Garforth and Swillington (ward)

Garforth and Swillington
Garforth and Swillington
	Garforth and Swillington highlighted within Leeds
Population	16,205 (2023 electorate)
Metropolitan borough	City of Leeds ;
Metropolitan county	West Yorkshire ;
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber ;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
UK Parliament	Leeds East ;
Councillors	Mark Dobson(Garforth & Swillington Independents); Sarah Field(Garforth & Swillington Independents); Suzanne McCormack(Garforth & Swillington Independents);
	List of places UK England Yorkshire

Last updated April 28, 2025

Garforth and Swillington is an electoral ward of Leeds City Council in east Leeds, West Yorkshire, covering the town of Garforth as well as the villages of Great Preston and Swillington.

Boundaries

The Garforth and Swillington ward includes the civil parishes of:

Councillors

Election
1980	Greg Moakes (Lab)^[a]	David Lambert (Lab)	Ernest Smith (Lab)
1982	Greg Moakes (Lab)	David Lambert (Lab)	David Schofield (Con)^[4]
1983	Greg Moakes (Lab)	David Lambert (Lab)	David Schofield (Con)
1984	Greg Moakes (Lab)	David Lambert (Lab)	David Schofield (Con)^[b]
1986	Greg Moakes (Lab)	David Lambert (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1987	Greg Moakes (Lab)	John Ratchford (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1988	Greg Moakes (Lab)	John Ratchford (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1990	Greg Moakes (Lab)	John Ratchford (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1991	Greg Moakes (Lab)	Shirley Haines (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1992	Thomas Murray (Lab)^[5]	Shirley Haines (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1994	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Shirley Haines (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1995	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Shirley Haines (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1996	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Shirley Haines (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)
1998	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Shirley Haines (Lab)	Karen Groves (Lab)^[6]
1999	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)	Karen Groves (Lab)
2000	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)	Karen Groves (Lab)
2002	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Alan Groves (Lab)	Karen Marshall (Lab)^[c]
2003	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea Harrison (Lab)^[7]	Karen Marshall (Lab)
2004	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea Harrison (Lab)	Mark Phillips (Con)^[8]
2006	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea Harrison (Lab)	Mark Phillips (Con)
2007	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea Harrison (Lab)	Mark Dobson (Lab)
2008	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea McKenna (Lab)^[d]	Mark Dobson (Lab)
2010	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea McKenna (Lab)	Mark Dobson (Lab)
2011	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea McKenna (Lab)	Mark Dobson (Lab)
2012	Thomas Murray (Lab)	Andrea McKenna (Lab)	Mark Dobson (Lab)
2014	Stuart McKenna (Lab)^[9]	Andrea McKenna (Lab)	Mark Dobson (Lab)
2015	Stuart McKenna (Lab)	Andrea McKenna (Lab)	Mark Dobson (Lab)
2016	Stuart McKenna (Lab)	Sarah Field (Lab)	Mark Dobson (Lab)
February 2017	Stuart McKenna (Lab)	Sarah Field (GSI)	Mark Dobson (GSI)^[e]
2018	Suzanne McCormack (GSI)	Sarah Field (GSI)	Mark Dobson (GSI)
2019	Suzanne McCormack (GSI)	Sarah Field (GSI)	Mark Dobson (GSI)
2021	Suzanne McCormack (GSI)	Sarah Field (GSI)	Mark Dobson (GSI)
2022	Suzanne McCormack (GSI)	Sarah Field (GSI)	Mark Dobson (GSI)
2023	Suzanne McCormack (GSI)	Sarah Field (GSI)	Mark Dobson (GSI)
2024	Suzanne McCormack* (GSI)	Sarah Field* (GSI)	Mark Dobson* (GSI)

indicates seat up for re-election. indicates councillor defection. * indicates incumbent councillor.

Elections since 2010

May 2024

2024
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Sarah Field*	3,469	54.3	+0.3
	Labour	Alex Rayment	1,223	19.2	−0.6
	Conservative	Peter Bentley	778	12.8	−1.6
	Reform UK	Kieran White	336	5.3	New
	Green	Patrick Lynott	266	4.2	−1.9
	Liberal Democrats	Jake Knox	209	3.3	+0.2
	Independent	Tyler Wilson-Kerr	105	1.6	−0.8
Majority			2,246	35.1	+0.9
Turnout			6,424	39.9	+0.7
	Garforth and Swillington Independents hold		Swing	+0.5

May 2023

2023
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Suzanne McCormack*	3,428	54.0	−9.0
	Labour	Luke Murrow	1,257	19.8	+4.3
	Conservative	Peter Bentley	912	14.4	−1.5
	Green	Stephen Beer	384	6.1	+2.5
	Liberal Democrats	Jake Knox	195	3.1	+1.5
	Independent	Tyler Wilson-Kerr	152	2.4	N/A
Majority			2,171	34.2	−12.9
Turnout			6,347	39.2	−4.7
	Garforth and Swillington Independents hold		Swing

May 2022

2022
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Mark Dobson*	4,488	63.0	+14.2
	Conservative	Peter Youngs	1,133	15.9	−11.3
	Labour	David Nagle	1,107	15.5	−1.5
	Green	Stephen Beer	258	3.6	−1.9
	Liberal Democrats	Jake Knox	117	1.6	+0.6
Majority			3,355	47.1	+25.5
Turnout			7,127	43.9%	−3.6
	Garforth and Swillington Independents hold		Swing

May 2021

2021
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Sarah Field*	3,780	48.8	−14.1
	Conservative	Mark Barratt	2,105	27.2	+14.1
	Labour	Michael Bailey	1,317	17.0	+0.1
	Green	Steve Beer	420	5.5	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Jake Knox	79	1.0	−1.9
Majority			1,675	21.6	−24.4
Turnout			7,749	47.5	+7.8
	Garforth and Swillington Independents hold		Swing

May 2019

2019
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Suzanne McCormack*	4,007	62.9	+0.4
	Labour	Mark Pratt	1,077	16.9	−0.7
	Conservative	Linda Richards	837	13.1	−2.7
	For Britain	Michael Bolton	265	4.2	+2.2
	Liberal Democrats	Mitchell Galdas	186	2.9	+0.7
Majority			2,930	46.0	+1.1
Turnout			6,399	39.7	−10
	Garforth and Swillington Independents hold		Swing	+0.6

May 2018

2018
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Mark Dobson*	5,377	62.5	N/A
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Sarah Field*	4,738
	Garforth and Swillington Independents	Suzanne McCormack	4,361
	Labour	Annie Maloney	1,512	17.6	−37.6
	Labour	Mark Pratt	1,505
	Conservative	Joseph Blunt	1,358	15.8	−10.8
	Labour	Mirelle Midgley	1,354
	Conservative	Linda Richards	1,311
	Conservative	Jordan Young	1,181
	Liberal Democrats	Christine Golton	190	2.2	−0.1
	For Britain	Michael Bolton	168	2.0	N/A
Majority			3,865	44.9	+16.3
Turnout			16,203	49.7	+9.1
	Garforth and Swillington Independents gain from Labour
	Garforth and Swillington Independents gain from Labour
	Garforth and Swillington Independents gain from Labour

May 2016

2016
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sarah Field	3,582	55.2	−2.0
	Conservative	Daniel Farrell	1,726	26.6	−0.1
	UKIP	Terry Harkin	862	13.3	+2.3
	Green	Kieran White	175	2.7	−0.1
	Liberal Democrats	Mitchell Galdas	147	2.3	+0
Majority			1,856	28.6	−4.0
Turnout			6,492	40.6
	Labour hold		Swing

May 2015

2015
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Dobson*	6,737	57.2	−6.9
	Conservative	Daniel Farrell	3,137	26.7	−5.7
	UKIP	Mark Maniatt	1,297	11.0	+11.0
	Green	Lesley Jeffries	327	2.8	+2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Mitch Galdas	270	2.3	−1.1
Majority			3,600	30.6	−1.1
Turnout			11,768	72.4
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.6

May 2014

2014
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	Stuart McKenna	3,172	51.7
	Conservative	Ryan Stephenson	2,027	33.0
	Green	Yvonne Murray	709	11.6
	Liberal Democrats	Mitch Gladas	227	3.7
Majority			1,145
Turnout			6,135	38.5
	Labour hold		Swing

May 2012

2012
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Andrea McKenna*	3,499	58.0	−6.2
	Conservative	Louise Turner	1,785	29.6	−2.8
	English Democrat	Stephen Elliot	544	9.0	+9.0
	Liberal Democrats	Christine Golton	208	3.4	+0.0
Majority			1,714	28.4	−3.3
Turnout			6,036
	Labour hold		Swing	-1.7

May 2011

2011
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Dobson*	4,906	64.1	+20.4
	Conservative	Ryan Stephenson	2,479	32.4	−2.2
	Liberal Democrats	Christine Golton	263	3.4	−12.4
Majority			2,427	31.7	+22.5
Turnout			7,648	48
	Labour hold		Swing	+11.3

May 2010

2010
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Thomas Murray*	5,007	43.8	+1.2
	Conservative	Ryan Stephenson	3,955	34.6	−4.6
	Liberal Democrats	Simon Dowling	1,811	15.8	+8.3
	BNP	Graham Misson	668	5.8	−4.8
Majority			1,052	9.2	+5.9
Turnout			11,441	71.8	+27.1
	Labour hold		Swing	+2.9

Notes

↑ Moakes had been a Kippax and Swillington ward councillor since 1973.
↑ For the next election in 1986, Schofield successfully stood instead as the Conservative candidate for Halton ward and did not re-stand for Garforth and Swillington. He later represented Temple Newsam ward.
↑ Groves stood under her new name of Karen Marshall. She lost her re-election bid at the 2004 election and, then Karen Bruce, was later elected for Rothwell ward in 2011.
↑ Harrison had married Armley councillor James McKenna and taken his name since her last election.
↑ Dobson resigned from the Labour council group to form and lead a new Garforth & Swillington Independents group on the council. He stated he was "increasingly uncomfortable with the direction and leadership of the Leeds Labour group." His ward colleague, Sarah Field, resigned the Labour whip three days later. She cited similar concerns to Dobson having "grown increasingly uneasy with the direction, priorities and manoeuvring of the Labour Group”.^[10]^[11]

References

↑ "Councillor Mark Dobson". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor Sarah Field". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor Suzanne McCormack". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor David Schofield". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 12 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor Thomas Murray". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor Karen Bruce". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 12 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor Andrea McKenna". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor Mark Phillips". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Councillor Stuart McKenna". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Ex Leeds council cabinet chief quits ruling Labour group amid claims of stifled debate and poor leadership". Yorkshire Evening Post . Retrieved 10 December 2018.
↑ "Leeds council in chaos? Second councillor quits ruling Labour group within three days". Yorkshire Evening Post . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

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[4] Moakes had been a Kippax and Swillington ward councillor since 1973.

[6] For the next election in 1986, Schofield successfully stood instead as the Conservative candidate for Halton ward and did not re-stand for Garforth and Swillington. He later represented Temple Newsam ward.

[9] Groves stood under her new name of Karen Marshall. She lost her re-election bid at the 2004 election and, then Karen Bruce, was later elected for Rothwell ward in 2011.

[12] Harrison had married Armley councillor James McKenna and taken his name since her last election.

[16] Dobson resigned from the Labour council group to form and lead a new Garforth & Swillington Independents group on the council. He stated he was "increasingly uncomfortable with the direction and leadership of the Leeds Labour group." His ward colleague, Sarah Field, resigned the Labour whip three days later. She cited similar concerns to Dobson having "grown increasingly uneasy with the direction, priorities and manoeuvring of the Labour Group”.^[10]^[11]

[1] "Councillor Mark Dobson". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[2] "Councillor Sarah Field". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[3] "Councillor Suzanne McCormack". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[5] "Councillor David Schofield". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 12 December 2018.

[7] "Councillor Thomas Murray". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[8] "Councillor Karen Bruce". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 12 December 2018.

[10] "Councillor Andrea McKenna". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[11] "Councillor Mark Phillips". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[13] "Councillor Stuart McKenna". democracy.leeds.gov.uk. Leeds City Council . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[14] "Ex Leeds council cabinet chief quits ruling Labour group amid claims of stifled debate and poor leadership". Yorkshire Evening Post . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

[15] "Leeds council in chaos? Second councillor quits ruling Labour group within three days". Yorkshire Evening Post . Retrieved 10 December 2018.

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