Calderdale elections results: This is how they day unfolded as Labour remained in control
Here is our blog of how they day unfolded.
Live results and reaction from Calderdale local elections
Political parties lose experience as councillors step down
Calderdale councillors said goodbye to some cross-party experience with some long serving colleagues.
Labour group leader Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town) paid tribute to three of his party’s councillors who were retiring, including Coun Anne Collins, stepping down in Ovdenden, highlighting work she had done to support the council’s children and young people’s services, including chairing the fostering panel.
He praised Coun Lisa Lambert’s ongoing dedication to her north Halifax community in Mixenden and Illingworth and the experience in youth and community work Coun Steve Sweeney, who is stepping down in Todmorden, brought to the council, serving in Cabinet for a spell and chairing the Planning Committee.
Conservative group leader Coun Steven Leigh, and senior Conservative Coun Stephen Baines, paid tribute to Coun John Hardy, standing down in Skircoat ward, and Coun Geraldine Carter, retiring in Ryburn.
Coun Hardy was Mayor of Calderdale in 2012-13, and had served first Warley and then Skircoat from the 1980s and held many positions within the council.
Coun Leigh said Coun Carter had served her ward for 23 years and her community in many roles which included representing the borough on orgainsations ranging from the Rochdale Canal Trust to the Community Foundation for Calderdale.
In politics her roles included work on Ripponden Parish Council and standing as a Parliamentary candidate in Bradford South, and for the role of West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
Whether at very local level, such as serving as a Governor at Ripponden Primary School, or boosting Calderdale as a member of the Yorkshire Tourism Committee, it had been a remarkable career in public service, with Coun Carter serving as Mayor of Calderdale in 2003-04.
What issues could have influenced people’s vote
John Greenwood, our Local Democracy Reporter who will be live at the count today has looked at certain issues which could have influenced voters. This is what he had to say.
Major decisions have been taken by Labour’s cabinet, including on infrastructure, with projects being developed including corridor programmes and further stages of the major A629 scheme, addressing climate emergency and developing schemes to invigorate public transport including new bus and rail stations for Halifax and a new rail station at Elland, among policies the party believes benefit Calderdale.
But some have been controversial, including the closure of some public buildings including smaller libraries and heritage buildings such as Clay House at Greetland – community or interest groups are being offered the opportunity to take on the running of these – under the Future Council plans.
Labour argues it did not want to do this but has been compelled to do so to balance the budget after a decade of funding cuts from central Government (with the Conservatives arguing this followed a national deficit left by the outgoing Labour Government in 2010 and Liberal Democrats urging Cabinet to step up exploration of commercial operations, for example a council lottery scheme, to fill spending gaps).
They have proved talking and action points and it remains to be seen if these have impact at the ballot box.
Local Plan a key talking point
Calderdale’s Local Plan has also become a key talking point in the borough. John Greenwood added this.
Last year saw stage two of hearings into Calderdale’s draft Local Plan, with more hearings set for June – in some parts of Calderdale, particularly Brighouse, Rastrick, Hipperholme, Northowram and Shelf and Greetland and Stainland, where the plan includes potential sites for hundreds or even thousands of new homes.
The Government requires every authority to have a Local Plan, which earmarks where new homes might be built into the 2030s and the soundness of any of these plans is decided by a Government-appointed Planning Inspector who runs the hearings.
Labour has argued that their plan allows for potential economic growth in the future but this model is challenged by some other parties and groups, with residents concerned about issues ranging from infrastructure to loss of green areas.
Seats being defended by political parties
Labour are defending eight seats this year, in Calder, Illingworth and Mixenden, Luddenden Foot, Ovenden, Park, Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden and Town, and the bottom line for the party to continue running the council alone is that they need to retain at least six of those, or make compensatory gains for any losses.
The Conservatives are defending Northowram and Shelf, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe, Rastrick, Brighouse, Ryburn and Skircoat, while the Liberal Democrats are defending seats in Elland, Warley and two in Greetland and Stainland.
If either of these parties managed to hold their seats and make enough gains at Labour’s expense, the council would revert to no overall control.
What is the current make up of Calderdale Council
Labour goes into the election as the ruling group, its 28 councillors giving the party a three-seat majority over all other councillors including the opposition Conservatives, who have 12 seats, the Liberal Democrats, who have held seven, and four independent councillors.
The winning line for any group to have an overall majority is 26 councillors.
How the vote count is different from other years
The Calderdale Council elections taking place on May 6 should have been contested in May 2020 but had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Its impact is being felt in the way the counting of votes will take place at the usual venue, North Bridge Leisure Centre at Halifax. Click here to see all the changes that have been for the count today.
Recap of candidates
Before the count gets underway here is a recap of all the candidates standing in Calderdale. Click here
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.