dixon | 1,081 | 43.3 | +23.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 336 | 13.4 | −28.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,498 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2007 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Glenn Burton | 1,545 | 61.5 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Mellisa Wan Omer | 498 | 19.8 | −16.1 |
| | Independent | Nathan Garbutt | 470 | 18.7 | +18.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,047 | 41.7 | +13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,513 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2006 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patricia Doyle | 1,673 | 64.1 |
| | Conservative | Nathan Garbutt | 937 | 35.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 736 | 28.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,610 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
2004 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Graham Stokes | 1,946 | |
| | Labour | Glenn Burton | 1,734 | |
| | Labour | Patricia Doyle | 1,657 | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Burns | 892 | |
| | BNP | Mark Burton | 831 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Plumbley | 695 | |
| | Conservative | Madge Richards | 587 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,342 | 35.3 |
The boundaries were changed in the 2004 election resulting in all three positions becoming vacant.
2003 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Clarke | 1,297 | 60.4 | −15.5 |
| | Conservative | David Howarth | 403 | 18.8 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carey Chambers | 261 | 12.2 | +12.2 |
| | UKIP | Colin Batty | 185 | 8.6 | +8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 894 | 41.6 | −10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,146 | 21.2 | +0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2002 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graham Stokes | 1,667 | 75.9 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | David Howarth | 530 | 24.1 | −4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,137 | 51.8 | +8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,197 | 20.7 | +2.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
2000 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Glenn Burton | 1,338 | 71.5 |
| | Conservative | Timothy Allerton | 533 | 28.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 805 | 43.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,871 | 17.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
1999 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Graham Clarke | 1,607 | 81.7 |
| | Conservative | Allen Powell | 361 | 18.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,968 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
1998 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Graham Stokes | 1,823 | 83.35 |
| | Conservative | Allen Powell | 357 | 16.32 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,446 | 20.37 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,187 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
1996 Wakefield Metropolitan District Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Glenn Burton | 2,430 | 87.6 |
| | Conservative | Allen Powell | 345 | 12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,775 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |