CALDERDALE VOTES 40 years of local democracy Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council was ‘born’ on 1st April 1974 by amalgamating the county borough of Halifax, the boroughs of Brighouse & Todmorden, the urban districts of Elland, Hebden Royd, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge & part of Queensbury and Shelf and the rural district of Hepton. The first elections to the council were held on Thursday 10th May 1973 (the shadow authority) and to celebrate 40 years of local democracy this statistical digest has been compiled. Notes Results – given by year, votes and percentage share (for the highest polling candidates in multiple contests). Female candidates are designated by the title ‘Ms’ for simplicity. Turnout figures not provided for individual wards because of too many discrepancies. Despite my very best efforts a name may have been misspelt and I apologise if this is the case. The results have been sourced from local newspapers and libraries. A * before a candidate’s name highlights that they are an incumbent councillor for the ward. A + before a candidate’s name highlights that they are an incumbent councillor but have chosen to seek re-election in another ward. No incumbents in 1973 because inaugural election or 2004 ‘all out’ election because of boundary changes. By-Elections – I have noted the retiring councillor (either resignation, death or extended absence). Cycle of Election – Each column should be read downwards. Normally each councillor serves a four year term but it is possible for an incumbent councillor to move to a different cycle e.g. when they seek re-election and are placed 2nd in a double vacancy. In 1973 the top three candidates were elected in each ward. The highest polling serving until 1978, the second highest polling until 1976 and the third highest polling until 1975. In 2004 the top three candidates were elected in each ward. The highest polling serving until 2008, the second highest polling until 2007 and the third highest polling until 2006. If a councillors switches allegiances this is noted in brackets. Table of Majorities – Majority is the guidepost in our plurality electoral system and I have ordered the majorities by year in vote (not percentage) order. The second place party is given in brackets except for CON/LAB and Lab/CON battles. In 1973 and 2004 when ‘all out’ elections were held I have listed the margin between the 3rd and 4th placed candidates. This may occasionally provide an anomalous result when both candidates share the same party colours so please treat with caution. Summaries –including wards changing hands, new council composition, party vote share plus overall turnout percentage. WYMCC – the results for the Calderdale divisions to the West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council. Abbreviations BNP – British National Party BPP – British Peoples’ Party Comm – Communist CON – Conservative CPA - Christian People’s Alliance Ecol – Ecology ED - English Democrat KF - Kashmir Front GREEN – Green IND – Independent Ind All – Independent Alliance/SDP IVG - Independent Vivid Green LAB – Labour LD – Liberal Democrat Lib – Liberal NAT – Nationalist NC - Neighbourhood Council (Sowerby Bridge) NF – National Front R&G – Red and Green Socialist Rates – Ratepayers’ Association Respect – Respect Party SDP – Social Democrat SLD – Social and Liberal Democrat Soc – Socialist TUSC - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition UKIP – United Kingdom Independence Party Calderdale 1973 Illingworth Mixenden Town Jones I.LAB 996 46.0 Hall G. LAB 978 65.5 Berry A. LAB 2104 60.1 Higgins W. LAB 920 Thompson D.LAB 961 Tate W. LAB 1926 Lord K. LAB 872 Thompson J LAB 906 Warn L. LAB 1917 Rooks C. CON 719 33.2 Mitchell F.CON 515 34.5 Webb G.Ms CON 1398 39.9 Jagger M. CON 510 Riddlesden T.CON 448 Farrar R.Ms CON 1330 Shaw G.Ms CON 506 Andrews M. CON 415 Slocombe R. CON 1280 Withey F. Lib 451 20.8 Guy C. Lib 288 Binns R. Lib 250 Ovenden Warley Skircoat Jeffreys M.LAB 1685 60.1 Smith G. CON 1519 41.1 Waddington P.CON 2009 42.5 Tolan J.LAB 1528 Clegg A. Lib 1348 36.5 Tidswell J.Ms CON 1953 Thelwell J.LAB 1495 Wildsmith B.Ms CON 1313 Schofield J.CON 1928 Enderby T. CON 1117 39.9 Driver J. Lib 1160 Haley P. Lib 1375 29.1 Gresham H. CON 1020 Ford J. CON 1066 Mitchell L.Ms LAB 1345 28.4 Cavanagh E.CON 994 Helliwell E.Ms Lib 846 Binns G. Lib 1281 Jagger P. LAB 825 22.3 Templeton A. Lib 1156 Thorley J. LAB 783 Panko M.Ms LAB 656 St. John’s Northowram & Shelf Rastrick Mann B. LAB 1819 49.4 Bradley J. CON 1473 42.9 Hions E.Ms LAB 1763 51.3 Deadman R. LAB 1647 Conway R. CON 1360 Hanson L. CON 1672 48.7 Metcalfe R. LAB 1373 Farrar C. CON 1221 Moss F.Ms LAB 1670 Culpan A.Ms CON 990 26.9 Brownridge S. Lib 1146 33.3 Furness W. CON 1624 Carlin D. Lib 873 23.7 Stansfield W. Lib 976 Clayton F. LAB 1558 Clarke J. CON 833 Shaw R. Lib 832 Hunt L. CON 1557 Wade R. CON 818 Thompson H.Ms LAB 818 23.8 Walters D. LAB 663 Stubbings W. LAB 663 Brighouse Lightcliffe Todmorden Mitchell M.Ms LAB 2325 46.8 Sharp W. CON 2333 60.6 Wilson H. LAB 2071 32.8 Womersley S.LAB 1984 Sunderland R. CON 2309 Tootell H. CON 2014 31.9 Wood G. CON 1519 30.6 Crinall D. CON 2244 Dennett E. CON 1925 Newton B. CON 1511 Tankard W. LAB 1520 39.4 Marshall A.LAB 1749 Cunningham M.LAB 1473 Stapleford F.LAB 1487 Parkinson C.LAB 1574 Tinker C. CON 1450 Wood D. LAB 1404 Mills F. CON 1525 Williams S. Soc 1122 22.6 Holmstedt M.Ms Lib 1415 22.4 Taylor M. Lib 1413 Bunn K.Ms Lib 1144 Wild R. IND 817 12.9 Elland Greetland & Stainland Hebden Bridge Cawdry K.Ms CON 1355 35.4 Shutt D. Lib 1358 45.3 Barker F. LAB 2379 39.2 Ramsden W. Lib 1295 33.8 Howe H. Lib 1302 Bryant G. LAB 1443 Nutton A. LAB 1178 30.8 Kemp N. Lib 1240 Leach S. LAB 1189 Taylor S. CON 998 Lane A. LAB 846 28.2 Fisher M.Ms CON 1184 19.5 Fox H. Lib 996 Jones M. CON 797 26.6 Fletcher D. Lib 1178 19.4 Rabone D. Lib 953 Tetlaw H. CON 730 Yorke S.Ms Lib 1149 Firth B. LAB 939 Stacey K. LAB 680 Helliwell R. CON 1106 Heathcote J.LAB 861 Bland E. LAB 647 Doyle T. Lib 881 Astwood G. CON 852 Challenger E.Ms CON 569 Sunderland M. IND 850 14.0 Knowles H. IND 812 Price J. CON 736 Stromberg A.Ms Ind Con 482 7.9 Ryburn Sowerby North Midgley G. CON 1582 41.9 Pettengell A. LAB 1595 49.5 Wood D.Ms CON 1308 Sleigh L.Ms LAB 1397 Benbow A. LAB 1303 34.5 Fairhurst J.Ms LAB 1389 Benson J. CON 1232 Dyson P. CON 1021 31.7 Godfrey E.Ms LAB 990 Andrew M. CON 967 Sutcliffe J. LAB 938 Beverley C. CON 901 Glendinning B.Ms Lib 889 23.6 Holmes R. Lib 607 18.8 Thompson R. Lib 789 Pragnall S. Lib 578 Kafel J.Ms Lib 480 Hemmingway C. Lib 498 Calderdale 1975 Illingworth Mixenden Town Shaw G.Ms. CON 1075 51.0 Pearson R. CON 718 37.1 Ford J. CON 2059 61.9 *Lord K. LAB 805 38.2 Donegan K.LAB 629 32.5 *Warn L. LAB 1269 38.1 Withey F. Lib 227 10.8 Lodge J. IND 520 26.9 Ellis G. NF 67 3.5 Ovenden Warley Skircoat Cavanagh E. CON 1210 56.6 *Wildsmith B. Ms CON 1900 58.4 Whitehead E.CON 3202 82.5 *Thelwell J. LAB 926 43.4 Hadden P. Lib 705 21.7 +Thompson J. LAB 680 17.5 Hallwood J. Ms LAB 650 20.0 St. John’s Northowram & Shelf Rastrick Culpan A. Ms CON 1330 44.7 *Farrar C. CON 2204 74.7 Barraclough J. CON 1907 52.4 *Metcalfe R. LAB 1000 33.6 Thompson H. Ms LAB 745 25.3 *Moss F. Ms LAB 1029 28.3 Hardaker T. Lib 646 21.7 Collins-Tooth N. Lib 700 19.3 Brighouse Lightcliffe Todmorden Thompson D. CON 1690 53.3 *Crinall D. CON 2276 62.5 *Dennett E. CON 2846 48.4 *Cunningham M.LAB 1165 36.7 Stapleford F.LAB 936 25.7 Taylor M. Lib 1888 32.1 Randall J. Ms Lib 317 10.0 Metcalfe E. Ms Lib 431 11.8 Connolly J. LAB 1148 19.5 Elland Greetland & Stainland Hebden Bridge Goldthorpe J.CON 1110 36.5 *Kemp N. Lib 1023 42.1 Marshall R. CON 2791 60.0 Riley M. Ms Lib 1045 34.4 Rhodes R. CON 877 36.1 *Leach S. LAB 1266 27.2 *Nutton A. LAB 883 29.1 Sharpe A. Ms LAB 531 21.8 Stevens M. Ms Lib 595 12.8 Ryburn Sowerby North Davis J. Ms CON 1600 51.9 Price J. CON 1022 37.8 *Benbow A. LAB 814 26.4 Farnell G. LAB 702 26.0 Jeffries R. Lib 670 21.7 Godfrey E. Ms NC 653 24.1 Swift B. Lib 279 10.3 Thompson J. IND 48 1.8 Calderdale 1976 Illingworth Mixenden Town Guinan J. Ms CON 986 51.0 *Thompson D. LAB 991 46.7 Crowther J. CON 1973 50.9 Hallwood J. Ms LAB 900 46.6 Lawton J.