Kirklees is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Kirklees Council with the status of a metropolitan borough. The largest town and administrative centre of Kirklees is Huddersfield, and the district also includes Batley, Birstall, West Yorkshire, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Kirkburton, Marsden, West Yorkshire, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite. Kirklees had a population of 422,500 in 2011; it is also the third largest metropolitan district in England by List of English districts by area, area size, behind Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, Doncaster and City of Leeds, Leeds.

History

The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 as part of a reform of local government in England. Eleven former local government districts were Amalgamation (politics), merged: the county boroughs of Huddersfield and Dewsbury, the municipal boroughs of Batley and Spenborough and the Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland), urban districts of Colne Valley, Denby Dale, Heckmondwike, Holme Valley, Kirkburton, Meltham and Mirfield. The name ''Kirklees'' was chosen by the merging councils from more than fifty suggestions, including ''Agbrigg and Morley, Upper Agbrigg'', ''Brigantes, Brigantia'' and ''Wooldale''. It was named after Kirklees Priory, which is claimed to be the burial place of Robin Hood , situated midway between Huddersfield and Dewsbury. The priory was located within the present-day Kirklees Park estate, most of which actually lies in the neighbouring borough of Calderdale. Under the original draft of the Act, the district would have included Ossett, part of the Dewsbury (UK Parliament constituency), Dewsbury Parliamentary constituency at that time. It was eventually decided that Ossett was too remote to be governed from Huddersfield and the town was included within the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, Wakefield district instead.

Geography

Kirklees sits in quite a central position to all the other surrounding unitary boroughs of West Yorkshire. With people living in the northern parts commuting to Leeds and York for work and education. People living in the western parts commute to Bradford, Halifax, West Yorkshire, Halifax and Huddersfield for education and work. People living in the southern and eastern parts commute to Wakefield, Barnsley, Sheffield and Manchester for work and education. The largest towns and principal districts in the borough are Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley, Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton. The principal settlements of Kirklees are Mill towns in the United Kingom, mill towns in the Colne Valley, Holme Valley, River Calder, West Yorkshire, Calder Valley and River Spen, Spen Valley. Those areas of the district with a more urban character bound Calderdale to the west, City of Bradford, Bradford to the north-west, City of Leeds, Leeds to the north-east and City of Wakefield, Wakefield to the east. The district also includes several rural villages, with the largest rural area extending from the south of Huddersfield. The Pennine countryside to the south-west of Meltham and Holme, West Yorkshire, Holme lies within the Peak District National Park. This moorland area mostly bounds Saddleworth, a traditional part of Yorkshire but now locally governed from Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Oldham, Greater Manchester. There is also a relatively short border with the High Peak, Derbyshire, High Peak district of Derbyshire, running across the summit of Black Hill (Peak District), Black Hill, and the main border to the south of Kirklees is with Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, Barnsley. The inclusion of two county boroughs resulted in a district without an obvious centre. Over the years there have been suggestions of splitting the district into two, administered from Huddersfield and Dewsbury. Graham Riddick, as MP for Colne Valley (UK Parliament constituency), Colne Valley, campaigned for a split in the early 1990s. A similar ambition was mentioned by Elizabeth Peacock, MP for Batley and Spen (UK Parliament constituency), Batley and Spen in 1991. The boundaries of metropolitan boroughs were outside the remit of the Local Government Commission for England (1992), Banham Commission appointed to review local government structures in 1992 or its successors, and only minor boundary changes were made with neighbouring districts in 1994. The district includes parts of three postcode areas. Huddersfield and the rural areas to the south have HD postcode area, HD postcodes, Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire, Birkenshaw, Cleckheaton and Gomersal have BD postcode area, BD postcodes, and the rest of the Heavy Woollen District, Heavy Woollen area has WF postcode area, WF postcodes. Similarly the district is split between several telephone dialling codes, with most residents in the 01484 (Huddersfield), 01274 (Bradford) and 01924 (Wakefield) codes. A small number of residents in Birchencliffe and Birkenshaw villages fall within the 01422 (Halifax) and 0113 (Leeds) codes respectively.

Demography

Ethnicity

In the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census, the largest ethnic group in Kirklees was White British at 79.9%. The next largest groups were Pakistanis, who comprised 9.9% of the population, and Indians (4.9%).

Religion

The stated religion of the population of Kirklees, as recorded at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census was as follows: * Christians, Christian: 170,577 (39.4%) * Irreligion, No religion: 150,599 (34.8%) * Muslim: 80,046 (18.5%) * Religion not stated: 23,949 (5.5%) * Sikh: 3,476 (0.8%) * Other Religions: 1,663 (0.4) * Hinduism, Hindu: 1,544 (0.4%) * Buddhism, Buddhist: 996 (0.2%) * Judaism, Jewish: 187 (<0.1%)

Transport

Public transport information is provided by West Yorkshire Metro, Metro, as is the case across West Yorkshire.

Rail

Kirklees lies along the core Huddersfield line of the TransPennine Express network, with services calling at Huddersfield railway station, Huddersfield and Dewsbury railway station, Dewsbury. Direct Grand Central (train operating company), Grand Central services to London King's Cross railway station, London King's Cross call at Mirfield railway station, Mirfield. Other railway stations in the district on these routes and on the Penistone line have local Northern Trains services. Some towns in Kirklees have not been served by rail transport since the Beeching cuts. Dewsbury railway station, Dewsbury and Batley railway station, Batley are served by the Calder Valley Line and the TransPennine Express lines. These serve an important urban area around Leeds and Kirklees with services to further away stations including Manchester Victoria railway station, Manchester Victoria and Liverpool Lime Street railway station, Liverpool Lime Street.

Bus

Most bus services in the Huddersfield area are operated by Team Pennine and First West Yorkshire, and most bus services in the Heavy Woollen area are operated by Arriva Yorkshire.

Road

The urban areas of Kirklees are served by the M62 motorway, M62 and M1 motorway, M1 motorways. Parts of the local road network are considered to require improvement, such as the main route from Huddersfield to the southbound M1 which narrows as it passes through Flockton.

Bicycle

Kirklees Council has developed a number of traffic-free cycle paths called Greenways in partnership with Sustrans.

Tourism

Tourism in Kirklees is based around the area's countryside and industrial heritage: * Bagshaw Museum * Castle Hill, Huddersfield, Castle Hill * Colne Valley Museum * Holmfirth, setting of long-running sitcom ''Last of the Summer Wine'' * Kirklees Light Railway *Kirklees Way, circular walking route * Marsden Moor Estate * Oakwell Hall * Standedge Tunnels, Standedge Tunnels and Visitor Centre * Tolson Museum Kirklees Council closed Dewsbury Museum and Red House Museum at the end of 2016, claiming it could not afford to continue running them following United Kingdom government austerity programme, cuts to its budget. Tourist information in Kirklees can be obtained from major libraries.

Sport

Huddersfield Town A.F.C., Huddersfield Town play Association football, football in the EFL Championship as of the 2022–23 season. They were the first English club to win three successive league titles. There are also 3 semi professional football teams within Kirklees, Liversedge F.C., Liversedge, Emley A.F.C., Emley and Golcar United F.C., Golcar United. The History of rugby league, birthplace of rugby league was at the George Hotel, Huddersfield; local clubs include Super League side Huddersfield Giants, alongside Batley Bulldogs and Dewsbury Rams who both play in the Championship (rugby league), Championship.

Governance

Council

Kirklees Council is the local authority of the district. The council is composed of 69 councillors, three for each of the borough's 23 Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, wards. Elections are held three years out of four, on the first Thursday of May. One third of the councillors are elected, for a four-year term, in each election. The council is currently led by a Labour Party (UK), Labour executive.

Borough status and mayoralty

The shadow Kirklees District Council petitioned the Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, privy council for a royal charter under section 245 of the Local Government Act 1972 granting the Borough status in the United Kingdom, status of a borough from 1 April 1974. The grant of borough status entitled the chairman of the council to the title of "mayor", effectively continuing the mayoralties of the former boroughs of Dewsbury (1862), Huddersfield (1898), Batley (1869) and Spenborough (1955). The mayor is elected from among the councillors for a one-year term (the "civic year") at the council's annual meeting. Kirklees is the most populated borough or district in England not to have List of cities in the United Kingdom, city status. In 2001 it was announced that a grant of city status was to be made to an English town to mark the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, and Kirklees council indicated that it was considering applying on behalf of Huddersfield. An unofficial telephone poll by the Huddersfield Examiner found a slim majority against the proposal, and the council did not proceed with the application.

Freedom of the borough

Borough status also allows the council to confer the freedom of the borough on "persons of distinction". Since its formation Kirklees Borough Council has granted this right to two individuals and two groups: * 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Volunteers - (25 March 1979) On 25 March 1979, Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council gave the Freedom of Kirklees to the 3rd Battalion of the Yorkshire Volunteers. The 3rd Battalion was at that time the The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) Territorial Army (United Kingdom), Territorial Army unit. However the freedom given by Kirklees to the 3rd battalion of the Yorkshire Volunteers did not permit any transfer to heirs or successors and effectively that freedom ceased when the battalion was amalgamated into the East and West Riding Regiment on 1 July 1999. The East and West Riding Regiment ceased to exist on 6 June 2006, having been merged into the Yorkshire Regiment as its 4th Battalion. The Yorkshire Regiment requested the freedom to march to be transferred to them. On 25 October 2008 Kirklees Council transferred the Freedom of Huddersfield to the Yorkshire Regiment at a freedom parade held by the 3rd Battalion, formerly the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding). * Sir J. P. W. Mallalieu, William Mallalieu MP (27 January 1980) * The Rt Hon Betty Boothroyd MP (20 November 1992) * Citizens of Besançon, France (7 October 2005) * The Yorkshire Regiment (25 October 2008)

Twin towns

Kirklees is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with: * Besançon, France * Kostanay, Kazakhstan 1989 * Bielsko-Biała, Poland 1997

Coat of arms

Kirklees Borough Council was granted coat of arms, armorial bearings by the College of Arms by letters patent dated 24 June 1974. the blazon of the arms is as follows:

Vert on a bend Argent a bendlet wavy azure on a chief Or a pale between two cog-wheels azure on the pale a Paschal Lamb supporting a staff of the fourth flying therefrom a forked pennon argent charged with a cross gules; ''and for a Crest'', On a wreath of the colours a ram's head affronty couped argent armed Or gorged with a mural crown sable masoned argent. ''Supporters'': On either side a lion guardant purpure resting the inner hind leg on a cross crosslet Or embellished in each of the four angles with a fleur de lis azure. ''Badge or device'': A roundel purpure charged with a Lacy Knot Or all within a circle of eleven roses argent barbed and seeded proper.

The green colouring of the shield represents the fields, woods and moorland of the borough. The white stripe or ''bend'' represents the M62 motorway, while the blue wave upon it is for the many waterways of the area. On the ''chief'' or upper third of the shield is a Korban Pesach, paschal lamb, symbol of St John the Baptist. John was the patron saint of woolworkers, and the inclusion of the emblem represents the historic woollen industry. The cogwheels are for the modern engineering industries. The crest is a ram's head, found in the arms of the County Borough of Huddersfield and the Mirfield Urban District Council. The black mural crown stands for the district's status as a borough, recalling a city wall. The supporters are purple lions from the arms of the De Lacy, de Laci family, medieval lords of Huddersfield. For heraldic "difference" from other lion supporters a distinctive cross has been placed below their inner feet. This device, combining the symbols of Christ and the Virgin Mary, represents the priory from which the borough took its name.

Parish and town councils

In five areas of the borough there is a second tier of local government: the civil parishes in England, civil parish. Parish or town councils have limited powers of a purely local character, such as owning or maintaining allotments, burial grounds, footpaths and war memorials. Four of the parishes were formed as successor parishes to urban districts abolished in 1974. The fifth was formed in 1988. The five town or parish councils are: The remainder of the borough is unparished area, unparished, with the borough council exercising parish powers.

Parliamentary representation

1997 to date

Since 1997 Kirklees has been divided into five constituencies: four being entirely within the borough, while one ward (Wakefield) is included in the Wakefield Council borough. The boundaries of two of the Colne Valley and Huddersfield constituencies were virtually unchanged from those defined in 1983. Denby Dale and Kirkburton wards were transferred from Dewsbury to Wakefield, with the former constituency receiving Heckmondwike ward from Batley and Spen. The constituencies were first used at the 1997 United Kingdom general election, 1997 general election, when the Labour Party came to power in a List of landslide victories, landslide, gaining all the seats in the borough. The party held the seats at the subsequent elections of 2001 United Kingdom general election, 2001 and 2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005. The incumbent MP for Batley and Spen (UK Parliament constituency), Batley and Spen, Jo Cox, was murdered on 16 June 2016. A 2016 Batley and Spen by-election, constituency by-election took place on 20 October 2016 and Tracy Brabin was elected. A further 2021 Batley and Spen by-election, by-election will be held in the constituency on 1 July 2021, after Brabin's resignation, following her election as Mayor of West Yorkshire.

1983 to 1997

The 1983 United Kingdom general election, 1983 general election was the first at which constituencies based on the administrative areas created in 1974 were used. Kirklees was divided into four constituencies.The Parliamentary Constituencies (England) Order 1983 (S.I. 1983/417). The Conservative Party polled well in the 1983 election, and took two of the borough's constituencies. Labour held Huddersfield, while the Liberals, running in an SDP-Liberal Alliance, alliance with the Social Democratic Party (UK), Social Democrats, held Colne Valley. In the following 1987 United Kingdom general election, election in 1987 the Labour vote increased slightly, and they gained Dewsbury from the Conservatives. At the same time the Alliance vote fell, and the Conservatives took Colne Valley. The four MPs elected in 1992 were all returned in 1997.

1974 to 1983

Parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales continued to be defined in terms of the boroughs and districts abolished in 1974 until a general redistribution of seats in 1983. Accordingly, Kirklees was divided between seven constituencies, which had first been used in the 1950 United Kingdom general election, 1950 general election.Representation of the People Act 1948, (c.65), Schedule I.

References

External links

Kirklees Council Website

Multimap location

Kirklees Curiosities
- Google Sites {{Authority control Kirklees, Metropolitan boroughs Leeds City Region Local government districts in West Yorkshire