UKIP is putting five candidates up for local council elections for the first time.
The party is hoping for a win in the Colne Valley, Golcar, Dewsbury East, Lindley and Newsome.
Ellen Ball, Lindley candidate, said: “It’s the first time we’ve had more than one candidate in Kirklees and we are hopeful.
“In the Golcar by-election last year we came from a standing start to third place, so we’ve got a good chance.
“We are local people driven by local issues, that’s what we’re standing for.”
The local election battle is underway with all nomination papers approved last night ahead of the May 22 election day.
The newly-formed Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition will fight six Kirklees seats. The alliance was set up by the former rail union leader Bob Crow.
In Kirklees a third of the 69 seats – one in each of the borough’s 23 wards - are up for grabs.
Elections for European Parliament take place on the same day and a list is expected to be confirmed later on Friday. Newsome’s Clr Andrew Cooper is bidding for an MEP seat.
Kirklees Liberal Democrat leader Clr Kath Pinnock said: “We are fighting for local issues and issues that make a difference in the communities we represent and that obviously differs according to where you live.
“In Cleckheaton we’re fighting for a replacement sports centre which the Cabinet agreed to demolish. In Almondbury they’re fighting for a way to save the Tolson Museum, in Lindley Cahal Burke is fighting on lots of fronts - A & E, greenfields and traffic, likewise in Golcar and the Colne Valley congestion are big issues that need addressing.
“Let’s start with people and communities, see what they need and help.”
Green Party’s Clr Cooper said: “The Green Party does not run the government or council so we don’t have to make excuses to protect bad government or council decisions.
“We are running a straight-forward campaign that is about trying to protect the areas we serve.
“Our candidates have a good chance, we’re hoping to hold on to Newsome and take Kirkburton where they could be a fight between ourselves and the Conservatives.
“We hope to take the number of councillors from five to six or more and by working with the Valley Independents that would change the balance of power on the council and the opportunity for a power break from Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems to benefit local people.”
Independent Clr Terry Lyons said: “I hope to help keep Holme Valley North independent, I don’t follow any national trend or diktat from London or political party, it’s about acting on the best wishes of the constituents.”
The Examiner has already reported on the Conservative and Labour manifestos.
Conservatives want council functions devolved to four districts, with councillors having greater control over spending.
Clr Robert Light, leader, said: “What we are proposing and hope people will see is that the Conservative’s have got an vision and an ability to deliver it.”
Labour has pledged to tackle the cost of living, dealing with rogue landlords and boosting business and lobbying for highways funding.
Labour’s Clr David Sheard said: “We have aspirations and we hope that despite the difficult times we can achieve them all.”
The list of candidates by ward is:
Almondbury:
Conservative: Bernard McGuin,
Green: Ben Wightman
Independent: Melvin Gray
Labour: Musarrat Khan
Lib Dem: Linda Wilkinson (current)
Ashbrow:
Conservative: Chris Grogan
Green: Brenda Smithson
Labour: Jean Calvert (current)
Lib Dem: Baljit Singh Aujula
TUSC: David Waight
Batley East:
Conservative: Imtiaz Ameen
Green: Robert Reynolds
Labour: Akhtar Mahmood (current)
Lib Dem: Jonathan Heap
TUSC: Pete Robson
Independent: Akooji Badat
Batley West
Conservative: Susan Bell-Procter
Green: Garry Kitchin
Labour: Gwen Lowe (current)
Lib Dem: Stephen Leach
TUSC: John Rattigan
Birstall & BirkenshawConservative: Elizabeth Smaje (current)
Green: Charlotte Stoyles
Labour: Amanda Davison
Lib Dem: Megan Scholefield-Nicholson
Cleckheaton
Conservative: Andrew Gray
Green: Jessica Berry
Labour: Pete Murphy
Lib Dem: John Lawson (current)
Colne Valley
Conservative: Clinton Simpson
Green: John Goodwin
Labour: Barbara Jones
Lib Dem: Nicola Turner (current)
UKIP: Melanie Roberts
Crosland Moor and Netherton:
Conservative: Imran Safdar
Green: Chas Ball
Labour: Erin Hill
Lib Dem: John Dobson
TUSC: Jason Bowen
Independent: Steve Bradbury
Labour hold, but current Clr Carole Pattison is stepping down.
Dalton
Conservative: Maria Akroyd
Green: Eddie Adams
Labour: Peter McBride (current)
Lib Dem: Roger Battye
TUSC: Jack McLean
Denby Dale
Conservative: Jim Dodds (current)
Green: Terry Sigsworth
Labour: John Clarkson
Lib Dem: Andrew Wilkinson
Dewsbury East
Conservative: Mark Eastwood
Green: Tony Kelsall
Labour: Cathy Scott (current)
Lib Dem: Bernard Diskin
UKIP: Greg Burrows
Dewsbury South
Conservative: Khizar Iqbal
Green: Adrian Cruden
Labour: Masood Ahmed (current)
Lib Dem: Stephen Bird
English Democrat: Shaun Maddox
Dewsbury West
Conservative: Shehzad Hussain
Green: Simon Cope
Labour: Mumtaz Hussain (current)
Lib Dem: Dennis Hullock
Golcar
Conservative: Jack Kempf
Green: Dan Greenwood
Labour: Stephan Jungnitz
Lib Dem: Andrew Marchington (current)
UKIP: Greg Broome
Greenhead
Conservative: Pauline McGleenan
Green: John Philips
Labour: Mohan Sokhal (current)
Lib Dem: Manjit Singh
Heckmondwike
Conservative: Robert Thornton
Green:Ian Bullock
Labour: Viv Kendrick (current)
Lib Dem: Josie Pugsley
Holme Valley North
Conservative: Stephen Baggott
Independent: Terry Lyons (current)
Labour: Sarah Cook
Lib Dem: David Woodhead
Holme Valley South
Conservative: Nigel Patrick (current)
Green: Barry Ward
Labour: Anne Baldwin
Lib Dem: Arthur Pritchard
Kirkburton
Conservative: Bill Armor
Green: Cass Whittingham
Labour: Mike Greetham
Lib Dem: Jatinder Singh
Patriotic Socialist: Lee Woods
*Conservative hold but current Clr Christine Smith is stepping down.
Lindley
Conservative: Gemma Wilson
Green: Richard Plunkett
Labour: Douglas Morgan
Lib Dem: Cahal Burke (current)
UKIP: Ellen Ball
Liversedge and Gomersal
Conservative: David Hall (current)
Green: Richard Burton
Labour: Catherine Pinder
Lib Dem: Richard Farnhill
Mirfield
Conservative: Vivien Lees-Hamilton (current)
Green: Nick Whittingham
Labour: Michael Hutchinson
Lib Dem: Nisar Choudhary
Newsome
Conservative: Simon Ackroyd
Green: Karen Allison
Labour: Sheikh Ullah
Lib Dem: Eleanor Ritchie
UKIP: Ian French
TUSC: Jake Lawley
*Green hold but current Clr Graham Simpson is stepping down.
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