2018 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2018 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2018 to elect members of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council in England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections. One councillor was elected in each ward for a four-year term so the councillors elected in 2018 last stood for election in 2014. Each ward is represented by three councillors, the election of which is staggered, so only one third of the councillors were elected in this election. Before the election there was no overall control with a minority Labour administration. Following the election Labour, having gained one councillor, was still two councillors away from a majority so it remained no overall control.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Elections, 2018
3 May 2018
One third (17 of 51) to Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council
26 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Tim Swift Scott Benton James Baker
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat Town Brighouse Warley
Seats won 10, 58.8% 4, 23.5% 2, 11.8%
Seat change Increase1 Decrease1 Increase1
Popular vote 28,142 21,183 6,521
Percentage 46.3% 34.8% 10.7%
Swing Increase8.4% Increase4.9% Decrease4.7%
Council control before election

No Overall Control

 Council control after election

No Overall Control

2018 local election results in Calderdale

Independent Conservative Councillor Mike Payne of Sowerby Bridge Ward, who was suspended from the Conservative Party in April 2018, was reinstated into the party during this election cycle.[2]

Council results
Calderdale[3]
Party Candidates Votes
Stood Elected Gained Unseated Net  % of total  % No. Net %
  Labour 17 10 2 1 Increase1 58.8 41.9 25,453 9.2
  Conservative 17 4 1 2 Decrease1 23.5 34.8 21,183 5.0
  Liberal Democrats 16 2 1 0 Increase1 11.8 10.7 6,521 -1.5
  Independent 4 1 0 1 Decrease1 5.9 7.6 4,631 1.6
  Green 17 0 0 0 0 0.0 4.2 2,570 -2.6
  Yorkshire 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.3 174 0.3
  National Front 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.2 98 0.2

Council Composition

Prior to the election the composition of the council was:

↓
23 20 1 5 2
Labour Conservative IC Lib Dem Ind

After the election the composition of the council was:

↓
24 19 1 6 1
Labour Conservative IC Lib Dem Ind
Party Previous council New council
Labour 23 24
Conservative 20 19
Liberal Democrats 5 6
Independent 2 1
Ind. Conservative 1 1
Total 51 51

Reaction

The local paper, the Halifax Courier, said that the Labour group were happiest with the result having got closer to overall control.[4] When the leaders of the groups were later interviewed, Tim Swift, leader of the Labour group, highlighted the win of Skircoat ward and said that the overall result was pretty good for Labour. James Baker, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, highlighted the first win of a new ward in Calderdale as opposed to merely a successful defence since 2010 when the national Liberal Democrat party went into coalition with the Conservatives in the UK parliament. Baker said that they would work with labour to get what they could of their policies enacted. Scott Benton, leader of the Conservative group, highlighted that Labour had failed to gain overall control despite the point in the national political cycle being a good time for opposition parties. Specifically Labour had been in opposition for 8 years at this point. Benton described the Conservative performance as solid.[5]

Ward results

The ward results listed below are based on the changes from the last time this third was up for election, in the 2014 elections,[6] not taking into account any mid-term by-elections or party defections.

Brighouse ward
Brighouse
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Howard Granville Blagborough 2,065 58.2 31.3
Labour Oliver George Willows 1,238 34.9 13.2
Liberal Democrats Jennie Rigg 134 3.8 0.7
Green Kate Sweeny 107 3.0 3.0
Majority 827 23.3 0.1
Turnout 3,550 42.8 3.4
Conservative hold Swing 9.1

The incumbent was Howard Blagborough for the Conservative Party. In the 2014 election both a UKIP candidate & an Independent candidate got over 20% of the vote but neither stood in this election. The swing is expressed between the Conservative & Labour Parties.

Calder ward
Calder
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Courtney 3,075 61.9 24.1
Conservative Richard Hugh Marshall 1,015 20.4 5.9
Liberal Democrats Donal Antony Martin O'Hanlon 460 9.3 -6.1
Green Jenny Shepherd 399 8.0 -12.0
Majority 2,060 41.5 18.2
Turnout 4,964 53.8 8.5
Labour hold Swing 18.0

The incumbent was Alison Miles for the Labour Party who stepped down at this election. The swing is expressed between Labour & Green as Green were second in 2014. There was a 9.1% swing from Conservatives to Labour.

Elland ward
Elland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Angie Gallagher 1,507 44.3 12.7
Conservative David Collins 1,417 41.7 11.7
Liberal Democrats Michael Wallace Whiting 302 8.9 -18.3
Green Barry Edward Crossland 169 5.0 -2.8
Majority 90 2.6 1.0
Turnout 3,399 39.1 5.1
Labour hold Swing 0.5

The incumbent was Angie Gallagher for the Labour Party.

Greetland & Stainland ward
Greetland & Stainland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Marilyn Greenwood 1,706 49.9 19.6
Conservative Oliver Darryl Williams 1,098 32.1 3.8
Labour Mike Barnes 498 14.6 1.1
Green Mark Richard Mullany 112 3.3 -2.6
Majority 608 17.8 15.8
Turnout 3,420 40.1 4.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing 7.9

The incumbent was Marilyn Greenwood for the Liberal Democrats. UKIP did not stand a candidate this time where they had polled over 20% last time. The swing is from Conservative to Liberal.

Hipperholme & Lightcliffe ward
Hipperholme & Lightcliffe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Colin Raistrick 1,484 41.5 -14.5
Conservative James Pillai 1,267 35.5 8.7
Labour Steven Cliberon 600 16.8 3.4
Green Martin John Hey 110 3.1 3.1
Liberal Democrats Alisdair Calder McGregor 105 2.9 -0.3
Majority 217 6.1 -23.2
Turnout 3,574 39.8 1.9
Independent hold Swing -11.6

The incumbent was Colin Raistrick, an Independent. The swing was 11.6 from Independent to Conservative & there was a 2.7% swing from Labour to Conservative.

Illingworth & Mixenden ward
Illingworth & Mixenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dan Sutherland 1,398 52.0 10.8
Conservative Guy Beech 1,005 37.3 18.4
Green Angela Christine Street 118 4.4 4.4
Independent Sean Loftus 103 3.8 3.8
Liberal Democrats Alexander Parsons-Hulse 65 2.4 -0.1
Majority 393 14.6 10.1
Turnout 2,691 30.0 -1.3
Labour hold Swing -3.8

The incumbent was Dan Sutherland for the Labour Party. There was a swing of 3.8% from Labour to Conservative. UKIP which did not stand this time got over 35% of the vote in 2014.

Luddendenfoot ward
Luddendenfoot
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Scott Anthony Patient 1,984 51.1 17.3
Conservative Jill Smith-Moorhouse 1,428 36.8 2.4
Liberal Democrats Catherine Jane Crosland 307 7.9 -5.9
Green Michael John Prior 150 3.9 -12.9
Majority 556 14.3 13.8
Turnout 3,884 48.4 8.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 7.4

The incumbent was Jill Smith-Moorhouse for the Conservative Party. The biggest swing was 15.1% from Green to Labour.

Northowram & Shelf ward
Northowram & Shelf
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Baines 2,119 63.1 21.2
Labour Helen Sutcliffe 808 24.1 4
Yorkshire Daniel Richard Manning 174 5.2 5.2
Green Elaine Hey 151 4.5 4.5
Liberal Democrats Jon Grinham 96 2.9 -0.1
Majority 1,311 39.1 31.6
Turnout 3,356 37.0 1.2
Conservative hold Swing 8.6

The incumbent was Stephen Baines for the Conservative party who was the deputy leader of the Conservative group at the time of the election. UKIP was second place in 2014 with almost 35% of the vote but did not stand this time.

Ovenden ward
Ovenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Helen Josephine Rivron 1,043 54.8 -4.9
Conservative Gill Tolley 583 30.7 4.7
Green Katherine Louise Horner 194 10.2 10.2
Liberal Democrats John Reynolds 78 4.1 -5.6
Majority 460 24.2 -9.6
Turnout 1,902 22.7 0.1
Labour hold Swing -4.8

The incumbent was Helen Rivron for the Labour Party. There was a swing of 4.8% from Labour to Conservative. The biggest swing was 7.9% from Liberal to Green.

Park ward
Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mohammad Naeem 2,800 56.6 -5.9
Independent Surraya Bibi 1,742 35.2 35.2
Conservative Amjad Mahmood Bashir 245 5.0 -24.0
Green Finn Mygind 143 2.9 -1.8
Majority 1,058 21.4 -12.1
Turnout 4,949 53.4 4.1
Labour hold Swing -20.6

The incumbent was Ferman Ali for the Labour Party who stepped down at this election. Amjad Bashir standing for the Conservatives is a sitting MEP for Yorkshire & Humber where he was elected for UKIP and defected to the Conservatives.[7] There was a 20.6% swing from Labour to the Independent and a 29.6% swing from Conservatives to the Independent. Surraya Bibi standing as an Independent was previously a member of the Labour Party but resigned complaining that the candidate selection process was not working correctly.[8]

Rastrick ward
Rastrick
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Regan Gerhard Dickenson 1,945 56.5 5.1
Labour Co-op Peter Judge 1,213 35.3 2.4
Liberal Democrats Kathy Haigh-Hutchinson 154 4.5 -1.9
Green Angharad Lois Turner 123 3.6 3.6
Majority 732 21.3 2.7
Turnout 3,440 41.7 7.0
Conservative hold Swing 1.4

The incumbent was Christine Beal for the Conservative Party who stood down at this election. TUSC which did not stand this time had polled 8.1% in 2014.

Ryburn ward
Ryburn
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Steven Leigh 1,451 38.2 -12.1
Independent Robert Holden 1,302 34.3 34.3
Labour Co-op David William Veitch 805 21.2 -5.1
Liberal Democrats Rosemary Tatchell 131 3.5 -2.7
Green Katie Witham 98 2.6 -13.4
Majority 149 3.9 -20.1
Turnout 3,794 43.4 9.0
Conservative gain from Independent Swing -23.2

The incumbent was Robert Holden, standing as an Independent. He was elected for the Conservative Party in 2014 but resigned after whistleblowing over irregularities in the 2015 election accounts having also disagreed with the 2016 candidate selection.[9][10]

Skircoat ward
Skircoat
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Colin Hugh Hutchinson 2,017 46.8 25.5
Conservative Andrew James Tagg 1,963 45.5 11.4
Liberal Democrats Sean Bamforth 196 4.5 -14.4
Green Anne Marie Nelson 127 2.9 -5.2
Majority 54 1.3 -11.6
Turnout 4,312 45.2 6.6
Labour gain from Conservative Swing 7.1

The incumbent was Andrew Tagg for the Conservative Party. UKIP polled 17% in 2014 but did not stand this time. The local paper described this result as a shock and the first time Skircoat ward had been held by Labour since the formation of Calderdale council 44 years earlier.[11]

Sowerby Bridge ward
Sowerby Bridge
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dot Foster 1,636 50.4 17.9
Conservative Jeff Featherstone 1,259 38.8 13.3
Liberal Democrats Tom Stringfellow 186 5.7 -1.4
Green John Richard Ward Nesbitt 152 4.7 -3.0
Majority 377 11.6 5.9
Turnout 3,243 37.8 3.2
Labour hold Swing 2.3

The incumbent was Dot Foster for the Labour Party. UKIP did not stand this time but polled 27% in 2014. There was a swing of 2.3% from Conservatives to Labour.

Todmorden ward
Todmorden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Susan Mary Press 1,976 54.1 19.3
Conservative Jacob Nathaniel Cook 704 19.3 -5.4
Liberal Democrats Janet Mary Battye 630 17.3 -7.8
Green Kieran Luke Turner 232 6.4 -7.8
National Front Chris Jackson 98 2.7 2.7
Majority 1,272 34.8 24.8
Turnout 3,652 40.5 3.5
Labour hold Swing 12.4

The incumbent was Susan Press for the Labour Party.

Town ward
Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bob Metcalfe 1,392 53.4 13.1
Conservative Mark Llewellyn Edwards 971 37.3 19.6
Green Alan Patrick McDonald 127 4.9 4.9
Liberal Democrats Benjamin George Simmons 102 3.9 -0.1
Majority 421 16.2 -6.6
Turnout 2,606 29.9 0.2
Labour hold Swing -3.3

The incumbent was Bob Metcalfe for the Labour Party. UKIP polled 37% in 2014 but did not stand this time.

Warley ward
Warley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Amanda Parsons-Hulse 1,869 46.1 17.4
Labour Audrey Smith 1,463 36.1 1.4
Conservative Shakir Saghir 648 16.0 -12.2
Green Frank James Holt 58 1.4 -5.8
Majority 406 10.0 4.1
Turnout 4,052 44.7 6.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing 8.0

The incumbent was Michelle Foster for the Labour Party who stood down at this election. There was a swing of 8.0% from Labour to Liberal Democrat & the largest swing was 14.8% from Conservative to Liberal Democrat.

References
  1. "Who is standing in the local elections for Calderdale Council". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  2. "Tory Islamophobia row: 15 suspended councillors quietly reinstated". The Guardian. 24 March 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  3. "Election of Local Councillors 2018 - 03/05/2018". Election results. Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  4. "Election results". Halifax Courier.
  5. "Fallout from the Calderdale Council local elections 2018". Halifax Courier.
  6. "Local Election Results 2014". Calderdale Metropolitan Council. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  7. "council candidates". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  8. "comments on Tim Swift's statement". Vote for Surraya FB group. Facebook. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  9. "my route to independence". Rob Holden. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  10. "Whistleblower councillor suspended". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  11. "Calderdale results". Halifax Courier.
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