2023 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election
← 2022 4 May 2023 2024 →
30 of 90 seats on City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
46 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Susan Hinchcliffe Rebecca Poulsen
Party Labour Conservative
Last election 18, 46.0% 9, 24.5%
Seats before 52 20
Seats won 22 4
Seats after 56 16
Seat change Increase 4 Decrease 5
Popular vote 56,916 29,093
Percentage 47.0 24.0
Swing Increase 1.0 Decrease 0.5
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Matt Edwards Brendan Stubbs
Party Green Liberal Democrats
Last election 1, 12.8% 2, 10.6%
Seats before 6 6
Seats won 3 1
Seats after 8 5
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 1
Popular vote 17,607 10,353
Percentage 14.5 8.5
Swing Increase 1.7 Decrease 2.1
The winner of each seat by party in the 2023 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election
Leader before election

Susan Hinchcliffe
Labour

Leader after election

Susan Hinchcliffe
Labour

The 2023 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council in West Yorkshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. Labour retained its majority on the council.

Background

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Bradford was a district of the West Yorkshire metropolitan county.[1] The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority was established in 2014 and began electing the mayor of West Yorkshire in 2021.[2]

Since its formation, Bradford has been variously under Labour control, Conservative control and no overall control. Councillors have predominantly been elected from the Labour Party, Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats. The Green Party gained their first councillors on Bradford Council in 2002 and following these elections became the joint third largest group on the council.

Labour had regained control of the council from no overall control in the 2014 council election, gaining one seat to hold 46 out of 90 seats on the council. The Labour Party maintained its majority on the council in subsequent elections. Of the 30 seats contested in the previous election in 2022, Labour won nineteen on 44.1% of the vote, the Conservatives won six seats on 25.3% of the vote, the Green Party won three seats on 14.3% of the vote, and the Liberal Democrats and independents won one seat each on 8.1% and 6.8% of the vote respectively.[3]

Positions up for election in 2023 were last elected in 2019. In that election, eighteen Labour councillors, nine Conservative councillors, two Liberal Democrat councillors, and one Green councillor were elected.[4] Labour retained control of the council at this election.[5][6]

Electoral process

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year.[7][8] The election will take place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards generally being represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Bradford aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

Previous council composition

After 2022 election Before 2023 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 52 Labour 52
Conservative 21 Conservative 20
Green 6 Green 6
Liberal Democrats 6 Liberal Democrats 6
Independent 5 Independent 6

Results summary

2019 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Labour 22 Increase 4 73.3 34 56 62.2 56,916 47.0 Increase 1.0
  Conservative 4 Decrease 5 13.3 12 16 17.8 29,093 24.0 Decrease 0.5
  Green 3 Increase 2 10.0 5 8 8.9 17,607 14.5 Increase 1.7
  Liberal Democrats 1 Decrease 1 0.33 4 5 5.6 10,353 8.5 Decrease 2.1
  Independent 0 Steady 0.0 5 5 5.6 5,073 4.2 Increase 3.8
  Yorkshire 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 1,408 1.2 Increase 0.8
  Reform UK 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 443 0.3 New
  British Democratic 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 140 0.1 Decrease 0.5
  SDP 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 37 0.0 New
  TUSC 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 35 0.0 New

Results by ward

Asterisks denote incumbent councillors seeking re-election.[9]

Baildon

Baildon (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Pollard* 2,153 44.5 Decrease 2.0
Labour Peter Ashton 2,003 41.4 Increase 15.7
Green Carl Dunk 244 5.0 Decrease 2.2
Liberal Democrats David Wilkinson 231 4.8 Decrease 5.6
Reform UK Phil Moncaster 211 4.4 New
Majority 150 3.1 Decrease 18.0
Rejected ballots 13
Turnout 4,842
Conservative hold Swing

Bingley

Bingley (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Susan Fricker 2,796 46.9 Increase 10.1
Conservative Geoff Winnard* 2,365 39.7 Decrease 0.1
Green Rachael Drucquer 558 9.4 Decrease 1.1
Liberal Democrats Peter Russell 239 4.0 Decrease 1.6
Majority 431 7.2 Increase 4.2
Rejected ballots 24
Turnout 5,958
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Bingley Rural

Bingley Rural (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Sullivan* 2,457 46.8 Decrease 9.0
Labour Abdul Malik 1,211 23.0 Increase 3.2
Independent Cath Bacon 960 18.3 New
Green Brian Newham 432 8.2 Decrease 8.3
Liberal Democrats Helen Baranowski 194 3.7 Decrease 4.2
Majority 1,246 23.8 Decrease 12.2
Rejected ballots 13
Turnout 5,254
Conservative hold Swing

Bolton and Undercliffe

Bolton and Undercliffe (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Suhail Choudhry* 2,064 60.0 Increase 15.1
Liberal Democrats Suzanne Lubenko 620 18.0 Decrease 17.0
Conservative Sukhchain Singh 296 8.6 Decrease 1.9
Green Bruce Gulland 168 4.9 Decrease 4.6
Yorkshire Wendy Barras 165 4.8 New
Reform UK Sid Bourn 97 2.8 New
TUSC Tom Gibson 35 1.0 New
Majority 1,444 42.0 Increase 32.1
Rejected ballots 8
Turnout 3,445
Labour hold Swing

Bowling and Barkerend

Bowling and Barkerend (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Imran Khan* 2,540 75.0 Increase 6.1
Liberal Democrats Howard Middleton 285 8.4 Increase 3.0
Conservative Muhammad Wasim Ul Fazal 242 7.1 Decrease 7.5
Green Andy Rickford 176 5.2 Decrease 5.8
Yorkshire Kyle Wood 143 4.2 New
Majority 2,255 66.6 Increase 12.3
Rejected ballots 17
Turnout 3,386
Labour hold Swing

Bradford Moor

Bradford Moor (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Zafar Iqbal* 2,607 56.0 Decrease 26.0
Liberal Democrats Mohammed Thair 1,727 37.1 Increase 30.9
Conservative Asif Iqbal 192 4.1 Decrease 4.0
Yorkshire William Grant 68 1.5 New
Green Andy Wood 63 1.4 Decrease 2.2
Majority 880 18.9 Decrease 55.0
Rejected ballots 34
Turnout 4,657
Labour hold Swing

City

City (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shakeela Lal* 2,513 79.1 Decrease 3.3
Conservative Amena Patel 348 11.0 Increase 5.8
Green Mateusz Tadych 317 10.0 Increase 3.5
Majority 2,165 68.1 Decrease 7.8
Rejected ballots 13
Turnout 3,178
Labour hold Swing

Clayton and Fairweather Green

Clayton and Fairweather Green (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carol Thirkill* 2,071 69.3 Increase 8.9
Conservative Kate Lawton 574 19.2 Decrease 4.8
Green Susan May 228 7.6 Decrease 2.7
Liberal Democrats Steven Cotterill 115 3.8 Decrease 0.6
Majority 1,497 50.1 Increase 13.7
Rejected ballots 16
Turnout 2,988
Labour hold Swing

Craven

Craven (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Janet Russell 2,831 49.5 Increase 30.4
Conservative Eddie Irving 1,838 32.1 Increase 4.5
Labour Andrew Knight 700 12.2 Decrease 10.5
Yorkshire Peter Kaye 280 4.9 Increase 1.1
Liberal Democrats Paul Mann 73 1.3 Decrease 3.0
Majority 993 17.4 Increase 12.5
Rejected ballots 8
Turnout 5,722
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Eccleshill

Eccleshill (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian Parsons 1,447 43.1 Increase 10.5
Liberal Democrats Susan Knox* 1,173 34.9 Decrease 5.3
Conservative Wajid Rasool 467 13.9 Increase 6.4
Yorkshire Jonathan Barras 152 4.5 Increase 2.0
Green Sophie Vanicat 121 3.6 Increase 0.3
Majority 274 8.2 Increase 0.6
Rejected ballots 20
Turnout 3,360
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

Great Horton

Great Horton (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tariq Hussain* 2,374 70.2 Decrease 5.2
Conservative Sangeeta Khan 350 10.4 Increase 0.5
Independent Harry Boota 253 7.5 New
Liberal Democrats Sarah Moses 157 4.6 Decrease 1.7
Green Alexander Sykes 136 4.0 Decrease 4.5
Yorkshire William Grant 110 3.3 New
Majority 2,204 59.8 Decrease 5.7
Rejected ballots 11
Turnout 3,380
Labour hold Swing

Heaton

Heaton (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mohammed Amran* 2,821 58.4 Decrease 16.6
Green Khalid Mahmood 1,769 36.6 Increase 22.5
Conservative Saika Khan 167 3.5 Decrease 3.5
Liberal Democrats Allah Ali 74 1.5 Decrease 2.4
Majority 1,052 21.8 Decrease 39.1
Rejected ballots 24
Turnout 4,831
Labour hold Swing

Idle and Thackley

Idle and Thackley (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jeanette Sunderland* 2,686 63.7 Increase 1.7
Labour Gareth Logan 805 19.1 Increase 5.3
Conservative John Robertshaw 404 9.6 Increase 3.9
Yorkshire Lara Barras 161 3.8 New
Green Tess Lawrence 159 3.8 Decrease 1.8
Majority 1,881 44.6 Decrease 3.6
Rejected ballots 12
Turnout 4,215
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Ilkley

Ilkley (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Nunns 2,655 41.9 Increase 5.5
Green Ros Brown 2,495 39.3 Increase 13.9
Labour Michael Baldwin 977 15.4 Decrease 4.4
Liberal Democrats Caroline Jones 214 3.4 Decrease 15.0
Majority 160 2.6 Decrease 8.4
Rejected ballots 26
Turnout 6,341
Conservative hold Swing

Keighley Central

Keighley Central (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Amjad Zaman 3,125 49.3 Increase 9.5
Conservative Javaid Akhtar 2,284 36.0 Decrease 13.8
Independent Zafar Ali* 580 9.2 New
Green Alyson Telfer 178 2.8 Decrease 3.8
Independent Leo Robinson 85 1.3 New
Liberal Democrats Nicholas Allon 84 1.3 Decrease 2.5
Majority 841 13.3 Increase 3.3
Rejected ballots 41
Turnout 6,336
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Keighley East

Keighley East (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lisa Robinson 2,015 51.2 Decrease 3.0
Conservative Martin Crangle 1,425 36.2 Increase 10.6
Green Duncan Hunnisett 270 6.9 Decrease 9.1
Liberal Democrats John Briggs 186 4.7 Decrease 0.5
SDP Alexander Vann 37 1.0 New
Majority 590 15.0 Decrease 12.6
Rejected ballots 36
Turnout 3,933
Labour hold Swing

Keighley West

Keighley West (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julie Lintern* 1,507 47.3 Increase 0.2
Conservative Laura Kelly 1,447 45.5 Increase 19.7
Liberal Democrats Steven Spoerry 127 4.0 Decrease 1.8
Green James Whitaker 102 3.2 New
Majority 60 1.8 Decrease 19.5
Rejected ballots 10
Turnout 3,183
Labour hold Swing

Little Horton

Little Horton (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Taj Salam* 2,763 85.7 Decrease 0.1
Yorkshire Darren Longhorn 138 4.3 New
Conservative Muhammad Afzal 127 3.9 Decrease 0.8
Green Nurjahan Ali Arobi 104 3.2 Decrease 0.9
Liberal Democrats Tariq Mahmood 91 2.8 Decrease 2.6
Majority 2,625 81.4 Increase 1.0
Rejected ballots 23
Turnout 3,223
Labour hold Swing

Manningham

Manningham (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Safina Kauer 2,502 50.9 Decrease 38.0
Independent Muhammed Islam 2,153 43.8 New
Green Anne Fetherston 169 3.4 Decrease 1.9
Conservative Khalid Anjum 89 1.8 Decrease 1.6
Majority 349 7.1 Decrease 76.5
Rejected ballots 22
Turnout 4,913
Labour hold Swing

Queensbury

Queensbury (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alex Mitchell 1,206 35.3 Increase 8.1
Independent Robert Hargreaves 1,042 30.5 New
Conservative Adam Paterson 849 24.9 Decrease 7.5
Green Eithne Dodwell 229 6.7 Decrease 3.9
Liberal Democrats Mary Whitrick 86 2.5 Decrease 5.8
Majority 164 4.8 Decrease 0.4
Rejected ballots 10
Turnout 3,412
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Royds

Royds (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Angela Tait* 1,713 63.9 Increase 21.3
Conservative Emmanuel Ekoumba Bayap 592 22.1 Increase 5.2
Green Ian Sharp 251 9.4 Increase 2.3
Liberal Democrats Ines Riach 124 4.6 Decrease 1.8
Majority 1,121 41.8 Increase 26.2
Rejected ballots 13
Turnout 2,680
Labour hold Swing

Shipley

Shipley (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Kevin Warnes* 3,204 64.6 Increase 9.3
Labour Vera Martin 1,238 24.9 Decrease 7.1
Conservative Paul Golding 423 8.5 Increase 0.5
Liberal Democrats Nicholas Errington 98 2.0 Increase 0.1
Majority 1,966 39.7 Increase 16.4
Rejected ballots 33
Turnout 4,963
Green hold Swing

Thornton and Allerton

Thornton and Allerton (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sue Duffy* 2,224 61.8 Increase 5.5
Conservative Jac Morton 743 20.7 Decrease 6.5
Green John Whitaker 322 9.0 Decrease 2.2
Liberal Democrats Anthea Griffiths 307 8.5 Increase 3.1
Majority 1,481 41.1 Increase 12.0
Rejected ballots 10
Turnout 3,596
Labour hold Swing

Toller

Toller (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Folia Shaheen* 3,190 82.4 Decrease 5.6
Green Brian Ford 354 9.1 Increase 5.4
Conservative Shaheen Iqbal 326 8.4 Increase 4.8
Majority 2,836 73.3 Decrease 10.1
Rejected ballots 31
Turnout 3,870
Labour hold Swing

Tong

Tong (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Ursula Sutcliffe 1,546 59.8 Increase 29.6
Labour Kausar Mukhtar* 650 25.2 Decrease 5.1
Conservative Paul Turpin 221 8.6 Decrease 1.7
Liberal Democrats Susan Elliott 92 3.6 Decrease 1.3
Yorkshire Baz Inman 75 2.9 New
Majority 896 34.6 Increase 34.5
Rejected ballots 10
Turnout 2,584
Green gain from Labour Swing

Wharfedale

Wharfedale (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christopher Steele 1,718 39.4 Increase 18.1
Conservative Peter Cochrane 1,692 38.8 Decrease 8.6
Green Chris Turner 534 12.2 Decrease 1.5
Liberal Democrats Jamie Needle 420 9.6 Decrease 8.0
Majority 26 0.8 Decrease 25.3
Rejected ballots 15
Turnout 4,364
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Wibsey

Wibsey (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Ralph Berry* 1,470 55.9 Increase 10.2
Conservative Nick Peterken 548 20.8 Increase 2.3
Liberal Democrats Brian Boulton 375 14.3 Increase 7.9
Green Michael Daw 120 4.6 Decrease 0.8
Yorkshire Bob Buxton 116 4.4 New
Majority 922 35.1 Increase 10.2
Rejected ballots 10
Turnout 2,629
Labour hold Swing

Windhill and Wrose

Windhill and Wrose (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Susan Hinchcliffe* 1,834 60.4 Increase 10.6
Conservative Wendy Harrison 753 24.8 Increase 5.8
Liberal Democrats Gillian Thorne 239 7.9 Increase 1.1
Green John Wood 212 7.0 Decrease 2.0
Majority 1,081 35.6 Increase 4.8
Rejected ballots 18
Turnout 3,038
Labour hold Swing

Worth Valley

Worth Valley (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rebecca Poulsen* 2,412 59.2 Decrease 2.1
Labour Ash Joomun Whitehead 1,290 31.7 Increase 13.1
Green Hawarun Hussain 187 4.6 Decrease 9.5
Liberal Democrats Kay Kirkham 182 4.5 Decrease 1.6
Majority 1,122 27.5 Decrease 15.2
Rejected ballots 17
Turnout 4,071
Conservative hold Swing

Wyke

Wyke (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Ferriby* 1,542 56.0 Increase 10.4
Conservative Malcolm McLean 654 23.8 Increase 5.2
Liberal Democrats Kevin Hall 154 5.6 Increase 0.1
British Democratic James Lewthwaite 140 5.1 Decrease 19.4
Reform UK Ian Walker 135 4.9 New
Green Darren Parkinson 128 4.6 Decrease 1.3
Majority 888 32.2 Increase 11.1
Rejected ballots 14
Turnout 2,753
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. ^ Local Government in England and Wales: A Guide to the New System. London: HMSO. 1974. p. 7. ISBN 0-11-750847-0.
  2. ^ "West Yorkshire devolution deal". GOV.UK. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Election results by wards, 5 May 2022". bradford.moderngov.co.uk. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Election results by wards, 2 May 2019". bradford.moderngov.co.uk. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Local election results 2023: Labour continue to dominate in West Yorkshire". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  6. ^ Sandeman, Kit (5 May 2023). "Labour hold Bradford Council: Local election results 2023". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Local government structure and elections". GOV.UK. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Election Timetable in England" (PDF).
  9. ^ "Notice of election - District Council Elections 4 May 2023". www.bradford.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
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