Labour keep control in West Yorkshire

Wakefield, Leeds and Bradford councils remained in Labour control

Labour has remained in control in the three largest councils in West Yorkshire and gained another from no overall control in the local elections.

The party holds Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield and has gained Kirklees by winning three additional seats.

In Wakefield, the last UKIP councillor in the county lost his seat as David Dews in Wrenthorpe and Outwood West lost out to the Conservatives.

There was no change in Calderdale which remains in no overall control.

Labour now have 24 seats, the Tories 19, the Liberal Democrats six and the Independents have two.

More news from the elections and the Tour de Yorkshire from around Yorkshire

Labour kept control in Bradford gaining Lib Dem seat Bolton and Undercliffe.

Both Labour and the Conservatives gained three seats each in Leeds.

Labour now has 61 seats in Leeds and the Conservatives have 22.

The Liberal Democrats lost three seats and now have six, while the Independents are down two to eight, and the Green Party lost one of its three seats.

Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake said dealing with austerity was top of her agenda.

"This is becoming an incredibly successful city and really getting recognition for the work we are doing here," she said.

"But we know that there are too many people who don't have access to everything that we have on offer so absolutely our priority is to make sure that Leeds is an attractive place to come and create jobs."

'Positive steps'

In Bradford, former leader Ian Greenwood is back on the council, after being voted out six years ago.

Labour still has 20 seats, the Tories gained one and now hold 22, and the Independents lost two to finish with seven.

The Lib Dems lost one seat, reducing their total to seven, while the Greens lost one of their three seats.

Bradford council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: "We've got Bradford confirmed as a stop on Northern Powerhouse Rail, and we have got 3,000 people into work.

"All that shows that we mean business in Bradford."

In Wakefield, Labour now has 52 seats and the Conservatives have 11.