# 2023 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2023 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council elections were held on 4 May 2023 alongside other elections across the United Kingdom. 24 out of the 69 seats on Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council were contested.
The Labour party retained its majority on the council.

## Background

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Kirklees was a district of the West Yorkshire metropolitan county. The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority was established in 2014 and began electing the mayor of West Yorkshire in 2021.
Kirklees Council has generally been under no overall control or Labour control since its creation, with the Conservatives controlling the council between 1976 and 1979. Labour have been in control (with both majority and minority administrations) since 2018. It is considered one of the most marginal councils in West Yorkshire.
In the most recent council election in 2022 Labour regained overall control of the council, winning 14 seats (gaining two), the Conservatives won 5 seats (losing one), the Liberal Democrats won three seats, the Green Party won one seat and an independent candidate lost their seat.
The seats that are up for election in 2023 were last contested in 2019, along with one additional seat in Ashbrow ward. Of the seats contested, Labour hold 11, the Conservatives hold five, the Liberal Democrats hold four, the Green Party hold one and independent candidates hold three.

## Electoral process

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. Councillors are elected via first-past-the-post voting, with each ward represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Kirklees aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.
As a result of the Elections Act 2022 electors will, for the first time, be asked to provide photographic identification in order to cast their votes at the polling station.

## Previous council composition

| After 2022 election | After 2022 election | After 2022 election | Before 2023 election | Before 2023 election | Before 2023 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Labour | 36 | | Labour | 35 |
| | Conservative | 18 | | Conservative | 18 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 8 | | Liberal Democrats | 8 |
| | Independent | 4 | | Independent | 4 |
| | Green | 3 | | Green | 3 |
| | | | | vacant | 1 |

## Results summary

2023 Kirklees 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 | 14 | 3 | 58.3 | 25 | 39 | 56.5 | 43,711 | 42.6 | +1.7 |
| | Conservative | 5 | | 20.8 | 13 | 18 | 26.1 | 31,190 | 30.4 | -1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 4 | | 16.7 | 4 | 8 | 11.6 | 13,966 | 13.6 | +0.4 |
| | Green | 1 | | 4.2 | 2 | 3 | 4.3 | 10,733 | 10.5 | +1.5 |
| | Independent | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.4 | 2,519 | 2.5 | +0.8 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 321 | 0.3 | +0.2 |
| | Yorkshire | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 61 | 0.1 | ±0.0 |
| | SDP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 53 | 0.1 | ±0.0 |

## Ward Results
### Almondbury

Almondbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paola Davies | 1,906 | 46.3 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Maria Carthy | 1,048 | 25.5 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Patricia Colling | 832 | 20.2 | −0.3 |
| | Green | Peter Taylor | 243 | 5.9 | −5.5 |
| | Independent | Josie McCabe | 88 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Ashbrow

Ashbrow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Amanda Pinnock | 2,092 | 55.7 | +4.9 |
| | Labour | Zarina Shahbaz | 1,763 | 47.0 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative | Ian Carthy | 927 | 24.7 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | Ian Roberts | 848 | 22.6 | −3.9 |
| | Green | Brenda Smmithson | 412 | 11.0 | −4.5 |
| | Green | Heidi Din | 344 | 9.2 | −6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Manjit Singh | 264 | 7.0 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 14 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,768 | 26.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Batley East

Batley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Habiban Zaman | 1,978 | 44.3 | −26.2 |
| | Conservative | Hanif Mayet | 1,964 | 44.0 | +26.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gill Long | 262 | 5.9 | +2.1 |
| | Green | Simon Duffy | 256 | 5.7 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Batley West

Batley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Yusra Hussain | 2,342 | 59.4 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative | Mohammed Laher | 953 | 24.2 | +13.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Long | 391 | 9.9 | +8.1 |
| | Green | John Phillips | 255 | 6.5 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Birstall & Birkenshaw

Birstall & Birkenshaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joshua Sheard | 1,839 | 49.2 | −4.6 |
| | Labour | Julie Smith | 1,363 | 36.5 | +13.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Walsh | 323 | 8.6 | −1.1 |
| | Green | Tahir Akram | 160 | 4.3 | −9.4 |
| | SDP | Mark Steele | 53 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Cleckheaton

Cleckheaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Pinnock | 2,763 | 67.8 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative | Piers Briggs | 691 | 17.1 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | Khalid Patel | 443 | 11.0 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Nicholas Whittingham | 165 | 4.1 | −7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Colne Valley

Colne Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Beverley Addy | 2,543 | 50.4 | +20.6 |
| | Conservative | Isaac Barnett | 1,336 | 26.5 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jake Marchington | 689 | 13.7 | −12.0 |
| | Green | Julia Norman | 479 | 9.5 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Crosland Moor & Netherton

Crosland Moor & Netherton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Imran Safdar | 2,237 | 52.3 | +0.8 |
| | Green | Alex Vickers | 1,049 | 24.5 | +15.1 |
| | Conservative | Matthew Crompton | 752 | 17.6 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Suzanne Barraclough | 242 | 5.7 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dalton

Dalton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mus Khan | 1,664 | 52.4 | +13.9 |
| | Conservative | Kash Masih | 661 | 20.8 | +4.3 |
| | Green | Clare Walters | 410 | 12.9 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dominic Black | 304 | 9.6 | −6.7 |
| | Independent | Clare Holden | 134 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Denby Dale

Denby Dale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hannah McKerchar | 2,417 | 45.5 | +13.1 |
| | Conservative | Michael Watson | 2,164 | 40.7 | −0.8 |
| | Green | Michael Shaw | 253 | 4.8 | −7.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alison Baskeyfield | 251 | 4.7 | −9.1 |
| | Independent | Jonathan Tilt | 226 | 4.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Dewsbury East

Dewsbury East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Moore | 1,809 | 55.6 | +15.6 |
| | Conservative | Hazel Sharp | 911 | 28.0 | +16.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dan Woodlock | 337 | 10.4 | +6.9 |
| | Green | Gideon Richards | 194 | 6.0 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour gain from Dewsbury Borough Independents | Labour gain from Dewsbury Borough Independents | Swing | | |

### Dewsbury South

Dewsbury South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nosheen Dad | 2,405 | 65.7 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Sean Guy | 689 | 18.8 | +1.0 |
| | Independent | Richard Beck | 260 | 7.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Toby Cooper | 184 | 5.0 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dennis Hullock | 124 | 3.4 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dewsbury West

Dewsbury West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Darren O`Donovan | 2,664 | 56.8 | −15.3 |
| | Conservative | Sajid Hussain | 1,663 | 35.5 | +22.7 |
| | Green | Simon Cope | 217 | 4.6 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Rossington | 145 | 3.1 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Golcar

Golcar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Marchington | 1,743 | 41.7 | −0.1 |
| | Labour | Angela Sewell | 1,581 | 37.8 | +9.6 |
| | Conservative | Jackie Firth-Walker | 511 | 12.2 | +3.2 |
| | Green | Nina Roberts | 270 | 6.5 | −1.1 |
| | Independent | Mark Finch | 77 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Greenhead

Greenhead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Carole Pattison | 2,882 | 67.3 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Pauline McGleenan | 584 | 13.6 | +3.6 |
| | Green | Heather Peacock | 548 | 12.8 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew McCaig | 271 | 6.3 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Heckmondwike

Heckmondwike :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Aafaq Butt | 2,292 | 64.3 | +16.4 |
| | Conservative | Keith Mallinson | 900 | 25.2 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Josie Pugsley | 209 | 5.9 | +1.5 |
| | Green | Graham Simpson | 164 | 4.6 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Holme Valley North

Holme Valley North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Donna Bellamy | 1,730 | 32.6 | +14.5 |
| | Labour | Jo Murtagh | 1,527 | 28.8 | +8.6 |
| | Independent | Richard Noon | 1,338 | 25.2 | −11.9 |
| | Green | Samuel Midgley | 335 | 6.3 | −2.0 |
| | Independent | Miri Finch | 196 | 3.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kingsley Hill | 153 | 2.9 | −1.6 |
| | Independent | Suzanne Gannon | 26 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Holme Valley South

Holme Valley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Paul Davies | 2,785 | 45.5 | +13.6 |
| | Conservative | Damian Brook | 2,585 | 42.2 | +14.0 |
| | Green | Darryl Gould | 478 | 7.8 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jon Bloom | 276 | 4.5 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kirkburton

Kirkburton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Taylor | 2,311 | 50.3 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Edward Bowen | 1,066 | 23.2 | +7.3 |
| | Green | Richard Burton | 953 | 20.7 | −13.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Craig Armistead | 172 | 3.7 | +0.3 |
| | Independent | Lisa Beck | 92 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Lindley

Lindley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Smith | 2,649 | 46.4 | +14.1 |
| | Conservative | Robert McGuin | 1,783 | 31.3 | +1.2 |
| | Labour | Munir Ahmed | 982 | 16.3 | −6.6 |
| | Green | Chris Green | 258 | 4.5 | −0.6 |
| | Independent | Mike Chalker | 82 | 1.4 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Liversedge & Gomersal

Liversedge & Gomersal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lisa Holmes | 2,030 | 54.2 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | Emily Warrillow | 1,341 | 35.8 | +13.0 |
| | Green | Linda Simmons | 214 | 5.7 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Snee | 163 | 4.3 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Mirfield

Mirfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Itrat Ali | 2,052 | 39.5 | −19.2 |
| | Labour | Geoff Kernan | 1,866 | 35.9 | +18.0 |
| | Green | Catherine Whittingham | 695 | 13.4 | −4.5 |
| | Reform UK | Samuel Griffith-Jones | 321 | 6.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Bird | 265 | 5.1 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Newsome

Newsome :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Susan Lee-Richards | 2,197 | 64.3 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | Jane Rylah | 837 | 24.5 | −3.4 |
| | Conservative | Charles Ayugbo | 258 | 7.6 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrycja Bartosinska | 64 | 1.9 | −0.5 |
| | Yorkshire | Bikatshi Katenga | 61 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |