2012 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election

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2012 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election
Unofficial Flag of West Yorkshire.svg
  2011 3 May 2012 2014  

17 of 51 seats on Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
26 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderTim Swift
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Leader's seatTown
Seats before132113
Seats won953
Seats after201712
Seat changeIncrease2.svg7Decrease2.svg4Decrease2.svg1

Leader before election

Janet Battye
Liberal Democrat (UK)

Leader after election

Tim Swift
Labour

2012 local election results in Calderdale Calderdale UK ward map 2012 Election.svg
2012 local election results in Calderdale

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. 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]

Contents

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 2022, seventeen seats were up for election. Labour won eleven seats, the Conservatives won 4 seats, and the Liberal Democrats and Greens both won one seat.

Positions up for election in 2023 were last elected in 2019. In that election, Labour won ten seats, the Conservatives won four, the Liberal Democrats won two and independent candidates won one seat.

Electoral process

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. [3] [4] The election used 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 were 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 took place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters were able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

Council results

PartyCouncillorsVotes
Of totalNetOf totalNet
Labour 100
10 / 17
22,90444.1%-1.1%
Conservative 40
4 / 17
15,20829.3%-3.4%
Liberal Democrats 20
2 / 17
6,57012.6%+0.8%
Green 1+1
1 / 17
6,29112.1%+3.0%
Freedom Alliance00
0 / 17
3660.7%+0.5%
Independent 0-1
0 / 17
2880.6%+0.4%

The 2012 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council in West Yorkshire, England. [5] This was on the same day as other 2012 United Kingdom local elections. After the election the council continued to have no overall control and continue to be run by a coalition between the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats.

The Warley Councillor Keith Hutson stepped down in 2012 for health reasons. A by-election was held on 19 July 2012. The seat was held by the Liberal Democrats with James Baker winning the seat. [6]

In this year Councillor Nader Fekri for Calder ward defected to Labour from the Liberal Democrats in 2012 saying that he could no longer support the coalition in the national parliament with the Conservatives. [7]

In April 2013 the coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats collapsed as Labour pulled out over disagreements over benefit cuts. [8] Labour continued to run the council as a minority administration. [9]

Council composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:

13211313
LabourConservativeLib DemILDInd

After the election the composition of the council was:

2017122
LabourConservativeLib DemInd
PartyPrevious councilNew council
Labour 1320
Conservative 2117
Liberal Democrats 1312
Independent 32
Ind. Lib Dem 10
Total5151

Ward results

Brighouse ward

Brighouse
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ann Martin 1,329 47.1 +25.1
Conservative Howard Blagbrough1,19542.3+2.1
Liberal Democrats Jennie Rigg 2739.828.0
Majority 1344.7
Turnout 2,82232.76.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

The incumbent was Howard Blagbrough for the Conservative Party.

Calder ward

Calder
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Janet Battye 1,599 39.1 +7.0
Labour Susan Press1,45435.5+4.8
Green Kate Sweeny54113.210.9
Conservative Gail Lund47711.71.4
Majority 1453.5
Turnout 4,09344.9+3.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

The incumbent was Janet Battye for the Liberal Democrats.

Elland ward

Elland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Pat Allen 950 36.4 7.6
Labour Angi Gallagher82931.8+20.4
Conservative Mike Payne59522.86.4
Green Susan Thomas2258.6+3.1
Majority 1214.6
Turnout 2,60730.92.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

The incumbent was Pat Allen for the Liberal Democrats.

Greetland & Stainland ward

Greetland & Stainland
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Malcolm James 1,121 41.4 4.3
Conservative Keith Watson75127.83.4
Labour Jim Gallagher52719.5+11.3
Green Mark Mullany29711.0+5.4
Majority 37013.7
Turnout 2,70531.94.79
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

The incumbent was Keith Watson for the Conservative Party.

Hipperholme & Lightcliffe ward

Hipperholme & Lightcliffe
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Graham Hall 1,322 42.8 25.7
Independent Chris O'Connor93030.1N/A
Labour Anthony Rutherford72225.4+9.8
Liberal Democrats Mat Bowles1063.414.5
Majority 39212.7
Turnout 3,09035.33.1
Conservative hold Swing

The incumbent was Graham Hall for the Conservative Party.

Illingworth & Mixenden ward

Illingworth & Mixenden
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Lisa Lambert 1,224 40.8 +11.4
Independent Tom Bates96832.36.1
Conservative Andrew Tagg67322.40.6
Independent Sean Loftus762.51.1
Liberal Democrats Glen Mattock501.73.9
Majority 2568.5
Turnout 2,99832.74.4
Labour gain from Independent Swing

The incumbent was Tom Bates, an independent.

Luddendenfoot ward

Luddendenfoot
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Simon Young 1,263 41.3 +25.0
Liberal Democrats Christine Bampton-Smith94831.010.4
Conservative Gillian Smith-Moorhouse82326.95.4
Majority 31510.3
Turnout 3,06037.93.1
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

The incumbent was Christine Bampton-Smith for the Liberal Democrats.

Northowram & Shelf ward

Northowram & Shelf
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Caffrey 1,705 56.6 +7.6
Labour Gary Walsh1,09436.3+21.6
Liberal Democrats Kenneth Albret1816.00.7
Majority 61120.3
Turnout 3,01433.17.0
Conservative hold Swing

The incumbent was Graham Hall for the Conservative Party.

Ovenden ward

Ovenden
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Anne Collins 1,255 68.1 +23.3
Conservative Christopher Blakey36719.95.4
Liberal Democrats John Reynolds18610.13.0
Majority 88843.2
Turnout 1,84321.83.6
Labour hold Swing

The incumbent was Danielle Coombs for the Labour Party.

Park ward

Park
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jenny Lynn 2,657 63.6 +25.9
Conservative Shakir Saghir83820.1+9.1
Liberal Democrats Mohammad Ilyas65115.625.7
Majority 1,81943.6
Turnout 4,17646.14.8
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

The incumbent was Mohammad Ilyas for the Liberal Democrats.

Rastrick ward

Rastrick
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ann McAllister 1,311 49.8 +0.8
Labour Peter Judge1,04639.8+18.6
TUSC Rob Bailey2589.8N/A
Majority 26510.1
Turnout 2,63130.66.5
Conservative hold Swing

The incumbent was Ann McAllister for the Conservative Party.

Ryburn ward

Ryburn
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Geraldine Carter 1,253 44.9 9.3
Labour Judy Gannon94433.8+17.5
Green Freda Davis34912.5N/A
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Tatchell2298.221.3
Majority 30911.1
Turnout 2,79031.64.4
Conservative hold Swing

The incumbent was Geraldine Carter for the Conservative Party.

Skircoat ward

Skircoat
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Hardy 1,496 41.0 13.0
Liberal Democrats Stephen Gow1,10430.32.8
Labour Alistair Millington77821.3+13.5
Green Charles Gate2516.9+1.8
Majority 39210.7
Turnout 3,64738.43.8
Conservative hold Swing

The incumbent was John Hardy for the Conservative Party.

Sowerby Bridge ward

Sowerby Bridge
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Adam Wilkinson 1,422 52.5 +23.1
Conservative Andrew Feather91538.88.8
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Ward33012.20.2
Majority 50718.7
Turnout 2,70932.03.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

The incumbent was Amanda Byrne for the Conservative Party.

Todmorden ward

Todmorden
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Steve Sweeney 1,072 35.2 +8.7
Liberal Democrats Olwen Jennings87428.7+0.4
Conservative Ian Cooper58319.113.4
BPP David Jones2578.4N/A
Green John Nesbitt2468.1N/A
Majority 1986.5
Turnout 3,04534.33.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

The incumbent was Ian Cooper for the Conservative Party.

Town ward

Town
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Megan Swift 1,389 63.0 +23.5
Conservative Stephen Collins57626.1+1.8
Liberal Democrats Ruth Coleman-Taylor2069.30.9
Majority 2,20525.2
Turnout 2,20525.25.9
Labour hold Swing

The incumbent was Megan Swift for the Labour Party.

Warley ward

Warley
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Martin Burton 1,259 40.8 +27.8
Liberal Democrats James Baker1,14637.114.7
Conservative Christopher Pearson65821.30.5
Majority 1133.7
Turnout 3,08935.52.6
Labour gain from Ind. Lib Dem Swing

The incumbent was Robert Pearson, an independent Liberal Democrat.

By-elections between 2012 and 2014

Warley ward, 2012

Warley By-Election 19 July 2012 [10] [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats James Douglas Baker 1,066 41.56
Labour Jonathan Charles Timbers89634.93
Conservative Christopher James Pearson45417.70
Green Charles Gate1405.46
Majority 1706.63
Turnout 2,56529.06
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

References

  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. "Local government structure and elections". GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  4. "Election Timetable in England" (PDF).
  5. "Local elections 2012". BBC News. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  6. Lib-Dems hold on in Warley by-election. Halifax Courier. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  7. Nader Fekri’s resignation letter. Halifax Courier. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  8. Coalition deal to run Calderdale Council is ended by Labour group. Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  9. Council’s new way is ‘fairer’. Halifax Courier. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  10. Warley Ward By-Election, 2012. calderdale.gov.uk.
  11. Lib-Dems hold on in Warley by-election. The Halifax Evening Courier.