Candidates vying for seats on Kirklees Council have now been confirmed.
Voters go to the polls in each of the district’s 23 wards on May 3.
However, there will be 24 councillors elected – with two seats in Birstall and Birkenshaw vacated due to former Mayor of Kirklees Clr Andrew Palfreeman stepping down two years early due to ill health .
The main parties on Kirklees Council – Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats – are fielding 24 candidates with the Green Party 22.
But there are some new party names on the ballot papers including the Pirate Party UK; the Yorkshire Party; the Dewsbury Borough Independents – Heavy Woollen District; and the Democrats and Veterans Party.
The Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts (TUSC) and UKIP will also field candidates.
Here’s a guide to who is standing in every ward, listed in alphabetical order.
Almondbury:
Tricia Moores: Green Party
Alison Munro: Liberal Democrats
Louise Peace: Labour
Clive Walton: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Lib Dem Linda Wilkinson who is stepping down.
Ashbrow:
Maria Ackroyd: Conservative
Nicola Jackson: Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts (TUSC)
Andrew McCaig: Liberal Democrats
Joan Smithson: Green Party
Harpeet Uppal: Labour
*Seat currently held by Jean Calvert, a former Labour councillor latterly sitting as an Independent
Batley East:
Mahmood Akhtar: Labour
Jessica Berry: Green
Jon Bloom: Liberal Democrats
Keiron Gavaghan: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Mahmood Akhtar
Batley West:
Marnie Cope: Green
Christopher Kane: Liberal Democrats
Garry Kitchin: Pirate Party UK
Gwen Lowe: Labour & Co-operative Party
Paul Young: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Gwen Lowe.
Birstall and Birkenshaw:
Arfan Asif: Labour
Pippa Hepworth: Liberal Democrats
Clare Kane: Liberal Democrats
Jasmine Kennedy: Labour
Susan Lee-Richards: Green
Liz Smaje: Conservative
Mark Thompson: Conservative
* Two sets up for grabs due to Andrew Palfreeman stepping down early and the seat held by Liz Smaje up for re-election, both Conservative.
Cleckheaton:
Susie Bell Proctor: Conservative
Tom Kowalski, Labour & Co-operative
John Lawson: Liberal Democrats
Isabel Walters: Green
*Seat currently held by Lib Dem John Lawson.
Colne Valley:
Nell Griffiths: Labour
James McLeod: Green
Mathew Noble: Conservative
Melanie Roberts: UK Independence Party
Nicola Turner: Liberal Democrats
*Seat currently held by Lib Dem Nicola Turner
Crosland Moor and Netherton:
Robert Barraclough: Green
Steve Bradbury: Independent
Mike Forster: Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts
Erin Hill: Labour
Robert Iredale: Liberal Democrats
Susan Laird: UK Independence Party
Tony McGrath: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Erin Hill.
Dalton:
Roger Battye: Liberal Democrats
Sarah Brightmore: Conservative
Simon Duffy: Green
Peter McBride: Labour
Joshua Pearce: Democrats and Veterans Party
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Peter McBride
Denby Dale:
Waheed Anwar: Liberal Democrats
Nick Brook: Green
Billy Jewitt: Conservative
Will Simpson: Labour
*Seat currently held by Conservative Jim Dodds who is stepping down.
Dewsbury East:
Mark Eastwood: Conservative
Dennis Hullock: Liberal Democrats
Tony Kelsall: Green
Aleks Lukic: Dewsbury Borough Independents - Heavy Woollen District
Cathy Scott: Labour
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Cathy Scott
Dewsbury South
Masood Ahmed: Labour
Adrian Cruden: Green
Bernard Diskin: Liberal Democrats
Anthony Penny-Whitworth: Dewsbury Borough Independents - Heavy Woollen District
James Spivey: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Masood Ahmed.
Dewsbury West:
Simon Cope: Green
Sean Guy: Conservative
Kingsley Hill: Liberal Democrat
Mumtaz Hussain: Labour
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Mumtaz Hussain.
Golcar:
Andrew Marchington: Liberal Democrats
Richard Murgatroyd: Labour
Ian Vincent: Green
Jacqueline Walker: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Lib Dem Andrew Marchington
Greenhead:
Robert McGuin: Conservative
John Phillips: Green
Manjit Singh: Liberal Democrats
Mohan Sokhal: Labour
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Mohan Sokhal
Heckmondwike:
Alan Freeman: Green
Viv Kendrick: Labour
Josie Pugsley: Liberal Democrats
Rob Thornton: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Labour’s Viv Kendrick
Holme Valley North:
Elena Bunbury: Conservative
Joshua Dalton: Democrats and Veterans Party
Gina Dungworth: Liberal Democrats
Suzanne Gannon: Labour
Terry Lyons: Independent
*Seat currently held by Independent Terry Lyons
Holme Valley South:
James Dalton: Democrats and Veterans Party
Paul Davies: Labour
Mark Holroyd: Liberal Democrats
Susan Macklin: Green
Nigel Patrick: Conservative
*Seat currently held by Conservative Nigel Patrick
Kirkburton:
Bill Armer: Conservative
Paul Connolly: Labour
Richard Farnhill: Liberal Democrats
Derek Hardcastle: Green
*Seat currently held by Conservative Bill Armer
Lindley:
Cahal Burke: Liberal Democrats
Mike Chalker: Independent
Adam Gregg: Conservative
Yusra Hussain: Labour
Peter Taylor: Green
*Seat currently held by Lib Dem Cahal Burke
Liversedge and Gomersal:
David Hall: Conservative
Jude McKaig: Labour
David Snee: Liberal Democrats
Nicholas Whittingham: Green
*Seat currently held by Conservative David Hall.
Mirfield:
Stephen Bird: Liberal Democrats
Vivien Lees-Hamilton: Conservative
Julie Spencer: Labour
Catherine Whittingham: Green
*Seat currently held by Conservative Vivien Lees-Hamilton.
Newsome:
Karen Allison: Green
Bikatshi Katenga: The Yorkshire Party
Jo Lawson: Labour
Charlie Reid: Conservative
Andrew Wilkinson: Liberal Democrats
*Seat currently held by Karen Allison of the Green Party.
