Count under way for Wakefield Council elections 2024 with results expected throughout the day

The count at Thornes Park Athletics Stadium began at 9.30am after the polls closed at 10pm on Thursday night.

Just over a third of Wakefield Council seats – 22 in total – are being contested..

Counts for 11 of the council’s wards will take place this morning with the first results expected around 1.30pm.

Counting for the remaining 10 seats is due to start at 2.30pm with the results expected later in the afternoon.

Labour is the ruling group on the council with 48 seats.

The Conservatives have five, the Lib Dems have three and there are seven independent councillors.

Six independent councillors have not put their names forward for re-election this time around.

Two councillors will be elected in Normanton ward following the resignation of Labour councillor Isabel Owen in March.

A total of 91 candidates are standing for election across all 21 council wards.

Labour, Conservatives and The Green Party are competing in every seat.The Yorkshire Party have candidates in seven wards.

Wakefield and District Independents and the Lib Dems each have six candidates.

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition is fielding four candidates and there are two Reform UK candidates.

The Heritage Party has one candidate standing in Wrenthorpe and Outwood West.

Mark Harrop is seeking election as an independent councillor in Horbury and South Ossett ward.

The candidates, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:

Ackworth, North Elmsall and Upton – Ward 1

Jody Gabriel – Green Party

Dylan Nykamp – ConservativeMartin Roberts – Labour

Airedale and Ferry Fryston – Ward 2Jackie Ferguson – LabourJohn Ingham – Green PartyNeil Kennedy – Wakefield District IndependentsEamonn Mullins – ConservativeAltofts and Whitwood – Ward 3Peter Forster – ConservativeKrys Holmes – Green Part.Josie Pritchard – LabourJohn Thomas – Wakefield District Independents

Castleford Central and Glasshoughton – Ward 4Stephen Brennan – Green PartyRichard Forster – LabourPaul Phelps – Yorkshire PartyJoanne Smart – Conservative

Crofton, Ryhill and Walton – Ward 5Elizabeth Cowton – ConservativeFaith Heptinstall – LabourGarry Newby – Green PartyFeatherstone – Ward 6Cynthia Dickenson – Green PartyAnthony Hill – ConservativeMaureen Tennant-King – Labour

Hemsworth – Ward 7Michael Johnson – Trade Unionist and Socialist CoalitionLaura Jones – LabourLyn Morton – Green PartyDoreen Smart – Conservative

Horbury and South Ossett – Ward 8Darren Byford – LabourMadalena Coutinho – ConservativeMark Goodair – Liberal DemocratsMark Harrop – IndependentRichard Norris – Green Party

Knottingley – Ward 9Theo Biddle – LabourAdele Hayes – Liberal DemocratsRuth Love – Green PartyAmy Swift – Conservative

Normanton – Ward 10 (Two to be elected)John Clayton – Green PartyJulie Medford – LabourTomas Mestre – ConservativeCliff Parsons – Wakefield and District IndependentsChad Thomas – ConservativeDaniel Wilton – Labour

Ossett – Ward 11Simon Biltcliffe – Yorkshire PartyKarl Clough – ConservativeTony Sargeant – Liberal DemocratsStephen Scott – Green PartySandra Senior – Reform UKDuncan Smith – Labour

Pontefract North – Ward 12Helen Antcliff – LabourJack Crosswaite – ConservativeChris Dawson – Yorkshire PartyEmma Tingle – Green Party

Pontefract South – Ward 13Julie Craig – LabourTony Hames – ConservativesOliver Watkins – Green Party

South Elmsall and South Kirkby – Ward 14Michelle Collins – LabourStefan Ludewig – Green PartyDaniel Wrightson – Conservative

Stanley and Outwood East – Ward 15Richard Copeland – Green PartyDarren Lumber – Trade Unionist and Socialist CoalitionMatthew Morley – LabourJenny Prest – Wakefield and District IndependentsMargaret Woolmer – Conservative

Wakefield East – Ward 16Naeem Formuli – ConservativeMichael Griffiths – Trade Unionist and Socialist CoalitionJanet Mackintosh – Green PartyNatalie Walton – Labour

Wakefield North – Ward 17Tom Griffiths – Trade Unionist and Socialist CoalitionAshton Howick – Green PartyAndy Mack – Yorkshire PartyElizabeth Rhodes – LabourTim Woolmer – Conservative

Wakefield Rural – Ward 18David Herdson – Yorkshire PartyMark Lord – Liberal DemocratsAndy Nicholls – LabourKaren Sadler – Green PartyIan Sanders – Conservative

Wakefield South – Ward 19Daniel Cochran – Yorkshire PartyKate Dodd – Green PartyJames Hardwick – ConservativeShabaan Saleem – Labour

Wakefield West – Ward 20Susan Hayes – Liberal DemocratsJohn Higson – ConservativeHilary Mitchell – LabourSusan Stretton – Heritage PartyLaura Towle – Green Party

Wrenthorpe and Outwood West – Ward 21Waj Ali – ConservativesDavid Dews – Reform UKBrendan Fraser – LabourBrent Hawksley – Yorkshire PartyDaniel Russell – Green PartyNic Stansby – Wakefield and District IndependentsJanet Walton – Liberal Democrats