Kirklees Council elections 2012: Who, what and where - results and analysis for all areas
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Labour celebrate L to r, Molly Walton, Paul Salveson, Graham Turner, Mehboob Khan and Naheed Mather
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Labour's Paul Salveson won in Golcar
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The Conservative's Mark Hemingway won Lindley
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Labour's Graham Turner was victorious in Denby Dale
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Counting in action
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Counting in action
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Defeated Lindley Lib-Dem Christine Stanfield
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Charles Greaves, independent for Holme Valley North who won the seat
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Phil Scott who won in Almondbury for the Lib Dems
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Christine Iredale lost Golcar for the Lib Dems
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Election count, Huddersfield Sports Centre
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Election count, Huddersfield Sports Centre
LABOUR moved within touching distance of an overall majority on Kirklees Council after gaining five seats.
Party activists celebrated wins across the district yesterday as voters turned on the Conservatives and Lib Dems.
Labour’s victims included Golcar Lib Dem Christine Iredale – who had been due to become mayor later this month.
Conservative Adrian Murphy, who had been due to serve as her deputy before taking the chains of office in 2013, also lost his seat in Kirkburton.
The Tories also lost Denby Dale and Dewsbury South to Labour – but picked up Lindley from the Lib Dems to finish on 18 seats overall.
In Holme Valley North the Conservatives lost to Charles Greaves, the third independent elected in the ward.
In Dalton Labour’s Naheed Mather unseated Lib Dem Rochelle Parchment.
Kirklees Labour leader Clr Mehboob Khan – who was easily re-elected in Greenhead – said the results showed the Conservatives had been wrong to focus their campaign on a proposal to divide the council in two.
“Splitting Kirklees was a Tory gimmick to try to detract from the key issues of creating employment and protecting health services,” he said.
“We campaigned on the important concerns and our policies resonated very strongly with local people.”
Clr Khan added that his 32-strong Labour group would continue to work with other parties on the 69-member council.
“I believe in these very difficult times people want politicians to work together to tackle the key issues and create employment.”
Labour’s winners included Paul Salveson, who unseated Lib Dem Christine Iredale in Golcar.
“I feel elated,” he said. “We fought a good principled campaign and focused on a combination of national and local issues.”
Party colleague Graham Turner was also happy after winning in Denby Dale at the sixth attempt.
“It’s a fantastic feeling,” said the Skelmanthorpe man.
“It’s been a long hard struggle but I’m glad the people of Denby Dale have placed their trust in me.”
