Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council
Third of council elected three years out of four

Kirklees Council Logo
Type
Type
Houses Unicameral
Term limits
 None
History
Founded 1 April 1974
Leadership
Leader
David Sheard, Labour
Since 30 June 2016
Deputy Leader
Shabir Pandor, Labour
Since 30 June 2016
Structure
Seats 69 councillors
Joint committees
 West Yorkshire Combined Authority
34 / 69
20 / 69
9 / 69
3 / 69
3 / 69
Elections
Multiple member first-past-the-post
Last election
 2016 (one third of councillors)
Next election
 2018 (one third of councillors)
Meeting place
Huddersfield Town Hall
Website
www.kirklees.gov.uk
Constitution
Constitution

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council, also known simply as Kirklees Council, is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It is a metropolitan district council, one of five in West Yorkshire and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties of England, and provides the majority of local government services in Kirklees. Since 1 April 2014 it has been a constituent council of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.[1]

Since the councils inception in 1974 it has been controlled by both the Conservatives and Labour on occasions. However, since 1999 no single political party has had control of the council and as such the council is currently in a state of "No Overall Control". [2]

History

The council was formed in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, with the first elections being held in advance in 1973.

Until 1986 the council was a second-tier authority, with West Yorkshire County Council providing many key services. However, the metropolitan county councils were abolished under the Local Government Act 1985 and the council took responsibility for all former County Council functions except policing, fire services and public transport which continue to be run on a joint basis by councillors from the former boroughs of West Yorkshire County Council.

In 2004 the wards of the council were redrawn, and there was therefore a general election of the entire council.[3] The local government election in June 2004 was for all seats of the council. The electorate were given three votes each to fill the three seats of each ward. The candidate with the most votes was elected for the standard four years, the candidate with the second highest number of votes was elected for three years and the candidate with the third highest number of votes was elected for two years; their seat therefore being up for re-election in 2006.

Kirklees Council "Ratesgate" Scandal

In June 2016 local newspaper The Huddersfield Daily Examiner exposed four serving councillors who had failed to pay their council tax.[4] It was revealed that Labour councillors Jean Calvert, Amanda Pinnock, Mohammed Sarwar and Amanda Stubley had all been issued with court summons for non-payment of council tax after previously receiving several reminders. Initially all councillors denied the allegations.[5]

Councillor Calvert who was deputy leader of the council and a former Mayor and Councillor Amanda Pinnock were soon suspended from the Labour Party pending an investigation for "bringing the Labour Party into disrepute".[6] It was the second time in as many years that Councillor Calvert had failed to pay her council tax on time. Councillor Pinnock meanwhile accused the local newspaper The Huddersfield Daily Examiner of being racist. [7]

Councillor Mohammed Sarwar who owed £1,186.16 explained his reasons for his actions. Councillor Amanda Stubley failed to comment. [8]

All four councillors subsequently paid their debts before facing the court. [9]

2016 Kirklees Council Leadership Coup

Shortly after the 2016 local elections the incumbent leader of the council, David Sheard, was voted out of the position by his own party (Labour).[10] He lost a vote by 19 votes to 13 in favour of Councillor Shabir Pandor who became Leader of the Kirklees Labour Party and Leader Elect of the council.[11] This resulted in a bitter social media dispute between the two Labour councillors with Councillor Sheard stating there had been a coup within the Labour Party.[12] [13]

On 25 May 2016 Councillor Pandor was put forward to full council by the Labour Party for election as leader of the council. He lost the vote by 33 votes to 31.[14] For the first time in over 30 years Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent councillors voted against the leader elect, whilst four Labour Party councillors abstained.[15] As such Councillor Pandor became the first ever leader of the largest political party on the council to fail to secure leadership of Kirklees Council.[16]The leaders of all three opposition parties stated for various reasons that Councillor Pandor could not be "trusted" with the leadership of the council.[17]

As a result of Councillor Pandor's failed leadership bid the council was run temporarily by the Chief Executive - Adrian Lythgo - between May and June 2016.[18]

On 30 June 2016 the Kirklees Labour Party re-elected Councillor David Sheard as leader of the Kirklees Labour Party, less than 60 days after the party voted him out of the same position. He was also re-elected Leader of Kirklees Council, with Councillor Pandor standing as deputy leader. [19]

Elections

Electoral arrangements

The borough is divided into 23 wards and each is represented on the borough council by three councillors: the council therefore has 69 members. Elections are held by thirds, with one councillor in each ward being elected for a four-year term in three years out of four on first past the post basis. Exceptions to this include by-elections and ward boundary changes.

Political history

All three of the United Kingdom's main political parties: the Labour Party, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have had strong representation on the council. Each of the parties has formed the largest group on the council at some point in the last fifteen years, although none has been able to gain a majority. Each party has a number of "safe" wards, where they have held all or most of the seats at each election since 2004:[20][21]

Most of the other wards may be seen as "marginal", with different parties capturing them in different years.

The Green Party has been represented on the council since 1996, when they won a seat in the Newsome ward. Since then, the ward has consistently elected Green Party councillors. The ward is centred on Newsome village, but also includes Lowerhouses, Lockwood, Berry Brow, Hall Bower, Taylor Hill, Primrose Hill, Armitage Bridge, Ashenhurst and Salford. Also included in the ward is the majority of Huddersfield town centre, the university campus, halls of residence and other student accommodation.[22]

The British National Party succeeded in having a councillor elected for Heckmondwike in 2004.[20] They increased their representation to three councillors at the 2006 elections when they gained a further councillor at Heckmondwike and one at Dewsbury East. The party lost one of their Heckmondwike seats at the 2008 election to Labour.[20] The Dewsbury councillor subsequently quit the party to become an independent, before resigning the seat which was won by Labour at a by-election in October 2008.[23][24] The party therefore had a single councillor in 2009 who lost in 2010 and so there are currently no BNP Councillors. All the BNP councillors were in North Kirklees covering the Batley and Dewsbury areas.

In 2006 a "Save Huddersfield NHS" group was formed to campaign against plans to move medical services from Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to Halifax. The group fielded three candidates at the borough elections, and a local general practitioner unseated a sitting Liberal Democrat councillor in the Crosland Moor & Netherton ward.[25] The group ran candidates in the same ward in 2007 and 2008 but they failed to be elected.

Current political make-up

As of the 2016 elections the council remains in "No Overall Control", with Labour 1 seat short of a majority.

The political make-up of the council is as follows;

Party political make-up of Kirklees Council
   Party Seats Current Council (2016)
2012[26] 2014[27] 2015[28]
  Labour 32 32 34                                                                                                                                          
  Conservative 18 18 18                                                                                                                                          
  Liberal Democrat 10 10 10                                                                                                                                          
  Green Party 5 5 4                                                                                                                                          
  Independent 4 4 3                                                                                                                                          
↓
34 20 9 3 3
Labour Conservative Liberal Democrat Green Ind

Previous election results

2016 election

Summary of the May 2016 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election results
Parties
 Seats Gains Losses Net
Gain/Loss
Labour 34110
Conservative 2031+2
Liberal Democrat 912-1
Green 301-1
Independent 3000

2015 election

Summary of the May 2015 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election results
Parties
 Seats Gains Losses Net
Gain/Loss
Labour 3420+2
Conservative 18110
Liberal Democrat 10000
Green 401-1
Independent 301-1

2014 election

Summary of the May 2014 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election results
Parties
 Seats Gains Losses Net
Gain/Loss
Labour 32000
Conservative 18000
Liberal Democrat 10000
Green 5000
Independent 4000

2012 election

Summary of the May 2012 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election results
Parties
 Seats Gains Losses Net
Gain/Loss
Labour 3250+5
Conservative 1814-3
Liberal Democrat 1004-4
Green 510+1
Independent 410+1

2011 election

Summary of the May 2011 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election results
Parties
 Seats Gains Losses Net
Gain/Loss
Labour 2730+3
Conservative 2120+2
Liberal Democrat 1406-6
Green 4000
Independent 3000

2010 election

Summary of the May 2010 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council election results
Parties
 Seats Gains Losses Net
Gain/Loss
Labour 2420+2
Conservative 1902-2
Liberal Democrat 2010+1
Green 4000
Independent 2000

Summary of election results 1973 - 2016

The first elections to Kirklees council were held on 10 May 1973, with the councillors serving as a shadow authority until 1 April of the next year. A system of elections by thirds was then introduced from 1975, with polls being held in three years out of four. This continued until 1982 when new ward boundaries were introduced, and an election of the whole council was held.[29] Elections by thirds continued from that date until 2016.

Election Labour Conservative Liberal Democrat/Liberal UKIP Green Independent Other Control
1973[30] 45 14 8 0 0 1 0 Labour
1975[31] 36 28 7 0 0 1 0 Labour hold
1976[32] 25 50 9 0 0 0 0 Conservative gain from Labour
1978[33] 15 48 9 0 0 0 0 Conservative hold
1979[34] 32 35 5 0 0 0 0 Conservative lose to no overall control
1980[35] 44 25 3 0 0 0 0 Labour gain from no overall control
1982[29][36] 37 19 12 0 0 0 4 Labour hold
1983[37] 37 20 12 0 0 0 3 Labour hold
1984[38] 37 18 14 0 0 0 3 Labour hold
1986[39] 36 18 17 0 0 1 0 Labour hold
1987[40] 33 21 18 0 0 0 0 Labour lose to no overall control
1988[41] 33 23 15 0 0 1 0 No overall control
1990[42] 45 15 12 0 0 0 0 Labour gain from no overall control
1992[43] 41 19 10 0 0 2 0 Labour hold
1994[44] 35 21 15 0 0 1 0 Labour lose to no overall control
1995[45] 40 16 14 0 0 2 0 Labour gain from no overall control
1996[46] 45 6 18 0 1 1 1 vacancy Labour hold
1998[47] 43 7 20 0 2 0 0 Labour hold
1999[48] 36 10 23 0 3 0 0 Labour lose to no overall control
2000[49] 25 15 29 0 3 0 0 No overall control
2002[50] 26 15 28 0 3 0 0 No overall control
2003[51] 22 16 31 0 3 0 0 No overall control
2004[52] 17 22 25 0 3 1 1 No overall control
2006[53] 20 21 20 0 3 1 4 No overall control
2007[54] 22 20 18 0 4 1 4 No overall control
2008[55] 22 21 19 0 4 0 3 No overall control
2010[56] 24 19 20 0 4 2 0 No overall control
2011[57] 27 21 14 0 4 3 0 No overall control
2012[58] 32 18 10 0 5 4 0 No overall control
2014[59] 32 18 10 0 5 4 0 No overall control
2015[60] 34 18 10 0 4 3 0 No overall control
2016[61] 34 20 9 0 3 3 0 No overall control

Mayor's

A list of the previous Mayor's of Kirklees.

Name Party Years
Councillor Reginald Hartley, M.B.E., J.P Labour 1974–1975
Councillor William Gregory Labour 1975–1976
Councillor Andrew Alastair Mason Conservative 1976–1977
Councillor Jack Brooke Conservative 1977–1978
Councillor Charles Cyril Kenchington, M.B.E., Major (Retired) Independent 1978–1979
Councillor Donald White Labour 1979–1980
Councillor Marjorie Fisher Labour 1980–1981
Councillor Fred Pickles, J.P. Labour 1981–1982
Councillor Jack Wood Labour 1982–1983
Councillor Alfred Ramsden Labour 1983–1984
Councillor Stanley Dawson Labour 1984–1985
Councillor Colin C. Walker, J.P. Labour 1985–1986
Councillor Mary Walsh Labour 1986–1987
Councillor George Speight, J.P. Labour 1987–1988
Councillor John Greaves Holt Conservative 1988–1989
Councillor Colin Watson Labour 1989–1990
Councillor Thomas Patrick O'Donovan Labour 1990–1991
Councillor Jack Brooke Labour 1991–1992
Councillor David A. Wright, O.B.E., J.P. Labour 1992–1993
Councillor John Mernagh, J.P. Labour 1993–1994
Councillor Harold Sheldon Labour 1994–1995
Councillor Kenneth Douglas Sims Conservative 1995–1996
Councillor Allison Harrison Labour 1996–1997
Councillor Rita Briggs Labour 1997–1998
Councillor Michael Bower Liberal Democrats 1998–1999
Councillor Harry Fox Labour 1999–2000
Councillor Ann Elspeth Denham Conservative 2000–2001
Councillor Mohan Singh Sokhal, J.P. Labour 2001–2002
Councillor Margaret R. Bates, D.L. Conservative 2002–2003
Councillor Barbara Allonby Liberal Democrats 2003–2004
Councillor Mary Harkin Labour 2004–2005
Councillor Margaret Fearnley Liberal Democrats 2005–2006
Councillor Donald Firth Conservative 2006–2007
Councillor Jean Calvert Labour 2007–2008
Councillor Kamran Hussain Liberal Democrats 2008–2009
Councillor Julie Stewart-Turner Green Party 2009–2010
Councillor Andrew Palfreeman Conservative 2010–2011
Councillor Eric Firth Labour 2011–2012
Councillor David Ridgway Liberal Democrats 2012–2013
Councillor Martyn Bolt Conservative 2013–2014
Councillor Ken Smith Labour 2014–2015
Councillor Paul Kane Labour 2015–2016
Councillor Jim Dodds Conservative 2016–Present

Area committees

The borough council has divided its area into twelve areas, made up of groupings of wards. Area committees consist of the metropolitan borough councillors for the local wards, parish councillors and co-opted members of "partner agencies". The committees scrutinise local services, formulate community action plans and liaise with the community.[62]

The committee areas and their constituent wards are as follows:[62]

Localities

A number of services in the borough are delivered on a "locality" basis. Examples include West Yorkshire Police, National Health Service Primary Care Trusts, and the Kirklees Children and Young People Service.[63] The seven localities are:

References

  1. ↑ "The West Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2014".
  2. ↑ "Previous Local elections summary". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "The Borough of Kirklees (Electoral Changes) Order 2003". Office of Public Sector Information. 2003. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  4. ↑ "Named: The Kirklees councillors summonsed over council tax arrears". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Named: The Kirklees councillors summonsed over council tax arrears". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "Councillors suspended by the Labour party after council tax controversy". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Councillors suspended by the Labour party after council tax controversy". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Kirklees Council ratesgate: Here's everything you need to know about the councillors". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Named: The Kirklees councillors summonsed over council tax arrears". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Kirklees Council leader Clr David Sheard announces shock departure". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Toppled Kirklees Council leader David Sheard takes to Twitter to vent anger". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  12. ↑ "Toppled Kirklees Council leader David Sheard takes to Twitter to vent anger". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  13. ↑ "Ousted Kirklees Council leader speaks out over Labour coup against him". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  14. ↑ "Chaotic scenes as Kirklees Council struggles to find a new leader". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  15. ↑ "Chaotic scenes as Kirklees Council struggles to find a new leader". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "Chaotic scenes as Kirklees Council struggles to find a new leader". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "Put up or shut up!' Angry Kirklees Council leader-elect Shabir Pandor vows to fight on". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  18. ↑ "Chaotic scenes as Kirklees Council struggles to find a new leader". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  19. ↑ "Re-elected Kirklees Council leader David Sheard adds new faces to his top team Angry Kirklees Council leader-elect Shabir Pandor vows to fight on". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 "Local elections 2007 - Election summary". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  21. ↑ "Results for the 01 May 2008 District Council Election". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  22. ↑ "Newsome ward - unemployment, employment, welfare benefits" (PDF).
  23. ↑ "BNP 'shocked' after councillor quits party". Huddersfield Examiner. 14 July 2008. p. 7.
  24. ↑ "Labour delight at poll victory". Huddersfield Examiner. 18 October 2008. p. 15.
  25. ↑ "A Clear Mesage". Huddersfield Examiner. 6 May 2006. p. 1.
  26. ↑ https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/voting-and-elections/district-council-results-030512.aspx
  27. ↑ https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/voting-and-elections/district-council-results-220514.aspx
  28. ↑ http://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=1&RPID=500914053
  29. 1 2 "How the councils fared". The Times. 8 May 1982. p. 2.
  30. ↑ "Three major parties find cause for satisfaction in local election results despite low poll". The Times. 14 May 1973.
  31. ↑ "Tories capture 199 seats in 'big cities' poll triumph, May Day blow to Labour as the Tories make many gains in district council elections". The Times. 2 May 1975.
  32. ↑ "Tories seize cities but fail to achieve expected landslide". The Times. 7 May 1976.
  33. ↑ "Power shift in only eight of 80 councils outside London". The Times. 6 May 1978. p. 3.
  34. ↑ Whitaker's Almanac, 1980
  35. ↑ "Labour makes gains throughout Britain in local government elections". The Times. 2 May 1980. p. 4.
  36. ↑ "Conservative candidates hold ground as Alliance bandwagon falters". The Times. 7 May 1982. p. 2.
  37. ↑ "How votes were cast in local government elections". The Times. 7 May 1983. p. 4.
  38. ↑ "Labour captures Birmingham, Tories hold Birmingham". The Times. 6 May 1983. p. 4.
  39. ↑ "How the main parties fared in Britain's local elections". The Times. 10 May 1986.
  40. ↑ "Results in Thiursday's local elections". The Times. 9 May 1987.
  41. ↑ "The gains and losses: Council election results in full". The Times. 7 May 1988.
  42. ↑ "Local election results". The Times. 5 May 1990.
  43. ↑ "Local election results 1992". The Times. 9 May 1992. p. 6.
  44. ↑ "Local elections: Tories lose 18 councils in worst poll performance". The Guardian. 7 May 1994. p. 4.
  45. ↑ "Complete list of results from Thursday's local elections". The Times. 6 May 1995. p. 10.
  46. ↑ "Complete list of results". The Times. 4 May 1996. p. 8.
  47. ↑ "Local election results". The Times. 9 May 1998. p. 46.
  48. ↑ "How Britain voted: Council election results". The Independent. 8 May 1999. p. 12.
  49. ↑ "Election results: Local councils". The Times. 6 May 2000. p. 10.
  50. ↑ "Election results: Local councils". The Times. 4 May 2002. p. 16.
  51. ↑ "Election results". Financial Times. 3 May 2003. p. 8.
  52. ↑ "Local elections 2004 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  53. ↑ "Local elections 2006 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  54. ↑ "Local elections 2007 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  55. ↑ "Results for the 01 May 2008 District Council Election". Kirklees Council. May 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  56. ↑ "Local elections 2010 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  57. ↑ "Local elections 2010 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  58. ↑ "Local elections 2012 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  59. ↑ "Local elections 2014 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  60. ↑ "Local elections 2015 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. April 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  61. ↑ "Local elections 2016 - Election summary". Voting and elections. Kirklees Council. May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  62. 1 2 "Article 10 - Area Committees" (PDF). Constitution. Kirklees Council. November 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  63. ↑ "Locality profiles". Kirklees Council. October 2008. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
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