Hebden Royd Town Council Elections 2023
Wednesday, 5 April 2023 - updated Saturday, 6 May 2023
Fairfield ward result from 4 May vote - Labour win all 3 seats. See below for votes cast.
Labour retain control of the Town Council without a vote being cast. Five of the six wards had only three candidates meaning all three were elected. Labour are already assured of 13 of the 18 seats of the Town Council.
Women are also in a clear majority on the Council.
Every four years, elections take place for the whole of Hebden Royd Town Council. The last one was 2 May 2019 when Labour retained control of the Council, taking 15 of the 18 seats. The Liberal-Democrats took the remaining 3 seats. See 2019 info and results.
3 Town Councillors are elected in each ward so each voter normally has three votes for the Town Council election, as well as one for the Calderdale election
The next election is on 4 May 2023.
We invite candidates for the only contested ward - Fairfield - to send us up to 300 words (with photo) saying why we should vote for them - these will be published below. See this page for how the HebWeb presented candidates' profiles and photos in 2019.
See below for 2023 Profiles - 3 out of 4 so far received.
See also: Calderdale Elections local candidates for 2023
Birchcliffe Ward
Alison Matthias - Labour - elected unopposed
Holly More - Labour - elected unopposed
Richard Needham - Labour - elected unopposed
Fairfield Ward
Sue Fenton - Labour - 508 - elected
Pat Fraser - Labour - 471 - elected
Patsi Guilfoyle - Labour - 448 - elected
Chris Wadsworth - Liberal Democrats -162
West End Ward
Rebecca Boden - Labour - elected unopposed
Nikki Harvey - Labour - elected unopposed
David Howes - Labour - elected unopposed
Caldene Ward
Christine Bampton-Smith - Liberal Democrats - elected unopposed
Karl Boggis - Liberal Democrats - elected unopposed
Jane Hoyle - Labour - elected unopposed
Cragg Vale
Keith Butterick - Labour - elected unopposed
June Cammack - Liberal Democrats - elected unopposed
Christine Davenport- Liberal Democrats - elected unopposed
White Lee Ward
Bernice Hayes - Labour - elected unopposed
Rosemary Hedges - Labour - elected unopposed
Magdalen Maguire - Labour - elected unopposed
Candidate profiles
Patsi Guilfoyle, Labour candidate for Fairfield Ward
I have lived in Hebden Bridge for the 21 years and elected as as Town councillor for the last 4 years. They have been a difficult 4 years for us all, facing the challenges of a pandemic followed by a cost of living crisis.
During this time I have been privileged to support the community in my work as a nurse , and to sit on various committees which have helped to provide funding to support the community through covid and help residents with the cost of living crisis, ranging from food banks, warm meal provision and warm spaces which our kind, inclusive and vibrant community have created.
I now help out with food packing for one of the food banks and this helps me to listen to the issues arising from the current cost of living crisis. I have also met with the Disability Access Forum as I am a town councillor representative at their meetings ,and fully support their aims to make Hebden Bridge a more accessible town. I support the A board policy they are promoting.
Over the last few years I have contributed my efforts to supporting the ambition to make the Trades Club accessible and this has now been achieved by working collaboratively with the Trades Club, and other grant providers such as HRTC and Calderdale Council. A personal bequest from a late resident and the tireless efforts of the late Cllr Steve Sweeney must also be mentioned as major factors towards gaining this achievement.
Finally I am very well aware that the risk of flooding is still one of the most important concerns for residents of Fairfield and I and my fellow councillors for Fairfield monitor the progress and plans for the flood defences closely, and we consider all planning requests with flood risks as a priority consideration. I hope I can gain enough support to continue as a Town councillor as I plan to completely retire from my nursing career this year and will have more time and energy to give to the community. Patsi Guilfoyle.
Sue Fenton, Labour candidate for Fairfield Ward
Having served for six years on Hebden Royd Town Council I am standing again for Fairfield Ward.
I have looked back at my entry on Hebweb four years ago and wondered what more I should add to what I said then. Those four years have been dominated by Covid and now the cost of living crisis.
The Town Council continued to meet on Zoom, the Community Funding Committee, which I Chair, prioritised Covid related applications (for example from Calder Community Cares and Calder Valley Search and Rescue) and we ensured the Cinema survived while keeping its audience safe. We are now funding community groups who are supporting those struggling with escalating food and fuel costs. We worked on all of this as a team together with our amazing Council staff
Individually I have continued to represent the residents of Fairfield in meetings with the Environment Agency and with Planning concerns. I always respond to residents requests, I may not always have the power to resolve all of those requests but I can contact the person who does.
Alongside my Council work I am also volunteering with Calder Food Support and being an ordinary citizen, going to the cinema, eating in the cafes with friends and watching my grandchildren take part inHandmade Parade.
It would be a privilege to represent my community for another term.
Pat Fraser, Labour candidate for Fairfield Ward
I have been a member of various committees including Community Funding, the Picture House, Projects and Events, the Twinning Committee and the recently set up Cost of Living Committee.
Individually, I have represented residents of Fairfield in meetings and communication, with the Environment Agency as flooding matters are so important in the Ward.
I am also in touch with the Neighbourhood Team re vandalism, petty crime and related matters which affect the local area
I have also sat on the Board of the Community Association and was also a member of Hebden Bridge Partnership. I had the great privilege to be the Mayor of Hebden Royd in 2017 where I involved myself with many Community Groups and I raised money for my chosen charity, Andy's Man's Club.
Alongside my Council work I am a host working alongside Horton Housing and I provide accommodation and support to young people coming out of care or homeless for various other reasons.
I am an active member of my local community and land a group of like-minded friends I founded a Book Group which has been running successfully since 2006. I am also a member of a local quiz team and I set quizzes for fundraising events, On a personal note I have three grown up children who all live in the Manchester area. I am a Mancunian but Hebden Bridge is my chosen home. I have six grandchildren who visit Hebden regularly as they love the town as much as I do.
I would consider it to be a great privilege to represent my community for another term.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is a matter which you are concerned about within the Fairfield Ward and I will do my best to help or at the very least to listen.
In 2015, 25 candidates competed for the 18 seats on Hebden Royd Town Council. In 2011, there there were 35 candidates. In 2019, there were 27 candidates and every ward was contested while in 2015 Cragg Vale and Caldene wards, all six candidates were elected unopposed!