It has now been more than 50 days since the residents of Kirklees elected 69 councillors – many of whom were brand new – to represent the district.

Yet, after almost two months, the council remains leaderless, and tensions continue to grow inside the chambers.

Between a leaked, divisive letter, a plea from multiple Mayoral figures and two attempts to elect a leader, Kirklees Council has endured a lot since the local elections on May 8.

Most recently, Reform UK lost two councillors: Craig Wiles, for Almondbury, resigned, and Susan Maxfield, for Liversedge and Gomersal, defected to run as an independent. The deputy group lader – Christine Smith – also stepped down from her role, though continues to act as Reform UK councillor.

Huddersfield Town Hall, where Kirklees Council is based

placeholder image — Huddersfield Town Hall, where Kirklees Council is based

The council is next expected to reconvene on July 26, when they will once again discuss leadership.

As Kirklees waits with baited breath, here is a timeline of everything that has happened in Kirklees Council since the polls closed.

Key moments in first 50 days since Kirklees Council elections

May 7: Polls open from 7 am–10 pm.
May 8: In a landmark all-out election, three group leaders – including Labour Party Council Leader, Carole Pattinson – were all ousted from their seats. Reform UK became the largest party on Kirklees Council with 29 seats across 12 wards. Most notably, their dominant performance included sweeping all three seats in seven specific wards, allowing Reform candidates to oust Liberal Democrat group leader John Lawson in Cleckheaton. Meanwhile, in Liversedge & Gomersal, Reform UK defeated Conservative group leader David Hall, ending his 22-year tenure on the council. Kirklees Council was left in No Overall Control, with Reform UK holding the most seats. The remaining seats were split among 14 Independents, 12 Greens, nine Conservatives, and five Liberal Democrats, leaving the Labour Party without representation.
May 20: Chaos erupted at Kirklees Council’s annual meeting after councillors failed to elect a new leader. Green Party group leader Andrew Cooper and Reform UK group leader Sarah Wood were both been nominated as candidates. The meeting quickly descended into confusion during a debate over a ‘suspension of orders’ to halt abstentions, prompting newly elected Reform UK councillors to openly admit they “did not understand” the constitution or what they were voting for. More blunders occurred when members initially rejected mandatory committee proportionality rules, only to unanimously reverse the decision after clarification from council officers. With the authority split and lacking direction, the vote to elect a council leader was postponed until May 28.
May 22: A leaked letter seen by the Local Democracy Service showed that following the first attempt to elect a leader, Chief Executive Steve Mawson “strongly encouraged” councillors to “continue discussions” with the hopes of selecting a leader before the next meeting.
May 23: The Kirklees Independents Group publicly declared it would not support a Reform UK-led administration, with group leader Habiban Zaman stating they are only willing to work with the party if they “lose the vote”.
May 28: Kirklees Council’s second attempt to elect a new leader ended in a deadlock after neither Green Party group leader Andrew Cooper nor Reform UK group leader Sarah Wood secured a majority in two private ballots. The meeting began with a tense, 90-minute question-and-answer session in which the candidates’ experience and suitability were heavily scrutinised. Councillor Cooper pointed to his long tenure as evidence of stability, while Councillor Wood defended her relative inexperience by emphasising a collaborative approach with the other 68 councillors. She later clashed with Conservative councillor, Martyn Bolt, over allegations of previous “name-calling” within the chamber.
May 29: Police were contacted on May 29 by a man who reported being assaulted by a male suspect inside Huddersfield Town Hall during the evening of May 28. The victim sustained no injuries. An appointment was made to take further details from the victim. It is unclear if this appointment went ahead.
June 18: Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board hosts a Director in place of an elected cabinet member as the gridlock continues.
June 18: The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, writes to all Kirklees councillors, urging them to elect a leader amid concerns over the lack of representation for Kirklees at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s annual meeting on June 25.
June 19: Reform UK leader, Sarah Wood, makes a public statement that she was not “emailed” the letter from Ms Brabin, despite the letter – which was posted to X – saying it had been sent to “all councillors, by email.” Later the same day an explosive from Reform UK response to the Mayor’s disappointment over the ongoing saga unveiled a catalogue of issues. Multiple email chains demonstrate the extent of the ongoing tensions between councillors. Reform UK say they will not enter a coalition at “any level”.
June 25: Kirklees Council remains unrepresented at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority meeting.
June 26: Reform UK’s Craig Wiles resigns from his post as councillor for Almondbury.
July 2: Ex-Mayor, Andrew Palfreeman, bashes “dire undemocratic lack of leadership” in Kirklees Council.
July 3: Reform UK’s Susan Maxfield for Liversedge and Gomersal resigns her whip and becomes an independent councillor.
July 3: Reform UK’s Christine Smith for Dalton says she is stepping down as Deputy group leader for personal reasons. The role has been assigned to Councillor Mark Smith for Colne Valley East.
Between May 28 and July 3: At least six council meetings are scrapped due to a lack of elected representation