Kirklees councillor Kath Pinnock is to take a seat in the House of Lords.

The long-serving councillor, a former leader of Kirklees Council, was today named as one of six new peers by the Lib Dems.

She joins Chris Fox – Director of Group Communications for GKN; former Chief Executive of the Liberal Democrats; Clr David Goddard – elected Member of Stockport Metropolitan Council; former Leader of Stockport Council; former Member of the Greater Manchester Police Authority; former Non-Executive Director of Manchester International Airport, Clr Barbara Janke – elected Member and former Leader of Bristol City Council; former teacher; Paul Scriven – managing partner for Scriven Consulting; former elected Member and Leader of Sheffield City Council; former senior NHS manager; and Clr Dr Julie Smith – elected Member of Cambridge City Council; Senior Lecturer in International Relations in the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) at Cambridge University; Fellow of Robinson College.

There’s an equal split of three men and three women and five of the six have direct experience of local government from around the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “Our new peers highlight the campaigning heartbeat of our party, standing up for their local areas and championing the Liberal Democrat cause to deliver a stronger economy and a fairer society.

“I am delighted to welcome them all to our Parliamentary team. I know that every new peer on this list will make a valuable contribution to British politics, the House of Lords and the Liberal Democrat team in Westminster.

“Along with their Liberal Democrat colleagues, I am sure they will take up the mantle of being committed reformers and continue to make the case for a smaller and more democratic upper chamber.”

Clr Pinnock was first elected to Kirklees Council in 1987 when she was the only Liberal Democrat councillor in North Kirklees.

She became party group leader in 1991 and nine years later she became the first female leader of Kirklees Council, which she led between 2000 and 2006.

She stepped down as Kirklees Lib Dem leader in May.

A Kirklees spokesman said: “She is delighted by the news”.

Clr Pinnock, who was due to face re-election in 2016, is expected to take her seat in the Lords in October.

She was chosen for the role by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg who said: “Our new peers highlight the campaigning heartbeat of our party, standing up for their local areas and championing the Liberal Democrat cause to deliver a stronger economy and a fairer society.

“I am delighted to welcome them all to our Parliamentary team. I know that every new peer on this list will make a valuable contribution to British politics, the House of Lords and the Liberal Democrat team in Westminster.

“Along with their Liberal Democrat colleagues, I am sure they will take up the mantle of being committed reformers and continue to make the case for a smaller and more democratic upper chamber.”

One of Clr Pinnock’s political opponents, former council leader Mehboob Khan, welcomed the news.

He said: “Congratulations to Kath Pinnock on her peerage. The House of Lords will be better for my colleague’s involvement”.

David Cameron was at the centre of a cash-for-peerages row following the appointment of two wealthy Tory backers to the House of Lords.

Financier and party co-treasurer Michael Farmer and businessman Ranbir Suri are among 12 new Conservative working peers announced by the Prime Minister.

According to an analysis by the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), which campaigns for an elected upper chamber, Mr Farmer has donated more than £6.5 million to the Conservatives.

Mr Singh, a former general secretary of the Board of British Sikhs, has contributed a further £312,435 - either personally or through his company Oceanic Jewellers, the ERS said.