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2022 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election

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Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Elections, 2022
← 2021 5 May 2022 2023 →
One third of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council plus 1 midterm vacancy, 18 out of 51 seats
26 seats needed for a majority
Turnout37.5% (Decrease 6.8%)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Tim Swift Steven Leigh James Baker
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat Town Ryburn Warley
Seats won 11, 61.1% 4, 22.2% 2, 12.6%
Seat change Steady Decrease 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 25,528 18,499 6,662
Percentage 45.2% 32.7% 11.8%
Swing +7.9% -6.3% +0.5%
Results by ward
Council control before election

Majority administration
Labour

Council control after election

Majority administration
Labour

The 2022 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect members of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council in England. One third of councillors — 17 out of 51, plus one vacancy in Ovenden ward were up for election. The election took place alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom.

In the previous council election in 2021, Labour maintained its control of the council, holding 28 seats after the election. The Conservatives won more of the seats that were up for election, but remained the main opposition with 16 seats. The remaining seats were held by the Liberal Democrats and independent councillors.

Background

[edit]
Result of the council election when these seats were last contested in 2018
Result of the most recent council election in 2021

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. Calderdale was a district of the West Yorkshire metropolitan county.[1] 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.[2]

Calderdale Council was under no overall control with Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour leaders until the Labour Party achieved a majority of seats in the 2019 election, when they gained four seats to hold 28 of the council's 51 seats. In the most recent election in 2021, nineteen seats were up for election: 17 as part of the normal thirds cycle and two concurrent by-elections to fill vacant seats. The Conservatives made gains at the expense of the Liberal Democrats and independents to come first in seats and share of the vote, winning nine of the nineteen seats up for election on 39.0% of the vote, while Labour won eight with 37.3% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won the remaining two seats with 11.3% of the vote. The Green Party received 8.3% of the vote but won no seats. Labour maintained its majority on the council.[3]

A Labour councillor for the Park ward, Mohammad Naeem, died in July 2021. Around the same time, the independent councillor for Ryburn, Rob Holden, resigned. By-elections to fill both vacancies were held in September 2021, with the Labour candidate Shazad Fazal holding Park and the Conservative candidate Felicity Issott gaining Ryburn.[4] The former Conservative councillor Roger Taylor, who had been suspended from his party in 2019 for making Islamophobic social media posts, was later permanently suspended from his party.[5][6]

Positions up for election in 2022 were last elected in 2018. In that election, Labour won ten seats, the Conservatives won four, the Liberal Democrats won two and independent candidates won one seat.[7]

Electoral process

[edit]

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election for three consecutive years and no election in the fourth year.[8][9] The election will take place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards generally being 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 Calderdale 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.

Campaign

[edit]

The Conservative group leader, Steven Leigh, said he was aiming to gain seats with the purpose of replacing the Labour council after the 2023 election.[10]

Council results

[edit]
Party Councillors Votes
Of total Net Of total Net
Labour 11 61.1% 0
11 / 18
 25,528 45.2% +7.9%
Conservative 4 22.2% -1
4 / 18
 18,499 32.7% -6.3%
Liberal Democrats 2 11.1% +1
2 / 18
 6,662 11.8% +0.5%
Green 1 5.6% +1
1 / 18
 5,129 9.1% +0.8%
Independent 0 0.0% -1
0 / 18
 198 0.4% -3.2%
Freedom Alliance 0 0.0% 0
0 / 18
 116 0.2% +0.1%
National Front 0 0.0% 0
0 / 18
 101 0.2% +0.1%


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

[edit]

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:

↓
28 16 5 2
Labour Conservative Lib Dem Ind

After the election the composition of the council was:

↓
28 15 6 1 1
Labour Conservative Lib Dem G I
Party Previous council New council
Labour 28 28
Conservative 16 15
Liberal Democrats 5 6
Green 0 1
Independent 2 1
Total 51 51

Ward results

[edit]

Brighouse

[edit]
Brighouse
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Howard Blagbrough 1,642 52.9 −5.3
Labour Frank Darnley 977 31.5 −3.4
Liberal Democrats Michael Sutton 284 9.1 5.4
Green Adrian Thompson 192 6.2 3.2
Majority 665 21.4 −1.9
Turnout 3,106 37.5 −5.3
Conservative hold Swing -0.9

The incumbent was Howard Blagbrough for the Conservative Party.

Calder

[edit]
Calder
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Courtney 3,046 65.1 3.1
Conservative Jill Smith-Moorhouse 745 15.9 −4.5
Green Alan McDonald 465 9.9 1.9
Liberal Democrats Christine Bampton-Smith 339 7.2 −2.0
Freedom Alliance Helen Lasham 57 1.2 1.2
Majority 2,301 49.2 7.7
Turnout 4,680 51.1 −2.7
Labour hold Swing 3.8

The incumbent was Sarah Courtney for the Labour Party.

Elland

[edit]
Elland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Angie Gallagher 1,449 50.3 6.7
Conservative Joseph Matthews 952 33.0 −9.6
Liberal Democrats Javed Bashir 236 8.2 −0.6
Green Barry Crossland 234 8.1 3.2
Majority 497 17.3 16.2
Turnout 2,881 33.0 −6.7
Labour hold Swing 8.1

The incumbent was Angie Gallagher for the Labour Party.

Greetland and Stainland

[edit]
Greetland and Stainland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christine Prashad 1,565 48.2 −1.6
Conservative Jacob Cook 1,164 35.9 3.8
Labour Rahat Khan 315 9.7 −4.9
Green Jacquelyn Haigh 185 5.7 2.4
Majority 401 12.4 −5.4
Turnout 3,244 38.4 −1.7
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing -2.7

The incumbent was Jacob Cook for the Conservative Party. The percentage change is expressed compared to the 2018 election when the late Marilyn Greenwood was elected for the Liberal Democrats. Jacob Cook was elected as the second councillor in 2021.

Hipperholme and Lightcliffe

[edit]
Hipperholme and Lightcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Joe Atkinson 1,828 54.9 19.4
Labour Co-op Israr Ahmed 751 22.5 5.8
Green Elaine Hey 449 13.5 10.4
Liberal Democrats Jennie Rigg 289 8.7 5.7
Majority 1,077 32.3 26.3
Turnout 3,332 36.8 −2.9
Conservative gain from Independent Swing 30.5

The incumbent was Colin Raistrick, an Independent, who stepped down at this election.[12] The swing between Conservative & Labour is 6.8% to Conservative.

Illingworth and Mixenden

[edit]
Illingworth and Mixenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Daniel Sutherland 1,208 48.0 −4.0
Conservative Nikki Kelly 1,019 40.5 3.1
Green Laura Beesley 112 4.4 0.1
Independent Seán Loftus 105 4.2 0.3
Liberal Democrats Alexander Parsons-Hulse 64 2.5 0.1
Majority 189 7.5 −7.1
Turnout 2,519 27.7 −2.3
Labour hold Swing -3.6

The incumbent was Dan Sutherland for the Labour Party.

Luddendenfoot

[edit]
Luddendenfoot
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Scott Patient 2,238 61.4 10.3
Conservative Craig Oates 947 26.0 −10.8
Liberal Democrats Abbie Carr 223 6.1 −1.8
Green Kate Sweeny 212 5.8 2.0
Majority 1,291 35.4 21.1
Turnout 3,645 45.7 −2.8
Labour hold Swing 10.6

The incumbent was Scott Patient for the Labour Party.

Northowram and Shelf

[edit]
Northowram and Shelf
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Martin Hey 1,364 40.0 35.5
Conservative Stephen Baines 1,357 39.7 −23.4
Labour David Wager 609 17.8 −6.2
Liberal Democrats Catherine Crosland 73 2.1 −0.7
Majority 7 0.2 −38.9
Turnout 3,414 37.6 0.6
Green gain from Conservative Swing 29.4

The incumbent was Stephen Baines for the Conservative Party who was the deputy leader of the Conservative group at the time of the election.

This was the only ward to increase its turnout compared to 2018.

Ovenden

[edit]
Ovenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Helen Rivron 997 53.3 −1.5
Labour Co-op Stuart Cairney 881 47.1 −7.7
Conservative Andrew Tagg 562 30.1 −0.6
Conservative Peter Hunt 476 25.5 −5.2
Liberal Democrats Jean Bellenger 197 10.5 +6.4
Green Catherine Graham 159 8.5 −1.7
Green Finn Jensen 116 6.2 −4.0
Majority
Turnout 1,870
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

The incumbents were Helen Rivron for the Labour Party and Bryan Smith for the Labour Party who was standing down for health reasons.[13]

Park

[edit]
Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mohammed Fazal 2,430 64.5 8.0
Liberal Democrats Abdul Rehman 601 16.0 16.0
Conservative Shakir Saghir 565 15.0 10.1
Green Mark Mullany 159 4.2 1.3
Majority 1,829 48.6 27.2
Turnout 3,765 39.3 −14.0
Labour hold Swing 4.0

The incumbent was Mohammed Fazal for the Labour Party. The second place candidate in 2018 was Surraya Bibi standing as an Independent, having previously been part of the Labour party. The swing from Independent to Labour was 21.6%.

Rastrick

[edit]
Rastrick
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Regan Dickenson 1,520 49.4 −7.2
Labour Co-op Peter Judge 1,202 39.1 3.8
Green Matthew Lawson 185 6.0 2.4
Liberal Democrats Richard Phillips 150 4.9 0.4
Majority 318 10.3 −10.9
Turnout 3,078 37.5 −4.2
Conservative hold Swing -5.5

The incumbent was Regan Dickenson for the Conservative Party.

Ryburn

[edit]
Ryburn
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Steven Leigh 1,544 47.0 8.8
Labour Leah Webster 1,307 39.8 18.6
Green Freda Davis 253 7.7 5.1
Liberal Democrats Peter Wilcock 167 5.1 1.6
Majority 237 7.2 3.3
Turnout 3,285 36.9 −6.5
Conservative hold Swing -4.9

The incumbent was Steven Leigh for the Conservative Party.

Second place in 2018 was Robert Holden standing as an Independent. The swing in the box is expressed between Conservative & Labour. The swing from Independent to Conservative was 21.5%.

Skircoat

[edit]
Skircoat
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Colin Hutchinson 2,227 56.3 9.6
Conservative John Holdsworth 1,270 32.1 −13.4
Liberal Democrats Kathy Haigh-Hutchinson 235 5.9 1.4
Green Philip Whitbread 209 5.3 2.3
Majority 957 24.2 23.0
Turnout 3,953 41.1 −4.2
Labour hold Swing 11.5

The incumbent was Colin Hutchinson for the Labour Party.

Sowerby Bridge

[edit]
Sowerby Bridge
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dot Foster 1,551 51.1 0.6
Conservative Mark Edwards 996 32.8 −6.0
Liberal Democrats Tom Stringfellow 258 8.5 2.8
Green David Booth 214 7.0 2.4
Majority 555 18.3 6.6
Turnout 3,038 34.7 3.1
Labour hold Swing 3.3

The incumbent was Dot Foster for the Labour Party.

Todmorden

[edit]
Todmorden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Helen Brundell 1,982 59.2 5.1
Conservative Naveed Khan 569 17.0 −2.3
Green Kieran Turner 347 10.4 4.0
Liberal Democrats Nikki Stocks 309 9.2 −8.0
National Front Chris Jackson 101 3.0 0.3
Majority 1,413 42.2 7.4
Turnout 3,347 37.1 −3.4
Labour hold Swing 3.7

The incumbent was Susan Press for the Labour Party who stood down at this election.[14]

Town

[edit]
Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joe Thompson 1,198 47.9 −5.5
Conservative Penny Hutchinson 988 39.5 2.2
Green Elliot Hey 178 7.1 2.2
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Tatchell 130 5.2 1.3
Majority 210 8.4 −7.8
Turnout 2,502 27.8 −2.0
Labour hold Swing -3.9

The incumbent was Bob Metcalfe for the Labour Party who stood down at this election.[13]

Warley

[edit]
Warley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Amanda Parsons-Hulse 1,542 46.5 0.4
Labour David Veitch 1,160 35.0 −1.1
Conservative Vishal Gupta 355 10.7 −5.3
Green Katie Witham 96 2.9 1.5
Independent Dave Budge 93 2.8 2.8
Freedom Alliance Martin Davies 59 1.8 1.8
Majority 382 11.5 1.5
Turnout 3,317 36.3 −8.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing 0.7

The incumbent was Amanda Parsons-Hulse for the Liberal Democrats.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Local Government in England and Wales: A Guide to the New System. London: HMSO. 1974. p. 7. ISBN 0-11-750847-0.
  2. ^ "West Yorkshire devolution deal". GOV.UK. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Calderdale elections results: This is how they day unfolded as Labour remained in control". www.halifaxcourier.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  4. ^ Reporter, John Greenwood, Local Democracy (6 September 2021). "Calderdale Council by-elections results as Conservatives make gain". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 23 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "West Yorkshire Tory councillor suspended over 'Islamophobic' Facebook posts". www.yorkshirepost.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Calderdale Councillor's 'cancel culture' claim over virtual meeting". www.halifaxcourier.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Election of Local Councillors 2018 - 03/05/2018". www.calderdale.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Local government structure and elections". GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Election Timetable in England" (PDF).
  10. ^ "Tory leaders confident of gains in May local elections". The Guardian. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Election of Local Councillors 2022 - 05/05/2022". Election results. Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Calderdale Council elections: Greens win historic first seat as Labour retains control". Halifax Courier. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Tributes to Calderdale councillors standing down who have racked up nearly 100 years of service". Halifax Courier. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  14. ^ "All the candidates who will be standing in the Calderdale Council election revealed". Halifax Courier. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
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