Local elections 2015: What to watch out for in Kirklees Council elections

Key Kirklees Council figures are up for re-election tomorrow.

Labour leader, Clr David Sheard (Heckmondwike), and Conservative leader, Clr Robert Light (Birstall and Birkenshaw), are both bidding retain their seats in safe wards for the parties.

In total there are 133 candidates standing for 24 Kirklees Council seats.

While the borough only has 23 wards, there are two seats up for grabs in Greenhead after former council leader Mehboob Khan stepped down – he is seeking election to Greenwich Council in London.

The Labour Party will be wanting to retain their current 32 seats and maintain their lead as the biggest party – but to take overall control they need to win three more seats.

Wards to watch for the Labour party are:

• Denby Dale: Labour were 215 votes behind Conservatives;
• Liversedge and Gomersal: Labour were 510 votes behind the Conservatives;
• Newsome: Labour were second to the Green Party by 592 votes.

The Conservatives will be hoping to retain and improve on their current 18-strong party.

Tory wards to watch are:

• Lindley: its holder is one-time Conservative, Clr Tony Brice, who is fighting to retain the seat as an Independent. The Conservatives picked Gemma Wilson as their candidate. She came second to the Lib Dems, who will want their candidate, Richard Eastwood, to win the seat and boost their 11-strong party.
• Dewsbury South: Tory Salim Patel is bidding to retain the seat, but his party came second to Labour last year.

Other wards to watch:

• Almondbury: currently held by Lib Dem James Blanchard who stepped down to stand as an MP in York. The Lib Dems selected parish councillor Alison Munro as their candidate, but Labour’s Judith Hughes is hoping to narrow the 699 gap between the parties and win it. The Conservatives were just 60 places behind second-placed Labour meaning Almondbury could be a close call.
• The Green Party will be aiming to retain Newsome and Kirkburton, while Holme Valley North could remain the only independent ward in the borough if Edgar Holroyd-Doveton is returned to the council.