Denise Jeffery

The original iteration of Welcome to Yorkshire was placed into liquidation

Council to investigate cost of collapse of Welcome to Yorkshire

Labour council leader Denise Jeffery and Tory opposition leader Nadeem Ahmed

‘We didn’t want it anyway’: Leaders welcome scrapping of HS2

Roadworks have been in place since January 2022 a vehicle struck an historic bridge on the A638 near to Nostell Priory. The removal of the brickwork revealed features of "significant archaeological interest".

Repairs to historic Yorkshire bridge delayed by discovery of great crested newts

Woolley Hall

Historic house owned by Wentworth family to be turned into wedding venue and spa

A law firm is carrying out an investigation into errors over a council land sale which cost taxpayers £2.6m and threatened the close Featherstone Sports Complex and a nearby school.

Failings almost led to the closure of a swimming pool

Labour council leader Denise Jeffery and Tory opposition leader Nadeem Ahmed

Yorkshire council leader makes 'unreserved' double yellow lines parking apology

Calls for council to get help from Barnsley dubbed "attention-seeking insult"

Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale councils sought injunctions over Home Office asylum seeker hotel plans

Councils sought injunctions over Home Office asylum seeker hotel plans

St Pierre Hotel, in Newmillerdam

Anger at Home Office plan to house asylum seekers at hotel ‘within days’

Langthwaite Business Park could become home to a £51m national centre of excellence for the creative industries

Bid to build £51m national creative industries centre in Yorkshire

Council to rethink controversial £10m spending plan on revamp of social club dubbed “waste of money”

Council to rethink controversial £10m spending plan on revamp of social club

Wakefield has been named a 'levelling-up partner' by the Government

The Yorkshire city named as a 'levelling-up partner' by the Government

Work to renovate Castleford’s historic Queen’s Mill is due to start after a £900,000 grant has been awarded to fund the project.

Renovation work to start on historic Yorkshire mill following £900,000 grant

Plan to turn former Poundstretcher store into home for vulnerable people receives 140 objections

Plan to convert Poundstretcher store into home for vulnerable people

Roadworks at Nostell Priory

Roadworks at historic Yorkshire bridge to continue for at least four more months

How Wakefield’s Tileyard North complex could look

The 1980s novelty pop act taking over a new music studio in Yorkshire

How the old BHS store in Wakefield looks now

Former BHS store which could be turned into museum is 'riddled with asbestos'

Kellingley Social Club

£6m community hub funding withdrawn over claims plan is a ‘shambles’

Rutland Mills artist's impression

King Charles III to be invited to Yorkshire to open new creative community

Council seeking to ‘acquire’ up-for-sale Ridings Shopping Centre as part of town renovation plans

Council seeking to ‘acquire’ up-for-sale Ridings Shopping Centre

Work is underway to refurbish Normanton Market after the £650,000 project was delayed for months due to Covid.

Work starts on £650,000 refurbishment of Normanton Market after Covid delays
Work is underway to refurbish Normanton Market after the £650,000 project was delayed for months due to Covid.

Market traders’ concerns: Paul Wilson, Wendy Evans and Waseem Nasir have all voiced concerns about the market’s potential move.

Proposals to relocate Yorkshire market met with anger

The school on Belle Vue Road.

Council awarded £1.3 million damages over 'badly-designed' Yorkshire school

The club now looks set to be saved from the bulldozer, having been faced with having to move if the homes had been built.

Homes plan for sports club set to be pulled as council to 'review' sale of site

Afghan refugees taken in by Wakefield Council are still living in hotels, the council leader has said.

Afghan refugees who arrived in Yorkshire last summer still living in hotels

Tens of thousands of people fled Afghanistan last year after the Taliban took back control of the country.

Afghan refugees still living in hotels while waiting for a home in Wakefield

Wakefield entered into a twinning arrangement with Belgorod in 1991 at the end of the Cold War, though the partnership has been "dormant" for many years, according to the council leader.

Wakefield formally severs ties with Russian city over Ukraine invasion

The Conservative group has proposed switching streetlights off in the early hours in a one-year trial.

Conservatives call for streetlights to be turned off after midnight to save cash

The listed building was put up in the 17th century.

Council outlines new vision for Woolley Hall after taking it off the market

The shopping centre was put on the market last year.

Council could take 'financial interest' in The Ridings

Councillor Denise Jeffery

Levelling Up funding dismissed as 'beauty contest' by council leader

Coun Jeffery will contest her Castleford Central and Glasshoughton seat again at this year's local elections.

Council leader Denise Jeffery confirms intention to carry on in role
The leader of Wakefield Council has confirmed she intends to carry on in her role beyond this year's local elections.

Bills will rise by a minimum of £40 a year, once the social care precept is taken into account.

Council tax bills set to rise as Budget proposals unveiled

The care watchdog rated the department as ‘good’

Social workers reduced to tears by Ofsted report after huge improvements

The report highlighted widespread improvements.

Wakefield Council children's services rated as 'good' by Ofsted

The building has been empty for many years.

Hopes Wood Street plans will draw people back to the city centre

Coun Jeffery said it was a "worrying time".

Wakefield councillors 'no longer do surgeries alone' as precaution

The Birmingham-Leeds stage of the project would have passed through Wakefield.

End of the line? Sources expect Birmingham to Leeds HS2 leg to be axed

Bradford has been named on the City of Culture 2025 longlist

Bradford named on UK City of Culture 2025 longlist of candidates

The council insists it won't consider late-night blackouts.

'We'll never turn the lights out after midnight' - council leader

The inquiry into how the school building, put up in 2010, was managed, was set up earlier this year.

Inquiry finds multiple failings in leaky school roof saga over 15 years

Mr Khan believes a monorail, which he suggests could be built between Westgate and Kirkgate, could transform Wakefield and give it a new identity.

Council leader unsure if MP's monorail vision for city centre is 'realistic'

It was reported on Friday that the company tasked with repairing the primary school's roof had been paid £430,000 of public money, despite no work taking place at the site for several months.

Council leader declares inquiry into school roof contract after criticism

The George Hotel in Huddersfield

Arcade in Dewsbury and George Hotel in Huddersfield given regeneration funding

'Enjoying it': Coun Jeffery says she loves the job despite an eventful and challenging first year in office.

'I'm a risk-taker so I've thrown caution to the wind' - Wakefield Council leader...

The site is located close to Wakefield city centre

Wakefield Council bought Westgate Leisure Park - where Pizza Hut and Cineworld a...

People in Wakefield have been warned that they 'all need to play their part' in slowing the spread of Covid-19, as the district is been formally declared an area of concern.

Wakefield formally declared area of concern over rising coronavirus cases

Wakefield signed a friendship agreement with Nanning City in May 2019 under the stewardship of then council leader Peter Box

Mosque leaders in Wakefield were among critics of Nanning City and Xiangyang fri...

Wakefield is once again expected to be declared an 'area of concern' today, after a sharp rise in new cases of Covid-19. Above, shoppers wear masks and follow social distancing rules in Pontefract.

Wakefield to be declared 'area of concern' amid rise in Covid-19 cases

Wakefield's former council leader Peter Box signed a friendship agreement with Nanning City in May 2019.

Wakefield twin partnerships with Nanning City and Xiangyang to be axed over Chin...

Welcome to Yorkshire asked councils for a £1.4m bailout earlier this year.

Wakefield councillors attack 'lavish lifestyles' at Welcome to Yorkshire and ref...

West Yorkshire leaders negotiated a devolution deal with Chancellor Rishi Sunak earlier this year.

'A deal that's not ideal': Wakefield councillors back West Yorkshire devolution ...

Former council leader Peter Box and Nanning City mayor Zhou Hongbo signed a friendship agreement between the two cities last year.

Wakefield's partnership with Chinese city under review amid concerns over countr...

Coronavirus cases have risen across the district in recent weeks.

Local lockdown in Wakefield 'a possibility', council leader and senior police of...

Ms McRae joined Wakefield Council in 2017, after five years as chief executive at Calderdale Council.

Wakefield Council chief executive Merran McRae to step down from role

Local council leaders sign the proposed agreement, alongside Chancellor Rishi Sunak in March.

Deal or no deal? Resounding 'no' from Wakefield public to West Yorkshire mayor w...

The government wants schools to start reopening from June 1.

June 'too soon' for schools to reopen, Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery s...

The new 1.6km section of the route will open next year.

'Vital' missing link' in West Yorkshire walking and cycling route to open next y...

Councillors Nadeem Ahmed and Denise Jeffery said they would work together during the crisis.

'This isn't a time to play politics': Wakefield's Labour and Tory leaders in rar...

Chancellor Rishi Sunak pictured with West Yorkshire leaders and Minister Simon Clarke. Pic: Danny Lawson

West Yorkshire devolution deal 'is an example for the country', says Rishi Sunak