'Voters want councillors who are proud of our town'

Voters heading to the polls in West Yorkshire on 7 May could make some serious political waves, as some councils hold "all-out" elections - meaning all seats will be contested.

Nearly 280 seats are up for grabs across Calderdale, Bradford, Kirklees and Wakefield councils.

A further 36 councillors - a third of the total number - are due to be elected at Leeds City Council.

People in Castleford told us what they want to hear from the candidates and, crucially, whether they planned to vote at all in a month's time.

Visiting Castleford town centre on a sunny day before Easter, the market stalls are doing steady business along Carlton Street and plenty of people are out and about.

At craft and fabric shop SewSusieBloom, owner Susie Goate is busy with the big scissors as a steady stream of customers come in to stock up. The gentle chatter of an arts class drifts down from an upstairs room.

Goate, who has run the shop - which doubles as a community hub - for 14 years, says she is concerned that the good work going on in the town will be overlooked.

"A lot of people who live and work here, who run and use the independent shops, we're passionate about our town and we want it to thrive," she says.

"We understand there are problems but people here are working together to find solutions, it's not all negative, far from it.

"Take this place - it's more than a yarn and fabric shop - it's a meeting place, classes are held here, it's a place people support each other and get away from their problems."

Goate says despite some of the problems Castleford faces, local pride is still strong.

"Most market towns have some issues," she says.

"We're not unusual here.

"I will always vote, I'm passionate about it, and I'll tell people they need to use their vote."

Several people mention new murals that have been painted across Castleford recently.

One of them, a huge, science-fiction image of a tiger, is in Sagar Street, just across the road from Goate's shop.

Another is a long display of art-deco style posters, celebrating Castleford's history and achievements, installed in an underpass near the railway station.

But the artwork which has caught the most people's eyes is at the unusually named landmark - Tickle Cock Bridge - where thousands of people pass into and out of the town centre every week.

It is here, in the warm spring sunshine, where Paul and Dary are playing an acoustic cover of the Dire Straits song Sultans of Swing.

Dary, visiting his friend Paul from his home country of Romania, has no vote in this election, but Paul, who does have a vote, said he will not be using it.

He says he has questions about an election system that saw Labour win a general election landslide in 2024 on a relatively low share of the vote, and says the fact this is a local, not a national ballot, will not tempt him to the polling station.

Politics aside, Paul says he is proud of his home town of Castleford.

"It's the people. We're here in the sunshine, playing music. We have some lovely artwork that's just been produced, and it's really animating people," he adds.

Back under Tickle Cock Bridge and into the town centre, mum and daughter Rihanna Siddons and Sarah Smith are out shopping.

For 19-year-old Rihanna, the new councillors' priorities should be more support and activities for children and young people.

She says: "This is a low income area, so they need to be affordable, and it would help with kids' anxiety.

"They'd be interacting with other kids, kids their own age.

"It's so important, because, talking from my own experience, when you get into a workplace, or into college, it's not easy to adjust."

Mum Sarah's priorities are simple - she wants to see the new council putting some of the pride back into the Airedale area of Castleford, where she lives.

"There's big problems with potholes, but it's not just that.

"It's run down, there's rubbish lying around. Every time you walk out of the door you see it - and it affects your mental health.

"I don't know if I'll vote because I don't know what to believe. I need more convincing," Sarah adds.

The visit to Castleford ends where it began, back at SewSusieBloom, where artist Caroline Clarke-Green has just finished an art class.

She wants whoever is running the new council to look to the future with the town's regeneration plans, using the £23m secured from the then-Conservative run government in 2019.

"It is a great place," she says.

"The redevelopment will bring a buzz back, bring the life back, give people confidence in the town.

"It's easy to see the downsides, they're there in every northern town.

"I will be voting, I think I know who for - I'm not fully decided - but I want it to be for someone who will build this place up, not knock it down, because Castleford has so much to offer."

Polling day is on Thursday 7 May and a full list of candidates will be available from Friday 10 April.

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