Greens win Bradford Council seats in Ilkley and Craven

The Green Party gained new Councillors in the Ilkley and Craven wards of Bradford Council in the local elections, with long-standing Councillor Anne Hawkesworth losing her seat after 34 years.

Ros Brown was elected as a new District Councillor to represent Ilkley - she is one of three Councillors for the town alongside Andrew Loy and David Nunns, whose seats weren't being contested this year.

Anne Hawkesworth was first elected to Bradford Council back in 1990 and served as a Conservative member until 2013. Since that time she has been an Independent councillor. In her time on the Council she served on the executive for 9 years overseeing the environmental department and was also Conservative group leader until 2011.

She told Rombalds Radio:

"I am obviously bitterly disappointed to have lost. I have been honoured and pleased to represent my wonderful Ilkley for 34 years.

"As a child living in central Bradford I likened Ilkley to Hollywood, because of view of the outdoor pool from the Cow and Calf. It would have been a dream then to have thought I could steer Ilkley through these past years. I now need to find another route to help keep Ilkley special.."

In the Craven ward - which includes Silsden, Addingham, Steeton and Eastburn - the Conservatives lost their council seat to the Green Party as Neil Whitaker was elected. Mr Whitaker, a retired solicitor, is the husband of fellow Craven ward councillor Caroline Whitaker. The ward now has three Green councillors representing it at City Hall - with Mr and Mrs Whitaker plus Janet Russell who was elected at the last election.

Labour also now holds the three Keighley seats on Bradford Council, after snatching Keighley West from the Conservatives.

The Tories held on to their seat for the Worth Valley, where Russell Brown was re-elected. The Conservatives continue to hold all three seats in the Worth Valley.

In Wharfedale, which includes Menston and Burley-in-Wharfedale, the Conservative Party's Bob Felstead retained his seat after polling just 67 votes more than the Labour candidate.

There is no change in control for Bradford Council, which will continue to be run by Labour following this year's election results.

Here are the results in full for our area...

Craven - GREEN gain from Conservative

Ilkley - GREEN gain from Independent

Keighley Central - LABOUR hold

Keighley East - LABOUR hold

Keighley West - LABOUR gain from Conservative

Wharfedale - CONSERVATIVE hold

Worth Valley - CONSERVATIVE hold

Ilkley Town Council

Voters in Ilkley West were also picking a new Town Councillor in this week's elections, with two candidates to choose from. Jane Sellers for the Conservatives was elected with a 54% share of the vote.