Local elections 2021: How do West Yorkshire councils spend your money?

The councils spend money on things like education, road maintenance, social care and public libraries

Local elections are to be held in West Yorkshire on Thursday 6 May.

Voters in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield can all make a selection of candidates for their local authority.

Local authorities are funded by a variety of sources, including council tax, government grants and other income, like parking charges.

The councils have to spend that money on things like education, road maintenance, social care and public libraries.

The county's voters will also get a chance to vote for the region's mayor, a role that is to work alongside the councils and includes the function of Police and Crime Commissioner.

Here is how £100 of your money gets spent by each of the five councils in West Yorkshire:

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

The council serves a population of about 531,000.

It stretches to cover places like Baildon, Keighley and Ilkley, among others.

Calderdale Council

The council serves about 212,000 people, the smallest population of the five councils in West Yorkshire.

It includes the larger town of Halifax, alongside centres like Brighouse, Hebden Bridge, and Mytholmroyd.

Kirklees Council

About 426,000 people live in the Kirklees Council area.

It covers the two major centres of Huddersfield and Dewsbury, along with smaller towns like Batley, Holmfirth and Meltham.

Leeds City Council

The council serves a population of about 790,000, the largest number of people in West Yorkshire's five councils.

As well as the city itself, it also covers places like Morley, Otley and Wetherby.

Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council

The council serves a population of about 336,000.

Along with Wakefield itself, it covers Horbury and Ossett, along with the five towns of Castleford, Featherstone, Knottingley, Normanton and Pontefract.