Wakefield Council election, 2006
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Wakefield Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of City of Wakefield
Metropolitan
Council in West Yorkshire
, England
. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour
party kept overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
10, independents
6 and the Liberal Democrats 3 seats. 75 candidates stood in the election for the 21 seats that were being contested, with Labour very unlikely to lose control of the council, which was the only council in West Yorkshire they still had a majority on.
and South Ossett
, Pontefract
South and Wrenthorpe
and Outwood
West wards
, with the losses blamed by the Labour leader on national issues. The other Conservative gain came in Wakefield South where they defeated independent councillor
Norman Hazell by 17 votes. Hazell was a former Conservative member who had left the party in 2001 to sit as an independent councillor. However the other independent member managed to hold his seat in Featherstone
despite a strong challenge from Labour.
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
Metropolitan
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
Council in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
party kept overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
- LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
41 - ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
14 - IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
5 - Liberal Democrat 3
Campaign
Before the election Labour had 44 seats, the ConservativesConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
10, independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
6 and the Liberal Democrats 3 seats. 75 candidates stood in the election for the 21 seats that were being contested, with Labour very unlikely to lose control of the council, which was the only council in West Yorkshire they still had a majority on.
Election result
The results saw the Conservatives gain 4 seats, 3 from Labour and 1 from an independent. Labour were defeated in HorburyHorbury
-Demography:In 2008 Horbury had a largely white population compared with Yorkshire and the Humber.-Population change:The population of Horbury in 2001 was 10,002-Transport:...
and South Ossett
Ossett
Ossett is a market town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on junction 40 of the M1 motorway, half-way between Dewsbury, to the west, and Wakefield, to the east. In the 2001 census, it was classified as part of the West Yorkshire...
, Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
South and Wrenthorpe
Wrenthorpe
Wrenthorpe is a village north-west of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England.It is located in the Rhubarb Triangle.-History:Although earlier remains, such as Roman coins and pottery, have been found in the area, the current settlement dates from after the Domesday Books compilation in 1086.Pottery...
and Outwood
Outwood, West Yorkshire
Outwood is a district to the north of Wakefield, a city in West Yorkshire, England. The district is centred on the A61 Leeds Road south of Lofthouse. It was originally a small pit village, but there has been so much new housing in the last twenty years that the old village is now only a minority of...
West wards
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
, with the losses blamed by the Labour leader on national issues. The other Conservative gain came in Wakefield South where they defeated independent councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
Norman Hazell by 17 votes. Hazell was a former Conservative member who had left the party in 2001 to sit as an independent councillor. However the other independent member managed to hold his seat in Featherstone
Featherstone
Featherstone is a town and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies south-west of Pontefract and has a population of 14,175.Featherstone railway station is on the Pontefract Line.-History:...
despite a strong challenge from Labour.