The 2026 Kirklees Council election took place on 7 May 2026 alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom. All 69 seats of Kirklees Council were elected.
Prior to the election, the council was under no overall control. Labour was the largest party and ran the council as a minority administration. At this election, the council remained under no overall control. Reform UK, which held no seats prior to the election, emerged as the largest party but fell six seats short of a majority. Labour went from being the largest party to having no seats on the council.
After the election, Reform chose Sarah Wood to be its group leader. It took over two months after the election before the council managed to agree a new administration; the council met and twice failed to agree the appointment of a leader of the council. Sarah Wood was eventually appointed as the leader of the council on 15 July 2026, leading a Reform minority administration.
Background As the previous 2024 election, Labour lost control of the council to no overall control.
Council composition After 2024 election Before 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats 31 23 15 16 10 9 4 4 N/A 6 9 10Vacant1 Changes 2024–2026: May 2024: Masood Ahmed, Yusra Hussain, Mus Khan, Paul Moore, Cathy Scott, Adam Zaman, and Habiban Zaman (Labour) leave party to sit as independents September 2024: Paul Davies (Labour) resigns – by-election held October 2024 October 2024: Damian Brook (Conservative) gains by-election from Labour January 2026: Community Alliance Kirklees formed – Masood Ahmed, Ammar Anwar, Yusra Hussain, Cathy Scott, Adam Zaman, and Habiban Zaman join party March 2026: The death of Cahal Burke (Liberal Democrats) caused a vacancy in Lindley ward
Election result
Ward results
Almondbury
Ashbrow
Batley East
Batley West
Birstall and Birkenshaw
Cleckheaton
Colne Valley East
Colne Valley West
Crosland Moor
Dalton
Denby Dale
Dewsbury East
Dewsbury South
Dewsbury West
Greenhead
Heckmondwike
Holme Valley North
Holme Valley South
Kirkburton
Lindley
Liversedge and Gomersal
Mirfield
Netherton and Newsome
Post-election changes
Almondbury
The winning candidate, Paola Davies (Liberal Democrats) had previously been a councillor for Almondbury ward from 2023-2026.
References