Reform councillor resigns a week after colleague

A second Kirklees Reform UK councillor has left the group, a week after a colleague resigned from his position.

Susan Maxfield, who was newly elected to the Liversedge and Gomersal ward in May's local elections, will now stand as an Independent.

Craig Wiles, Reform UK councillor for Almondbury, stepped down entirely from his post due to health issues on 26 June. A by-election has been set for 13 August.

Their party leader Councillor Susan Wood confirmed the resignation but gave no further details for Maxfield's withdrawal.

She said: "I can confirm that Cllr Susan Maxfield has resigned the Reform UK whip and will now sit as an Independent councillor on Kirklees Council.

"Reform UK was elected by residents to provide strong, effective leadership for Kirklees.

"Our priority remains unchanged, and the group remains focused on delivering better services, restoring sound financial management and standing up for the communities we represent.

"We remain committed to working constructively with councillors from across the chamber wherever it is in the best interests of the people of Kirklees."

A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: "We are aware that Cllr Maxfield has resigned from the council's Reform UK group."

Meanwhile, Kirklees Council's Reform group deputy leader has stood down from the role for "personal reasons".

Christine Smith, 82, represented the Kirkburton Ward as a Conservative councillor for 15 years before returning to the council as a Reform UK representative for Dalton this year.

Smith said she was not stepping down from the role due to "any sinister reasons" and insisted she would still be ready to serve the people of Dalton.

She will be replaced by Mark Smith, who represents Colne Valley East.

Kirklees Council has been without a leader since the election after a series of failed votes.

A former Kirklees mayor has pleaded with the council to "put aside personal, political and ward prejudice" for the "sake" of residents, after almost two months without a leader.

Andrew Palfreeman was first elected to the Conservative group on Kirklees Council in May 1992.

He was elected as mayor in 2010 and retired from the council due to ill health in 2018.

In a 1,000-word letter sent to councillors on 25 June, the former mayor warned that the "mess" created by the absence of a leader "impacts" the whole of Kirklees.

Last month the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin wrote to all 69 councillors in Kirklees urging them to pick a leader after the two failed ballots.

A third is to be held on 15 July.

The last vote between Councillor Andrew Cooper, leader of the Green Party, and Councillor Sarah Wood, who heads the Reform UK group, ended in a 29-29 stalemate.

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