First candidates revealed for the Kirklees Council elections in May

Gulfam Asif, who was de-selected in 2019, is set to return to the Labour fold to contest the Lindley ward.

Elsewhere in the district Graham Turner, formerly a member of the cabinet on the Labour-run council and a councillor in Denby Dale until he lost his seat to the Conservatives last year, will stand in Golcar.

The ward was closely fought in 2021 following the retirement of veteran Lib Dem Christine Iredale and the departure of Labour rebel Richard Murgatroyd, who quit the party in November 2020.

The two seats were taken by Labour and the Liberal Democrats with just two votes separating the winners.

Other Labour candidates include Imran Safdar, who will take on the Green stronghold of Newsome; Tyler Hawkins in Dalton, replacing long-serving Peter McBride, who is to step down; Jo Lawson in Crosland Moor and Netherton; Fran Perry in Ashbrow; Ammar Anwar in Dewsbury West; and Adam Zaman in Batley East.

The Conservatives are fielding Jason Easingwood in Dalton, David Mills Daniel in Greenhead and Maria Ackroyd, who is chair of Huddersfield Conservative Association, in Almondbury.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that David Heathcote will stand for the Conservatives in Lindley, with Keith Mallinson standing in Dewsbury East.

Both the Lib Dems and the Greens have confirmed they will be fielding a candidate in every ward but have not yet published their lists.

The current make-up of the council is Labour - 33, Conservatives - 19, Lib Dems - 9, Greens - 3, Holme Valley Independents - 3, Dewsbury Borough Independents (Heavy Woollen) - 1, Independents - 1.

The council fell into no overall control in November 2020 when Labour councillors quit the party and went independent, and the party failed to gain enough seats to regain control at the May 2021 elections.

Sitting councillors set to defend their seats are:

Almondbury: Alison Munro (Lib Dem).

Batley East: Gwen Lowe (Labour).

Birstall and Birkenshaw: Liz Smaje (Conservative).

Cleckheaton: John Lawson (Lib Dem, group leader).

Colne Valley: Donna Bellamy (Conservative).

Denby Dale: Will Simpson (Labour, Cabinet member).

Dewsbury East: Cathy Scott (Labour, Cabinet member).

Dewsbury South: Masood Ahmed (Labour).

Golcar: Robert Iredale (Lib Dem).

Greenhead: Mohan Sokhal (Labour).

Heckmondwike: Viv Kendrick (Labour, Cabinet member).

Holme Valley North: Terry Lyons (Independent).

Holme Valley South: Nigel Patrick (Conservative).

Kirkburton: Bill Armer (Conservative).

Lindley: Cahal Burke (Lib Dem).

Liversedge and Gomersal: David Hall (Conservative, group leader).

Mirfield: Vivien Lees-Hamilton (Conservative).

Newsome: Karen Allison (Green).

Five Labour councillors are to step down in 2022. They are Harpreet Uppal (Ashbrow), Mahmood Akhtar (Batley East), Erin Hill (Crosland Moor and Netherton), Mumtaz Hussain (Dewsbury West) and Coun McBride (Dalton).