2002 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election
# 2002 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 2 May 2002. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party lost overall control of the council to no overall control. The total turnout of the election was 32.16% (47,091 voters of an electorate of 146,407). The winning candidate in each ward is highlighted in bold.

After the election, the composition of the council was

* Conservative 25
* Liberal Democrats 15
* Labour 13
* Independent 1

## Ward results

### Brighouse ward

Brighouse ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Edith Ann Martin | 913 | 35.80 |
| | Conservative | Michael Raine | 899 | 35.25 |
| | Independent | Rodney Allen | 738 | 28.94 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,550 | 33.07 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Calder Valley ward

Calder Valley ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Dower | 1,269 | 38.51 |
| | Labour | Michael Peter Towl | 986 | 29.92 |
| | Conservative | Helen Jane Granton | 583 | 17.69 |
| | Green | Jamie Johnson | 457 | 13.86 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 283 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,295 | 36.15 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Elland ward

Elland ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edgar Joseph Waller | 1,402 | 60.22 |
| | Labour | Stephen Wood | 557 | 23.92 |
| | Conservative | Howard Geofferey Seed | 369 | 15.85 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 845 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,328 | 29.11 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Greetland and Stainland ward

Greetland and Stainland ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick Julyan Lancelot Napier Phillips | 2,129 | 64.53 |
| | Conservative | Paul Graham Rogan | 736 | 22.30 |
| | Labour | Nigel Patrick Ambler | 434 | 13.15 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,393 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,299 | 34.57 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Hipperholme and Lightcliffe ward

Hipperholme and Lightcliffe ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | John Foran | 1,579 | 60.91 |
| | Labour | Paul Womersley | 693 | 26.73 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elisabeth Mary Wilson | 320 | 12.34 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 886 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,592 | 32.58 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Illingworth ward

Illingworth ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Thomas Joseph McElroy | 945 | 52.88 |
| | Conservative | Michael John Clarke | 613 | 34.30 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Robinson | 229 | 12.81 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 332 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,787 | 26.14 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Luddendenfoot ward

Luddendenfoot ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jane Frances Leech Brown | 1,529 | 51.01 |
| | Labour | Stewart Brown | 674 | 22.48 |
| | Conservative | Robert Ernest Thornber | 551 | 18.38 |
| | Green | Steven Richard Hutton | 243 | 8.10 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 855 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,997 | 35.09 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Mixenden ward

Mixenden ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Andy Metcalfe | 758 | 44.24 |
| | Independent | Redmond Mellett | 393 | 22.94 |
| | Conservative | Sajid Mehmood | 367 | 21.42 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tracie Anne Quinn-Robinson | 195 | 11.38 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 375 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,713 | 24.28 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Northowram and Shelf ward

Northowram and Shelf ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Roger Laurence Taylor | 1,756 | 62.80 |
| | Labour | Derek Fox Haviour | 725 | 25.92 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Stafford | 315 | 11.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1031 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,796 | 32.35 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Ovenden ward

Ovenden ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Helen Josephine Rivron | 768 | 47.79 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pamela Elizabeth Burton | 602 | 37.46 |
| | Conservative | John Charles Shoesmith | 237 | 14.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 166 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,607 | 22.09 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Rastrick ward

Rastrick ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Gareth Paul Henderson | 1,150 | 43.96 |
| | Labour | George Edward Richardson | 822 | 31.42 |
| | Independent | Peter Graham Davis | 443 | 16.93 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glen Michael Mattock | 201 | 7.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 328 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,616 | 32.49 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Ryburn ward

Ryburn ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Geraldine Mary Carter | 1,257 | 42.40 |
| | Labour | Judith Mary Gannon | 992 | 33.46 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Crowther | 715 | 24.12 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 265 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,964 | 32.45 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### St John's ward

St John's ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Arshad Mahmood | 1,467 | 46.42 |
| | Conservative | Shakar Saghir | 1,059 | 33.51 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew John Foster | 634 | 20.06 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 408 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,160 | 39.55 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |

### Skircoat ward

Skircoat ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Wainwright | 1,855 | 63.81 |
| | Labour | Catherine Mary Groves | 621 | 21.36 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Siobhen Stow | 431 | 14.82 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,234 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,907 | 33.83 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Sowerby Bridge ward

Sowerby Bridge ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Anne Marsden | 975 | 42.89 |
| | Conservative | Marian McCartney | 826 | 36.33 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sheila Ann Ashton | 472 | 20.76 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 149 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,273 | 29.45 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |

### Todmorden ward

Todmorden ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Clare Townley | 1,231 | 47.03 |
| | Labour | Joe Mitchell | 938 | 35.84 |
| | Conservative | Craig Whittaker | 448 | 17.11 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 293 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,617 | 33.72 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### Town ward

Town ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labour | Megan Kathleen Swift | 1,155 | 40.46 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Baines | 949 | 33.25 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Durkin | 510 | 17.86 |
| | Independent | Gwyneth Greenwood | 240 | 8.40 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 206 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,854 | 32.74 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |

### Warley ward

Warley ward :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | David Ian Ginley | 1,550 | 56.65 |
| | Labour | Pauline Margaret Leach | 749 | 27.37 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Andrew Pearson | 437 | 15.97 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 801 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,736 | 35.22 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

## By-elections between 2002 and 2003

### Calder Valley ward, 2002

Calder Valley By-Election 5 December 2002 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Battye | 883 | 45.8 | +7.3 |
| | Labour | Michael Towl | 448 | 23.2 | -6.7 |
| | Conservative | Craig Whittaker | 364 | 18.9 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Jamie Johnson | 235 | 12.2 | -1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 435 | 22.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,930 | 22.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Mixenden ward, 2003

This by-election has become synonymous as an example of a likely Condorcet loser winning.

Mixenden By-Election 23 January 2003 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | BNP | Adrian Marsden | 679 | 29.2 | +29.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Pearson | 651 | 28.0 | +16.6 |
| | Labour | Michael Higgins | 641 | 27.5 | -16.7 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Baines | 214 | 9.2 | -12.2 |
| | Independent | Redmond Mellett | 142 | 6.1 | -16.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 1.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,327 | 37.0 | |
| | BNP gain from Labour | BNP gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Rastrick ward, 2003

Rastrick By-Election 6 February 2003 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | Paul Rogan | 722 | 44.4 | +0.4 |
| | Labour | George Richardson | 492 | 30.3 | -1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Durkin | 411 | 25.3 | +17.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 230 | 14.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,625 | 20.6 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
