Kirklees Council

Coat of arms

Type
Type|

Metropolitan borough

History
Founded| 1 April 1974
Leadership

Mayor

Elizabeth Smaje,
Conservative
since 21 May 2025[2]

Leader

Carole Pattison,
Labour
since 17 July 2024

Chief Executive

Steve Mawson[1]
since 2023

Structure
Seats| 69 councillors

Political groups

Labour (23)
Conservative (16)
Liberal Democrats (10)
Green (4)
Independent (16)

Joint committees

| West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Elections

Voting system

| Multiple member first-past-the-post

Last election

| 2 May 2024

Next election

| 7 May 2026
Meeting place
Town Hall, Ramsden Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2TA
Website
www.kirklees.gov.uk
Constitution
Constitution

Kirklees Council, also known as Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council, is the local authority for the metropolitan borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. As a metropolitan borough council it provides the majority of local government services in the borough. Since 2014 the council has been a constituent members of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The council has been under no overall control since 2024. It meets at Huddersfield Town Hall and has its main offices in the nearby Civic Centre.

## History

[edit]

Kirklees Council was established on 1 April 1974, when Kirklees and West Yorkshire were created under the Local Government Act 1972. The eleven former district councils within the area were abolished at the same time. [3][4] Kirklees was awarded borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[5]

The council was originally a district-level authority in a two-tier local government structure, alongside West Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services. However, the metropolitan county councils, including West Yorkshire County Council, were abolished in 1986 under the Local Government Act 1985. Since 1986 Kirklees Council has therefore been responsible for most local government functions in the borough.[6]

Policing, fire services and public transport continued to be run on a county-wide basis by councillors from all five West Yorkshire boroughs. In 2012 responsibility for policing was transferred to the directly-elected West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, and then to the Mayor of West Yorkshire in 2021.

The council has been a constituent member of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority since 2014. The members of Kirklees Council elect one member of the combined authority.

Following several years of funding cuts from national government, in 2016 the council started transitioning to a different service model which the cabinet called being a New Council. The stated aim was to focus the reduced resources on services that only the council can provide, particularly those supporting vulnerable people, while encouraging communities to do more for themselves.[7]

After the 2016 local elections the council was temporarily run without an elected leader. Labour councillors initially decided to replace incumbent leader David Sheard with Shabir Pandor,[8][9][10] however Pandor's nomination to become leader at the council's AGM fell after Sheard and three other Labour councillors did not attend the meeting. With no leader, the council was run temporarily by the Chief Executive.[11][12] Sheard was eventually re-elected as leader and appointed Pandor as his deputy.[13] Pandor was subsequently elected leader of the council following the 2018 local elections.[14]

In June 2016 the Huddersfield Daily Examiner exposed several councillors who had failed to pay their Council Tax in what it called the 'Ratesgate scandal'. Five serving councillors, four Labour and one Conservative, had been issued with court claims after previously receiving reminder letters.[15] Two councillors who had denied the allegations, Deputy Leader Jean Calvert and Amanda Pinnock, were suspended by the Labour Party. All councillors subsequently paid their debts before facing the court.[16]

At the 2021 local elections Joshua Sheard became the youngest councillor to be elected to Kirklees Council, at the age of 19.[17]

In July 2023 Shabir Pandor resigned as council leader, reportedly before facing a vote of no confidence from Labour councillors. At the time Pandor was facing accusations from opposition councillors of misleading the council in his handling of Labour councillor Fazila Loonat, who had been convicted of perverting the course of justice.[18][19]

History nearly repeated itself the following year, when Leader Cathy Scott faced a no-confidence vote[20] following the local elections in which Labour lost control of the council, due to both a large drop in Labour's share in the vote as well as several Labour councillors resigning in early 2024 over the Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer's stance on the Gaza war.[21] This group would go on to form a bloc on the council known as the Kirklees Community Independents Group.[22]

In the weeks following the election, several more Labour councillors resigned from the party,[23][24] including Cllr Scott after she had been replaced as Labour Leader in the council.[25][26] Cllr Scott stated she would continue as Leader of the Council as an independent, subsequently forming a new council cabinet with positions taken up by the other now-independent councillors, now known as the Community Alliance.[20] However, on 18 July 2024 Scott was forced out of office by another vote of no-confidence, with Cllr Carole Pattison being named as the new Leader[27] and leaving no party with a majority on the council.

### Failings in children's services

[edit]

In late 2016 Ofsted inspected Kirklees Council's services for vulnerable children and judged them to be inadequate.[28] In response, Education Secretary Justine Greening appointed Eleanor Brazil as Children's Services Commissioner to make recommendations for improvement.[29]

In her report published following the 2017 general election, Ms Brazil found that Kirklees did not have the leadership or management capacity to achieve the required standard. She recommended that Kirklees enter a formal partnership with Leeds City Council, a good neighbouring local authority.[30] The Director of Children's Services in Leeds, Steve Walker, took overall responsibility for services in Kirklees.[31]

In June 2019 Ofsted conducted another inspection and found all aspects of children's services still required improvement to be good.[32]

## Governance

[edit]

### Political control

[edit]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[33][34]

Party in control | Years

|

| Labour | 1974–1975
| No overall control | 1975–1976
| Conservative | 1976–1979
| No overall control | 1979–1980
| Labour | 1980–1986
| No overall control | 1986–1990
| Labour | 1990–1994
| No overall control | 1994–1995
| Labour | 1995–1999
| No overall control | 1999–2018
| Labour | 2018–2020
| No overall control | 2020–2022
| Labour | 2022–2024
| No overall control | 2024–present

### Leadership

[edit]

The role of Mayor of Kirklees is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1986 have been:

Councillor | Party | From | To

|
|
|

John Harman[35][36] |  | Labour | May 1986 | 3 Mar 1999
Gary Dimmock[36][37] |  | Labour | 3 Mar 1999 | May 2000
Kath Pinnock[38][39][40] |  | Liberal Democrats | 9 Jun 2000 | May 2006
Robert Light[41][42] |  | Conservative | 24 May 2006 | 21 Jan 2009
Mehboob Khan[43][44] |  | Labour | 21 Jan 2009 | Feb 2014
David Sheard[45][46][47] |  | Labour | 26 Mar 2014 | 25 May 2016
| Labour | 29 Jun 2016 | 23 May 2018
Shabir Pandor[48][49][50] |  | Labour | 23 May 2018 | 26 Jul 2023
Cathy Scott[51][52] |  | Labour | 13 Sep 2023 | 23 May 2024
| Independent[24][53] | 23 May 2024 | 17 Jul 2024
Carole Pattison[54] |  | Labour | 17 Jul 2024

### Composition

[edit]

Following the 2024 election, and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to March 2025, the composition of the council was:[55][56]

Party  | Councillors

|

| Labour | 23
| Conservative | 16
| Liberal Democrats | 10
| Green | 4
| Independent | 16
Total  | 69

Of the independent councillors, eight sit together as the 'Community Alliance' group, three form the 'Kirklees Community Independent' group and the other five do not belong to a group. The next election is due in May 2026.[56]

## Premises

[edit]

The council generally meets at the Town Hall on Ramsden Street in Huddersfield, which had been built in 1881 for the old Huddersfield Borough Council.[57] The council's main offices are at the Civic Centre, a complex of buildings lying to the west of the town hall between Albion Street and Market Street. The council also maintains a customer service centre on Town Hall Way in Dewsbury.[58]

## Elections

[edit]

See also: Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2004, the council has comprised 69 councillors representing 23 wards. Elections are held three years out of four, with one third of the councillors (one for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term.[59]

## Mayor

[edit]

Councillors appoint a mayor each year. The mayor represents the council at civic engagements and supports the work of their designated charity. They chair council meetings and are expected to be politically impartial whilst they hold the post, although they do get a casting vote in the event of a tie.

Mayors of Kirklees[60] Name | Party | Civic Year

|
|

Reginald Hartley, JP | Labour | 1974–75
William Gregory | Labour | 1975–76
Andrew Alastair Mason | Conservative | 1976–77
Jack Brooke | Conservative | 1977–78
Major Charles Cyril Kenchington | Independent | 1978–79
Donald White | Labour | 1979–80
Marjorie Fisher | Labour | 1980–81
Fred Pickles, J | Labour | 1981–82
Jack Wood | Labour | 1982–83
Alfred Ramsden | Labour | 1983–84
Stanley Dawson | Labour | 1984–85
Colin C. Walker, JP | Labour | 1985–86
Mary Walsh | Labour | 1986–87
George Speight, JP | Labour | 1987–88
John Greaves Holt | Conservative | 1988–89
Colin Watson | Labour | 1989–90
Thomas Patrick O'Donovan | Labour | 1990–91
Jack Brooke | Labour | 1991–92
David A. Wright, JP | Labour | 1992–93
John Mernagh, JP | Labour | 1993–94
Harold Sheldon | Labour | 1994–95
Kenneth Douglas Sims | Conservative | 1995–96
Allison Harrison | Labour | 1996–97
Rita Briggs | Labour | 1997–98
Michael Bower | Liberal Democrats | 1998–99
Harry Fox | Labour | 1999–00
Ann Elspeth Denham | Conservative | 2000–01
Mohan Singh Sokhal, JP | Labour | 2001–02
Margaret R. Bates | Conservative | 2002–03
Barbara Allonby | Liberal Democrats | 2003–04
Mary Harkin | Labour | 2004–05
Margaret Fearnley | Liberal Democrats | 2005–06
Donald Firth | Conservative | 2006–07
Jean Calvert | Labour | 2007–08
Kamran Hussain | Liberal Democrats | 2008–09
Julie Stewart-Turner | Green | 2009–10
Andrew Palfreeman | Conservative | 2010–11
Eric Firth | Labour | 2011–12
David Ridgway | Liberal Democrats | 2012–13
Martyn Bolt | Conservative | 2013–14
Ken Smith | Labour | 2014–15
Paul Kane | Labour | 2015–16
Jim Dodds | Conservative | 2016–17
Christine Iredale | Liberal Democrats | 2017–18
Gwen Lowe | Labour | 2018–19
Mumtaz Hussain | Labour | 2019–21
Nigel Patrick | Conservative | 2021–22
Masood Ahmed | Labour | 2022–23
Cahal Burke | Liberal Democrats | 2023–24
Nosheen Dad | Labour | 2024–present

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Council, Kirklees (1 October 2023). "Chief Executive, strategic directors and service directors". www.kirklees.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
2. ^ "Council minutes, 21 May 2025". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
3. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 18 June 2023
4. ^ "The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/137, retrieved 18 June 2023
5. ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
6. ^ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 18 June 2023
7. ^ "Our new council". It's time to talk. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
8. ^ "Kirklees Council leader Clr David Sheard announces shock departure". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
9. ^ "Toppled Kirklees Council leader David Sheard takes to Twitter to vent anger". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Archived from the original on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
10. ^ "Ousted Kirklees Council leader speaks out over Labour coup against him". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Archived from the original on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
11. ^ "Put up or shut up!' Angry Kirklees Council leader-elect Shabir Pandor vows to fight on". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
12. ^ "Chaotic scenes as Kirklees Council struggles to find a new leader". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. May 2016. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
13. ^ "Re-elected Kirklees Council leader David Sheard adds new faces to his top team Angry Kirklees Council leader-elect Shabir Pandor vows to fight on". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
14. ^ Earnshaw, Tony (23 May 2018). "New era for Kirklees Council as Shabir Pandor is elected leader". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
15. ^ "Named: The Kirklees councillors summonsed over council tax arrears". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
16. ^ "Councillors suspended by the Labour party after council tax controversy". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
17. ^ Earnshaw, Tony (16 May 2021). "The 19 year old biscuit factory worker now sitting on Kirklees Council". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
18. ^ Marlow, Abigail (27 July 2023). "Kirklees Council leader Shabir Pandor was set to face vote of no confidence before shock resignation". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
19. ^ Marlow, Abigail (14 July 2023). "Kirklees council leader urged to resign after allegations of 'wilfully misleading' the council". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
20. ^ a b Shaw, Martin (1 June 2024). "Council Leader Cathy Scott Says It's "Business As Usual" For Kirklees Council Despite Upheaval And Mass Resignations". Huddersfield Hub. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
21. ^ Shaw, Martin (13 February 2024). "Kirklees Council Labour Group Hit By Resignation Of Four Councillors In Protest Over Gaza And Local Leadership". Huddersfield Hub. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
22. ^ Marlow, Abigail (20 February 2024). "Ex-Labour members form new group on Kirklees Council after 'toxic swamp' resignations". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
23. ^ Dillon, Gemma (13 May 2024). "Kirklees councillor Musarrat Khan quits Labour over party's 'moral direction'". BBC News. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
24. ^ a b McCormick, Sebastian (23 May 2024). "Kirklees Council leader leaves Labour Party as other councillors resign". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
25. ^ Shaw, Martin (14 May 2024). "Kirlees Council To Get New Leader After Cathy Scott Is Ousted By Labour Group". Huddersfield Hub. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
26. ^ Dillon, Gemma (14 May 2024). "Rebuilding trust a priority for new Labour leader". BBC News. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
27. ^ Moss, Alex (17 July 2024). "Council leader ousted after vote of no confidence". BBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
28. ^ "Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers and Review of the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board" (PDF). Ofsted. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2017.[permanent dead link]
29. ^ "Statutory direction to Kirklees Council in relation to children's services under Section 497A(4B) of the Education Act 1996" (PDF). Department for Education. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
30. ^ Brazil, Eleanor (14 September 2017). "Kirklees Children's Services: report to the Secretary of State" (PDF). Department for Education. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
31. ^ Shaw, Martin (15 September 2017). "MPs vow to hold Kirklees to account after Leeds City Council brought in to sort out failing children's services". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
32. ^ "Kirklees Children's Services: Inspection of children's social care services". Ofsted. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
33. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Kirklees" in search box to see specific results.)
34. ^ "Previous Local elections summary". Kirklees Council. March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
35. ^ Bagley, David (16 May 1986). "Turning point after a year of turmoil". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 6. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
36. ^ a b "Dimmock is new leader of Kirklees". Batley News. 11 February 1999. p. 5. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
37. ^ "Impasse leaves council without elected leader". Batley News. 25 May 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
38. ^ Hall, Sarah (15 June 2000). "It's Kath, 'first lady' of Kirklees". Batley News. p. 5. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
39. ^ Muncaster, Mike (29 May 2014). "Kirklees Lib Dem leader Kath Pinnock steps down as leader". Dewsbury Reporter. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
40. ^ Winrow, Jo (9 May 2006). "Hopkins elected as Tory group leader". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
41. ^ "Council minutes, 24 May 2006" (PDF). Kirklees Council. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
42. ^ "Tories toppled from power". Yorkshire Live. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
43. ^ "Council minutes, 21 January 2009" (PDF). Kirklees Council. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
44. ^ Douglas, Joanne (9 January 2014). "Kirklees Council leader Mehboob Khan steps down as leader for new job in London". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
45. ^ "Council minutes, 26 March 2014" (PDF). Kirklees Council. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
46. ^ "Sheard is re-elected as Kirklees Labour councillors put differences aside". Dewsbury Reporter. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
47. ^ Lavigueur, Nick (8 May 2018). "History repeats itself as controversial councillor takes control of Kirklees Labour group". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
48. ^ "Council minutes, 23 May 2018". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
49. ^ Shaw, Martin (27 July 2023). "Shabir Pandor quits as leader of Kirklees Council amid controversy over councillor jailed for lying". Huddersfield Hub. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
50. ^ Marlow, Abigail (27 July 2023). "Kirklees Council leader Shabir Pandor was set to face vote of no confidence before shock resignation". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
51. ^ "Council minutes, 13 September 2023". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
52. ^ Moss, Alex (17 July 2024). "Council leader ousted after vote of no confidence". BBC News. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
53. ^ Brown, Dominic (24 May 2024). "Leader of Kirklees Council resigns from the Labour Party amid 'deep-seated concerns over its direction' and sets out her goal to lead a 'fresh start' in the district". Dewsbury Reporter. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
54. ^ "Council minutes, 17 July 2024". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
55. ^ Marlow, Abigail (18 October 2024). "Kirklees Council has a new member after by-election in Holme Valley". Yorkshire Live. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
56. ^ a b "Kirklees". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
57. ^ Historic England. "Huddersfield Town Hall including wall and railings to area (1231723)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
58. ^ "Customer Service Centres". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
59. ^ "The Borough of Kirklees (Electoral Changes) Order 2003", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2003/3091, retrieved 18 June 2023
60. ^ "Former mayors". Kirklees Council. January 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.

* v
* t
* e

Local authorities in West Yorkshire

Joint arrangements|

* West Yorkshire Combined Authority
* West Yorkshire Joint Services

Metropolitan district councils|

* Bradford
* Calderdale
* Kirklees
* Leeds
* Wakefield

* v
* t
* e

Metropolitan districts of England

Districts|

* Barnsley
* Birmingham
* Bolton
* Bradford
* Bury
* Calderdale
* Coventry
* Doncaster
* Dudley
* Gateshead
* Kirklees
* Knowsley
* Leeds
* Liverpool
* Manchester
* Newcastle upon Tyne
* North Tyneside
* Oldham
* Rochdale
* Rotherham
* Salford
* Sandwell
* Sefton
* Sheffield
* Solihull
* South Tyneside
* St Helens
* Stockport
* Sunderland
* Tameside
* Trafford
* Wakefield
* Walsall
* Wigan
* Wirral
* Wolverhampton

Councils|

* Barnsley
* Birmingham
* Bolton
* Bradford
* Bury
* Calderdale
* Coventry
* Doncaster
* Dudley
* Gateshead
* Kirklees
* Knowsley
* Leeds
* Liverpool
* Manchester
* Newcastle upon Tyne
* North Tyneside
* Oldham
* Rochdale
* Rotherham
* Salford
* Sandwell
* Sefton
* Sheffield
* Solihull
* South Tyneside
* St Helens
* Stockport
* Sunderland
* Tameside
* Trafford
* Wakefield
* Walsall
* Wigan
* Wirral
* Wolverhampton

Local elections|

* Barnsley
* Birmingham
* Bolton
* Bradford
* Bury
* Calderdale
* Coventry
* Doncaster
* Dudley
* Gateshead
* Kirklees
* Knowsley
* Leeds
* Liverpool
* Manchester
* Newcastle upon Tyne
* North Tyneside
* Oldham
* Rochdale
* Rotherham
* Salford
* Sandwell
* Sefton
* Sheffield
* Solihull
* South Tyneside
* St Helens
* Stockport
* Sunderland
* Tameside
* Trafford
* Wakefield
* Walsall
* Wigan
* Wirral
* Wolverhampton

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template