Tories lose Horbury and South Ossett seat as Labour dominates at Wakefield district council elections

Labour have so far dominated the local council elections as the results for ten of 21 seats have been announced.

Labour have taken nine of the seats up for grabs.

The biggest upset of the morning was Labour’s Gwen Page winning Horbury and South Ossett.

She defeated Tory Simon Fishwick, who was not present as the result was declared, by 1,796 votes to 1,303.

Labour held eight of their seats and the Lib Dems defended Knottingley ward.

New members voted onto the council were Labour’s Armaan Khan (Normanton) and Jakob Williamson (Hemsworth).

The Lib Dems have a new councillor as Rachel Speak held the Knottingley seat for the party with 1,398 votes.

Coun Speak replaces former Lib Dem group leader Tom Gordon, who has been named as the parliamentary candidate for the Harrogate constituency.

Maureen Cummings, the council’s cabinet member for communities, held her seat for Crofton, Ryhill and Walton ward.

Veteran councillors Graham Isherwood and Tony Wallis were re-elected to represent Featherstone and Castleford Central and Glasshoughton wards.

Jessica Carrington (Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton), Les Shaw (Airedale and Ferry Fryston) and Jo Hepworth (Altofts and Whitwood) also held onto their seats.

The counts for the remaining 11 wards are due to start around 2.30pm with the results being announced later today.

Results for the ten wards announced so far are as follows:

Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton – Ward 1

Jessica Carrington – Labour. 1,516 votesJody Gabriel – Green Party. 267Gwen Marshall – Independent candidate. 550Arthur Miles – Reform UK. 281Chad Thomas – Conservatives. 579

Airedale and Ferry Fryston – Ward 2

Richard Heaps – Liberal Democrats 67Keith Hudson – Conservatives. 258John Ingham – Green Party. 88Neil Kennedy – Wakefield District Independents. 711Les Shaw – Labour. 1,061

Altofts and Whitwood – Ward 3

Katherine Dodd – Green Party. 238Jo Hepworth – Labour. 1,748Amy Swift – Conservatives. 518John Thomas – Wakefield District Independents. 804

Castleford Central and Glasshoughton – Ward 4

Stephen Brennan – Green Party. 114Paul Phelps – Yorkshire Party. 435Joanne Smart – Conservatives. 368Tony Wallis – Labour. 1,657Janet Walton – Liberal Democrats. 95

Crofton, Ryhill and Walton – Ward 5

Connor Clayton – Conservatives. 904Daniel Cochran – Yorkshire Party. 280Maureen Cummings – Labour.2,052Garry Newby – Green Party. 250

Featherstone – Ward 6

James Hardwick – Conservatives. 475Ashton Howick – Green Party. 281Graham Isherwood – Labour. 2,057

Hemsworth – Ward 7

Liz Cowton – Conservatives 313.Lyn Morton – Green Party. 704Jakob Williamson – Labour. 1,310

Horbury and South Ossett – Ward 8

Simon Fishwick – Conservatives. 1,303Mark Goodair – Liberal Democrats. 283Richard Norris – Green Party. 192Gwen Page – Labour. 1,726

Knottingley – Ward 9

Theo Biddle – Labour. 734Ruth Love – Green Party. 72Eamonn Mullins – Conservatives. 182Rachel Speak – Liberal Democrats. 1,398

Normanton – Ward 10

John Clayton – Green Party. 175Nigel Ebbs – Liberal Democrats. 225Armaan Khan – Labour. 1,258Cliff Parsons – Wakefield and District Independents. 520Laura Weldon – Conservatives. 494