Council taxpayers in Mirfield could face a bill of up to £15,000 for a “needless” by-election.

A row has erupted on Tory-dominated Mirfield Town Council after claims of political manoeuvring which saw a newly-elected Labour councillor ousted without ever taking up his seat.

Veteran former councillor Michael Hutchinson was elected in the Battyeford ward in May but he left the country shortly after to visit a terminally-ill relative in Canada.

Mirfield councillor, Michael Hutchinson
Mirfield councillor, Michael Hutchinson

As a result he missed the annual council meeting and couldn’t make a formal declaration to accept his seat.

Mr Hutchinson was then barred from the council and a by-election has been called.

Now Mirfield Labour Party has sent out a leaflet to voters headed: “Local Tories use your taxes to play politics on Mirfield Town Council.”

The leaflet claims Mr Hutchinson – twice Mayor of Mirfield – was never informed of the meeting and the council had the power to postpone his declaration until later, as it did for three Tory councillors at the last elections in 2011.

The leaflet says the Tories want to keep their “one party stranglehold” and adds: “This expensive by-election will be paid for entirely by you, the Mirfield taxpayer. It will cost several thousand pounds.

“This situation has only arisen because Mirfield Tories will not accept that people democratically elected Michael in May.

Mirfield Town Council offices
Mirfield Town Council offices

“This is not good for politics and, more importantly, not good for Mirfield.”

Mr Hutchinson said the council could have “co-opted” him to fill the vacancy without the need for a by-election but he “didn’t trust them” to do that.

A group of “Battyeford citizens” – not the Labour party – had requested an election which is expected to be declared on Thursday.

There will then be a week for nominations. Mr Hutchinson has been selected as the Labour candidate and if no-one stands against him he would be elected unopposed.

If there are two or more candidates a ballot could be held in late August.

Mirfield Tory councillor Martyn Bolt said the polling cards alone would cost £5,000, then there were election notices, the hire of two polling stations and polling staff. Total costs could reach up to £15,000.

Clr Martyn Bolt
Clr Martyn Bolt

Clr Bolt said that even if the Tories did not field a candidate it was still likely an election would be needed as the Green Party and independents had stood at the last election.

He said Mr Hutchinson was an experienced politician who knew the rules and Labour was “wasting money on a political stunt.”

He added: “This is nothing more than a vanity project for Michael Hutchinson.”

poll loading

Is this election...