Pontefract South is an electoral ward of the City of Wakefield district, used for elections to Wakefield Metropolitan District Council.

Pontefract South
Pontefract South is located in West Yorkshire
Pontefract South
Pontefract South
Location within West Yorkshire
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
PoliceWest Yorkshire
FireWest Yorkshire
AmbulanceYorkshire
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire
53°40′N 1°16′W / 53.67°N 1.26°W / 53.67; -1.26

Overview

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The ward is one of 21 in the Wakefield district, and is one of its most marginal. Its marginal nature can be largely put down to the nature of its demographics. The ward takes in traditionally Labour-voting areas of Pontefract, in the form of Chequerfield, Baghill and the Carleton Park estate, along with more Conservative-leaning areas such as Carleton and the outlying villages of Darrington, Wentbridge and East Hardwick. Other areas of the ward, such as the Larks Hill estate, are probably the most locally marginal parts of the ward, their voters swinging between Labour and the Conservatives from one election to another.

In December 2010 the ward's electorate stood at 12,090.[1]

Representation

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Like all wards in the Wakefield district, Pontefract South has 3 councillors, whom are elected on a 4-year-rota. This means elections for new councillors are held for three years running, with one year every four years having no elections.

At present, the ward is represented by two labour councillors, George Ayre and Brian Mayhew and one Conservative councillor, Tony Hames.[2] For over 10 years the ward was represented solely by Conservative/Tory councillors, however at the local government elections held on 5 May 2011, Conservative councillor Philip Booth lost his seat to the late Tony Dean, meaning Labour gained representation in the ward once again.[3]

At the local elections in May 2014, Pontefract local George Ayre (Labour) unseated the Wakefield District Tory group leader of Wakefield Council, Geoff Walsh. This means Labour hold the majority of seats in Pontefract South once again.[4] In 2015, David Jones (Labour) replaced Tony Dean who retired that year. In 2018 and 2019 respectively, George Ayre and David Jones were re-elected.

David Jones served as Mayor of Wakefield from 2020 to 2023. [citation needed]

David Jones stood down in 2023. Brian mayhew won the 2023 local election and replaced David Jones.[citation needed]

Cllr George Ayre, Brian Mayhew and Tony Hames represent Pontefract South. The next elections will take place in 2024.

Cllr George Ayre is the longest serving councillor for Pontefract South having been elected in 2014. [citation needed]

Election results

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Note: The turnout figures below are inclusive of spoiled ballots, except for the 2012 and 2016 results.

2023:

Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brian Arthur Mayhew 1,658 50.0
Conservative Arnie Craven 1244 37.5
Green Oliver Luke Watkins 164 5.0
Liberal Democrats Susan Hayes 163 4.9
SDP Trevor Lake 84 2.5
Majority 414 12.5
Turnout 3,313 28
Rejected ballots 20
Labour hold Swing
2022 local elections: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Ayre 2,082 54.3
Conservative Stephanie Fishwick 1,305 34
Yorkshire James Craven 262 6.8
Liberal Democrat Focus Team Susan Hayes 133 3.5
Majority 777 20.3
Turnout 3834 32.2
Labour gain from
2021 local elections: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Hames 1,842 44.7 +4.5
Labour Melanie Jones 1,712 41.5 −4.9
Yorkshire Trevor Peasant 390 9.5 +9.5
Green Katherine Dodd 178 4.3 +4.3
Majority 130 3.2 −3.0
Turnout 4,122 34.3 +6.0
Conservative gain from Labour
2019 Local Elections: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Jones 1560 46.4 −5.8
Conservative Tony Hames 1351 40.2 −2.7
Liberal Democrats Salli Martlew 450 13.4 +8.5
Majority 209 9.3 +3.2
Turnout 3361 28.3 −3.6
Rejected ballots 160 4.76 +4.17
Labour hold Swing
2018 Local Elections: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Ayre 2000 52.2 +5
Conservative Amy Swift 1646 42.9 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Daniel Woodlock 188 4.9 −0.1
Majority 354 9.3 +3.2
Turnout 3834 31.9
Rejected ballots 23 0.59
Labour hold Swing
2016 Local Elections: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Celia Loughran 1917 47.2 −1.9
Conservative Geoff Walsh 1669 41.1 −2.7
TUSC John Gill 271 6.7 −0.4
Liberal Democrats Daniel Woodlock 203 5.0 N/A
Majority 248 6.1 +0.8
Turnout 4060 35.3 −25.8
Labour hold Swing
2015 Local Elections: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Jones 3577 49.1 +7.3
Conservative Geoff Walsh 3196 43.8 +9.9
TUSC John Gill 518 7.1 +5.5
Majority 381 5.3 −2.6
Turnout 7291 61.1 +25.6
Labour hold Swing
Local elections 2014: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Ayre 1,766 41.8 −8.6
Conservative Geoff Walsh 1,434 33.9 −2.8
UKIP Terence Edward Uttley 957 22.6 +12.5
TUSC John Gill 69 1.6 N/A
Majority 332 7.9 −5.8
Turnout 4,226 35.5 −1.1
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

[5]

Local elections 2012: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Celia Loughran 2,222 50.4 −3.1
Conservative Mark Crowther 1,617 36.7 −9.1
UKIP Terence Edward Uttley 446 10.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Douglas Dale 122 2.8 N/A
Majority 605 13.7 +6.0
Turnout 4,407 36.6 −5.9
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Local elections 2011: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tony Dean 2,734 53.5 +17.1
Conservative Philip Booth 2,341 45.8 +6.7
Majority 393 7.7 N/A
Turnout 5,114 42.5 −20.5
Labour gain from Conservative Swing N/A
Local elections 2010: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoff Walsh 2,978 39.1 −9.5
Labour Jack Kershaw 2,773 36.4 −1.0
Liberal Democrats Chris Rush 1,333 17.5 +4.0
Independent Matt Haddleton 275 3.6 N/A
Green Neil Frankland 221 2.9 N/A
Majority 205 2.7 −8.5
Turnout 7,612 63.0
Conservative hold Swing −4.7
Local elections 2008: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Crowther 2,340 48.6 −0.9
Labour Trevor Izon 1,801 37.4 +0.2
Liberal Democrats Chris Rush 650 13.5 +0.8
Majority 539 11.2 −1.1
Turnout 4,810
Conservative hold Swing −0.6
Local elections 2007: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Booth 2,241 49.5 +7.5
Labour Bill O'Brien 1,685 37.2 −3.8
Liberal Democrats Chris Rush 575 12.7 N/A
Majority 556 12.3 +11.3
Turnout 4,524
Conservative hold Swing +6.6
Local elections 2006: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoff Walsh 1,852 41.9
Labour James Nicholson 1,810 41.0
Independent Clive Wigham 730 16.5 N/A
Majority 42 1.0
Turnout 4,420
Conservative hold Swing
Local election 2004: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Trevor Izon 2,474
Conservative Philip Booth 2,464
Labour James Nicholson 2,374
Conservative Richard Molloy 2,103
Labour Sylvia Burton 2,059
Conservative David Howarth 1,963
BNP David Redfearn 651
Turnout 14,088 46.0
Local election 2003: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Booth 1,290 44.1
Labour Patricia Garbutt 1,270 43.4
UKIP James Marran 224 7.7
Socialist Alliance Alan Hyman 141 4.8
Majority 20 0.7
Turnout 2,925 27.9 −0.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Local election 2002: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Trevor Izon 1,581
Labour Martyn Ward 1,317
Conservative Ian Bloomer 1,250
Conservative Philip Booth 1,243
Socialist Alliance Carol Ives 285
Turnout 5,676 28.4 +4.2
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Local election 2000: Pontefract South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anthony Dean 1,250 48.6
Conservative Richard Molloy 1,023 39.8
Liberal Democrats David Arthur 297 11.6
Majority 227 8.8
Turnout 2,570 24.2
Labour hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ "Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford - Seat Analysis". Electoral Calculus. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  2. ^ "My Councillors by Ward". Wakefield Council. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  3. ^ "2011 Local Election". Wakefield Council. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Local election results 2012". Wakefield Council. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Wakefield Council election candidates". Wakefield Express. 25 April 2014. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2020.