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The local authorityCouncil · metropolitan_borough · England · 1 of 36 councils (metropolitan_borough)

Wakefield.

Reform UK-controlled metropolitan_borough. £395m net revenue. 21 wards across 0 parliamentary constituencies.

Typemetropolitan_borough
Seats63 councillors · 21 wards
Last election7 May 2026
Websitewakefield.gov.uk ↗
Net revenue · 2025-26
£395m
Core spending power (MHCLG)
Band-D bill
£2,186
For the council slice (incl. precepts)
Composition
58/63
Reform UK 92%
Westminster
0
constituencies overlap
Dispatch
3 Jun 2026

Reform UK chamber, opposed area.

Wakefield is a metropolitan_borough controlled by Reform UK (58 of 63 seats). Net revenue is £395m for 2025-26. It covers 21 wards spanning 0 parliamentary constituencies.

§ 01Composition.63 seats · last contested 7 May 2026

Who sits in the chamber.

Ref 58LD 2Con 1Green 1Lab 1

Reform UK 92% · last contested 7 May 2026

Councillors — the people.

CouncillorWardElected
Chad Jordan ThomasRefAckworth, North Elmsall & Upton2026
Kevin AtchesonRefAckworth, North Elmsall & Upton2026
Rhys Lawrence Paul CarrRefAckworth, North Elmsall & Upton2026
Adam James FreerRefAiredale & Ferry Fryston2026
Carrie Louise GledhillRefAiredale & Ferry Fryston2026
Dion LoweRefAiredale & Ferry Fryston2026
Jamie McGrevyRefAltofts & Whitwood2026
John Robert ThomasRefAltofts & Whitwood2026
Michelle KeeleyRefAltofts & Whitwood2026
Brett Stephen MuscroftRefCastleford Central & Glasshoughton2026
Mike ForresterRefCastleford Central & Glasshoughton2026
Sandra DrakeRefCastleford Central & Glasshoughton2026
Showing 12 of 63·All 63 councillors
§ 02Revenue mix & Band-D bill.MHCLG — Final LGFS 2025-26 Core Spending Power table

Where revenue comes from.

49%
Council tax
£193.2m · median 44%
39%
Central grants
£152.6m · median 41%
12%
Business rates
£49.1m · median 14%

Revenue mix is close to the councils (metropolitan_borough) median: 49% council tax, 39% central grants.

Source · MHCLG — Final LGFS 2025-26 Core Spending Power table · derived (CT exact; grants/rates split from SFA baseline)

Band-D bill.

Council slice£1,802
County / upper-tier£0
Police£263
Fire & rescue£84
GLA precept£0
Parish average£36
Total Band-D£2,186

Parish precepts apply on top, vary by parish

For household tax breakdown

Use the income slider on My place to see income tax, NI, VAT and council tax against your earnings.

§ 03Service spend, ranked against peers.10 buckets · vs 35 other councils (metropolitan_borough)

How does Wakefield split its revenue across services, compared with peer councils (metropolitan_borough)-class councils? Each row is one of the ten standard service buckets. The vertical line at the centre is the cohort median share; the coloured square is where this council sits. Squares to the right of centre mean a bigger share of revenue than the median peer; to the left, a smaller share.

Education31.1% of net spend · cohort median 41%
32 of 35-23% vs median
Adult Social Care28.1% of net spend · cohort median 26%
8 of 35+9% vs median
Children's Services14.7% of net spend · cohort median 15%
22 of 35-3% vs median
Waste & Recycling8.1% of net spend · cohort median 4%
1 of 35+96% vs median
Public Health4.8% of net spend · cohort median 4%
7 of 35+12% vs median
Culture & Leisure4.2% of net spend · cohort median 2%
1 of 35+75% vs median
Corporate & Central3.9% of net spend · cohort median 3%
11 of 35+27% vs median
Housing & Homelessness1.9% of net spend · cohort median 2%
10 of 35+14% vs median
Highways & Transport1.7% of net spend · cohort median 2%
15 of 35+10% vs median
Planning & Economic Development1.5% of net spend · cohort median 2%
20 of 35-3% vs median
How to read these bars

The subtitle on each row (“X% of net spend”) is what share of this council’s revenue goes to that service. The rank (“15 of 61”) is where this council sits within the cohort, sorted by that share descending. The delta (“+26% vs median”) is a relative reading: the council allocates 26% more of its revenue to that service than the median peer would. A small absolute difference can still be a big relative one.

Higher share doesn’t mean waste — it can reflect demographic need (more older residents), rurality, or a policy choice (e.g. keeping a service in-house). Lower share doesn’t mean efficiency — some councils move costs to fees, ringfenced accounts, or grants. £-per-head would be sharper than share-of-revenue; LAD population is pending ingest. Comparisons are within the same council type only.

Sources, methods & last update
Method The dispatch paragraphs are AI-generated from the public sources listed below. Every figure links to its source. If we’re wrong, please tell us — corrections within 48 hours.
CompositionDemocracy Club (live)
DCLEAPIL v1.0 (historic)
Net revenueMHCLG Final LGFS
Core Spending Power table · 2025-26
Service spendDerived from MHCLG CSP shares
vs 35 other councils (metropolitan_borough)
Band-DMHCLG CSP · precept schedules
Police, Fire, Parish on top
SuppliersCouncil publication under LGTC
Not yet ingested for Wakefield
Westminster overlapONS Open Geography Portal
2023 boundaries
PopulationONS mid-year estimates
Pending ingest at LAD level