Wakefield Council election results: Labour strengthens grip with eight gains as it claims 21 of the 22 seats up for grabs

The party almost completed a clean sweep by claiming 21 of 22 seats up for grabs.

Six of the gains were made in seats held by independent councillors, all former Conservative members, who chose not to stand for re-election.

The Tories failed to defend both of their seats, losing them to Labour.

The Lib Dems secured the day’s only victory for an opposition party, as Adele Hayes successfully held onto Knottingley ward.

The overall turnout was 24.94 per cent. The turnout in the 2023 election was 24.95 per cent.

The results mean Labour now holds 56 of the 63 Wakefield Council seats.

The Conservatives have three seats and the Lib Dems three.

Nadiah Sharp, councillor for Wrenthorpe and Outwood West, is the only remaining independent councillor.

Labour dominated proceedings early in the day with three gains in Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton; Crofton, Ryhill and Walton, and Ossett.

Martin Roberts won Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton with 1,179 votes, defeating Green Party candidate Jody Gabriel (663) and Conservative Dylan Nykamp (611).

Faith Heptinstall gained Crofton, Ryhill and Walton for Labour with 1,918 votes.

Duncan Smith became the new councillor for Ossett, taking the seat comfortably with 1,890 votes. The Tory candidate Karl Clough was second with 879 votes.

Five more Labour gains were made in the afternoon as former Tory group leader Tony Hames lost his Pontefract South seat to Julie Craig by more than 800 votes.

Labour’s Andy Nicholls also took Wakefield Rural from the Conservatives.

Further Labour gains were made by Natalie Walton, in Wakefield East, Shabaan Ali Saleem, in Wakefield South, and Brendan Fraser, in Wrenthorpe and Outwood West.

Other new members elected in seats already held by Labour include Helen Antcliff, in Pontefract North, and Laura Jones, in Hemsworth.

Two councillors were elected for Normanton ward following the resignation of councillor Isabel Owen in March.

Julie Medford held onto her seat while Daniel Wilton became a new Labour councillor.

Wakefield Mayor Josie Pritchard held onto Altofts and Whitwood.

Darren Byford, who takes over as the new mayor later this month, defended Horbury and South Ossett.

Richard Forster was re-elected as councillor for Castleford Central and Glasshoughton.

Jackie Ferguson defended Airedale and Ferry Fryston. She won the seat with 1,135 votes. Neil Kennedy, of the Wakefield and District Independents, challenged strongly with 800.

Maureen Tennant-King won heavily in Featherstone, picking up 2,005 votes.

Michelle Collins, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, defended South Elmsall and South Kirkby.

Matthew Morley, portfolio holder for planning and highways, comfortably held onto Stanley and Outwood East.

Hilary Mitchell was re-elected in Wakefield West and Elizabeth Rhodes defended Wakefield North.

The Wakefield Council elections results for 2024 were:

Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton – Ward 1

Jody Gabriel – Green Party 663 votes

Dylan Nykamp – Conservative 611

*Martin Roberts – Labour 1,1719

Airedale and Ferry Fryston – Ward 2

*Jackie Ferguson – Labour 1135

John Ingham – Green Party 115

Neil Kennedy – Wakefield District Independents 800

Eamonn Mullins – Conservative 171

Altofts and Whitwood – Ward 3

Peter Forster – Conservative 451

Krys Holmes – Green Party 233

*Josie Pritchard – Labour 1684

John Thomas – Wakefield District Independents 828

Castleford Central and Glasshoughton – Ward 4

Stephen Brennan – Green Party 158

*Richard Forster – Labour 1713

Paul Phelps – Yorkshire Party 558

Joanne Smart – Conservative 242

Crofton, Ryhill and Walton – Ward 5

Elizabeth Cowton – Conservative 971

*Faith Heptinstall – Labour 1918

Garry Newby – Green Party 406

Featherstone – Ward 6

Cynthia Dickenson – Green Party 324

Anthony Hill – Conservative 425

*Maureen Tennant-King – Labour 2005

Hemsworth – Ward 7

Michael Johnson – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 168

*Laura Jones – Labour 1292

Lyn Morton – Green Party 382

Doreen Smart – Conservative 261

Horbury and South Ossett – Ward 8

*Darren Byford – Labour 2409

Madalena Coutinho – Conservative 618

Mark Goodair – Liberal Democrats 223

Mark Harrop – Independent 304

Richard Norris – Green Party 157

Knottingley – Ward 9

Theo Biddle – Labour 695

*Adele Hayes – Liberal Democrats 1363

Ruth Love – Green Party 79

Amy Swift – Conservative 155

Normanton – Ward 10 (Two elected)

John Clayton – Green Party 426

*Julie Medford – Labour 1709

Tomas Mestre – Conservative 379

Cliff Parsons – Wakefield and District Independents 584

Chad Thomas – Conservative 406

*Daniel Wilton – Labour 1303

Ossett – Ward 11

Simon Biltcliffe – Yorkshire Party 216

Karl Clough – Conservative 879

Tony Sargeant – Liberal Democrats 184

Stephen Scott – Green Party 153

Sandra Senior – Reform UK 465

*Duncan Smith – Labour 1890

Pontefract North – Ward 12

*Helen Antcliff – Labour 1717

Jack Crosswaite – Conservative 418

Chris Dawson – Yorkshire Party 685

Emma Tingle – Green Party 193

Pontefract South – Ward 13

*Julie Craig – Labour 1925

Tony Hames – Conservatives 1102

Oliver Watkins – Green Party 304

South Elmsall and South Kirkby – Ward 14

*Michelle Collins – Labour 1893

Stefan Ludewig – Green Party 305

Daniel Wrightson – Conservative 383

Stanley and Outwood East – Ward 15

Richard Copeland – Green Party 279

Darren Lumber – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 52

*Matthew Morley – Labour 2432

Jenny Prest – Wakefield and District Independents 409

Margaret Woolmer – Conservative 688

Wakefield East – Ward 16

Naeem Formuli – Conservative 477

Michael Griffiths – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 149

Janet Mackintosh – Green Party 857

*Natalie Walton – Labour 1754

Wakefield North – Ward 17

Tom Griffiths – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 71

Ashton Howick – Green Party 733

Andy Mack – Yorkshire Party 347

*Elizabeth Rhodes – Labour 1613

Tim Woolmer – Conservative 460

Wakefield Rural – Ward 18

David Herdson – Yorkshire Party 640

Mark Lord – Liberal Democrats 169

*Andy Nicholls – Labour 1710

Karen Sadler – Green Party 319

Ian Sanders – Conservative 1363

Wakefield South – Ward 19

Daniel Cochran – Yorkshire Party 391

Kate Dodd – Green Party 652

James Hardwick – Conservative 1270

*Shabaan Saleem – Labour 1326

Wakefield West – Ward 20

Susan Hayes – Liberal Democrats 113

John Higson – Conservative 636

*Hilary Mitchell – Labour 1475

Susan Stretton – Heritage Party 169

Laura Towle – Green Party 383

Wrenthorpe and Outwood West – Ward 21

Waj Ali – Conservatives 462

David Dews – Reform UK 459

*Brendan Fraser – Labour 1558

Brent Hawksley – Yorkshire Party 208

Daniel Russell – Green Party 191

Nic Stansby – Wakefield and District Independents 981

Janet Walton – Liberal Democrats 73