Voters go to the polls on Thursday to determine who runs Kirklees Council.

While the electorate strongly backed Labour at the General Election last year, with its candidates taking all four Kirklees seats, will it be the same for the local elections?

With council tax shooting up by 11% since the last council elections in 2016, the controversial bus gates being brought in, and the borough’s roads falling into disrepair, this May’s vote could see a backlash against the ruling Labour party – who have blamed their problems on underfunding by the Conservative government.

Kirklees Council local election count at Cathedral House, Huddersfield.

What’s happening and what’s at stake?

For the past two years Labour has been narrowly short of the seats it needs for an overall majority, forcing it to rely on independent councillors to support some of its plans.

There were no local elections last year but at the 2016 vote, Labour failed to gain the one seat it needed to take overall control.

Two years on and it needs a boost of two seats after one of its councillors quit to become independent.

Going into the election, Labour has 33 of the 69 seats, the Conservatives 20 and the Lib Dems have nine.

The remaining seven seats are divided between four independents and three Green Party members.

A party needs 35 seats for a majority.

One of each of the three councillors in every ward is up for re-election, except in Birstall and Birkenshaw where two seats are being contested following the resignation of Tory, Clr Andrew Palfreeman, on health grounds.

The majority of the 24 seats up for election are relatively safe for the incumbent party but some potential battlegrounds are highlighted below.

The results are expected to be announced around lunch time on Friday, May 6.

Local election count at Cathedral House, Huddersfield.

What’s the impact of Labour getting a majority?

If Labour gains full control there should be no repeat of the problems it had voting in its party leader as the council leader.

In 2016 the council was left in turmoil after Labour could not get support from rival groups for its then leader, Clr Shabir Pandor, following the coup that unseated Clr David Sheard as leader.

In an unprecedented move, the other parties blocked Clr Pandor’s bid to take charge forcing then chief executive Adrian Lythgo to run the council for more than a month.

Labour eventually came to a compromise to let Clr Sheard back into the top job, with Clr Pandor as his deputy.

If Clr Sheard is deposed again following these elections and Labour has a majority, it will have no trouble securing Clr Pandor as leader of the council.

Is anyone important at risk?

Kirklees Conservative group leader, Clr David Hall, is standing for re-election in Liversedge and Gomersal.

The Tories’ business manager, Clr Nigel Patrick, is up in Holme Valley South.

Lib Dem chief, Clr Nicola Turner, faces voters in Colne Valley.

A number of Labour cabinet members are standing but all have relatively safe seats. They include; Clr Viv Kendrick, Clr Erin Hill, Clr Masood Ahmed, Clr Cathy Scott and controversial veteran, Clr Peter McBride.

The Mayor elect, Clr Gwen Lowe, is also standing in Batley West. If she loses a new Mayor of Kirklees will have to be found at short notice as no deputy has been announced.

Which seats are crucial?

Almondbury

This is the most fiercely contested seat in Kirklees in terms of the voter split.

As things stand the three seats in the ward are represented by Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem – one of only two wards in Kirklees with three different parties in place.

This year the Lib Dem seat of Clr Linda Wilkinson is up for grabs after she decided to retire.

In 2016, the Conservatives pipped Labour at the post to take the Lib Dem seat of Clr Phil Scott.

Voter figures show Clr Bernard McGuin received 1,328 votes, just 60 more than Clr Scott with Labour candidate Ken Lowe only a further nine votes behind.

A year earlier, Clr Judith Hughes of Labour pipped Clr McGuin by only 131 votes.

In 2014, Lib Dem, Clr Wilkinson retained her seat easily by almost 600 votes.

So, in summary, it’s not a safe bet for anyone.

Voter placing a ballot paper in the ballot box

Ashbrow

The seat up for grabs was held for many years by controversial figure, Clr Jean Calvert.

Clr Calvert, who served as Mayor and as a Labour front bencher, ended her 16 year stint on the council as an independent after becoming frustrated with being suspended by the national party following her council tax non-payment scandal.

However Labour looks likely to re-gain the seat with local candidate Harpreet Uppal, moving it closer to gaining full control.

Birstall and Birkenshaw

With two Conservative held seats up for grabs, Labour or the Lib Dems may see this ward as somewhere with an outside chance of an upset.

It will take an incredible swing from the electorate with Conservative incumbent Clr Liz Smaje scoring an 871 vote victory in 2014, and retiring Tory, Clr Andrew Palfreeman, winning by more than 1,000 votes in 2016, but will residents fancy voting for two Tories or will they mix things up a bit just to keep us all entertained?

Cleckheaton

The North Kirklees town has been a Lib Dem stronghold for years, but could that be about to change?

Support for the nation’s third party has been ebbing away since the 2015 General Election.

Lib Dem candidate Clr John Lawson offers a high profile scalp for others as he is the party’s deputy leader.

Colne Valley

Another high profile Lib Dem is standing for re-election here in the shape of party leader, Clr Nicola Turner.

This ward is the only other after Almondbury with three different parties represented.

Polling from 2016 shows Labour’s Clr Rob Walker, husband of MP Thelma Walker, won by just 66 votes over then Lib Dem incumbent Clr David Ridgway.

Kirklees Council local election count at Cathedral House, Huddersfield - Lib Dem Clr. David Ridgway.

The year before saw Conservative Clr Donna Bellamy win relatively easily with a majority of almost 500.

With all three main parties showing strongly at one time or another, the seat is too close to call.

Holme Valley North

Can the main parties get back into what has been an independent stronghold for the past five years?

Veteran Meltham man, Clr Terry Lyons, is standing for re-election against young Tory hopeful Elena Bunbury and Labour’s Suzanne Gannon.

2016 polls show the independent candidate Charles Greaves romping home with more than 1,000 margin over the Conservatives.

It was a little closer in 2015, with the independent Edgar Holroyd-Doveton, winning by 272 votes.

The last time Clr Lyons stood for election in 2014 he won by a huge amount – with a 1,628 margin over his Tory rival.

Will the free-thinkers of Holme Valley North stay loyal or do they want to go mainstream again?