The Ilkley Journal roundup 🗞️
Covering our pick of the latest news, events and more.
Welcome to our first ever roundup, where we get you up to speed with the latest happenings in Ilkley. We’ll be looking to publish these once a week or, when we’re head down working on one of our bigger stories, on a fortnightly basis.
In this edition we look at the upcoming local and mayoral elections, talk about the annual town meeting and Ilkley Carnival and throw a couple of recommendations your way for culture.
The Ilkley Journal is currently free (and will continue to be up to a point) but our aim is to move to paid model in the coming months. Our aim is to grow the publication and, the short of it is that we need cash to fund our work. If you’re keen to support local journalism, please consider supporting us.
NEWS IN BRIEF 🚨
Locals invited to have their say at the Annual Town Meeting
Ilkley Town Council has invited locals to attend this year’s Annual Town Meeting to have their say “on matters that affect Ilkley”. We’re anticipating the much debated recent closure of the Golden Butts “tip” and the ongoing fallout from last year’s Ilkley Parish Poll Election on speed calming measures – which resulted in a resolute thumbs down on proposals – to be two of the biggest topics of discussion.
“The Annual Town Meeting is a meeting of local electors [and] not a council meeting,” Ilkley Town Council said. “This year the meeting will focus on the work of local community organisations and will showcase the work of local groups.”
The Annual Town Meeting is at the Clarke Foley Centre on Cuncliffe Road from 7pm (the meeting starts at 7.30pm)
Ilkley Carnival
Ilkley’s annual Carnival returns this Monday with a Mardi Gras-themed extravaganza promising a vibrant day of bank holiday fun bang in the heart of the town. Highlights this year include the Defying Gravity headline act, which features freestyle BMX and mountain boarding stunts, the Fun Dog Show, where categories include “most fabulous fella” and “golden oldie”, and the first ever Ilkley Carnival Scavenger Hunt.
The carnival will kick off at 11am when the 1,000 plus parade will set off from Grove Road and make its way down to . Tickets cost £8 on the day (£6 in advance) for adults, £2 for children aged 3–16 and OAPs, and £2 for carers. It’s free for kids under three.
Ilkley Carnival at East Holmes Field takes place on Monday 6 May, 11am–4.30pm (ish)
THE LEAD 📰
Local and mayoral elections
This year’s local and mayoral elections are arguably going to be the most consequential in recent years. First of all, there’s a general election looming large, which could happen as early as summer or as late as December (it could even take place next year – it has to be held by 28 January 2025 at the latest – but the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, appears committed to an election in 2024). While local and mayoral elections tend to be shaped more by local than national issues (or headlines), whatever happens on Thursday 2 May will, rightly or wrongly, be seen as a taste of what’s to come, a sort of barometer for the mood of the nation.
Secondly, this will be the second time that voters in West Yorkshire get to vote for a mayor, a role that is unquestionably growing in power and influence in an increasingly devolved England. You can find out more about this in our our story about the West Yorkshire mayoral election, but the short of it is this: when it comes to local economic successes (and failures), they will be shaped significantly by the decisions taken by mayors.
And thirdly, as we discuss in our editorial below, local elections are hugely important because it’s local councils that are directly responsible for providing services that affect you and the area you live in, from education and housing to social services and waste management. Your vote – or indeed your abstention (local elections typically experience a much lower turnout than general elections) – determines who ends up in charge.
Here’s a rundown of some of the candidates who are running in the local and mayoral elections:
Ilkley Town Council
Ros Brown, Green Party:
Jane Sellers, Conservative Party
Bradford Council
Ilkley
Michael Baldwin, Labour 🔴
What he’s saying: “I am keen to see a cleaner and healthier environment and a fairer society with no-one left behind. My work in research management has involved meeting many different people and being creative in solving problems. As a Bradford councillor, I will work hard for Ilkley residents, follow up quickly on requests for assistance and ensure the council is working well for everyone.”
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John Briggs, Liberal Democrats 🟠
We unfortunately couldn’t find anything on John Briggs – no leaflets through the letterbox and seemingly no presence online. We also reached out to the party but have had no luck their either. If anyone has more information, please get in touch with us.
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Ros Brown – Green Party 🟢
What she’s saying: “I have an excellent track record of standing up for Ilkley’s residents of all ages. I have campaigned against cuts that our town faces, demanded action on dangerous pollution in the River Wharfe and helped residents resolve many different issues from pot holes to litter.”
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Anne Hawkesworth, Independent ⚪️
What she’s saying: “I’m proud to have livened Ilkley’s streets by making them more than just a thoroughfare by introducing markets, festivals and events. I have recently been very proactive in a fight against isolation for residents by introducing Thursday Club, Talking Bench at Sparrow Park and encouraging an ex-service Breakfast Club.”
Joanne Sugden – Conservative Party 🔵
What her team’s saying: “Joanne Sugden has lived in Ilkley for more than 25 years and served as an Ilkley Town Councillor for 12 years. She knows and loves Ilkley and has the experience and enthusiasm to get things done. During her time on the town council, Joanne served as a representative to Ilkley BID, working closely with the local business community.”
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West Yorkshire Mayor
Tracy Brabin, Labour 🔴
Bob Buxton, Yorkshire Party 🔵
Andrew Cooper, Green Party 🟢
Arnold Craven, Conservative Party 🔵
Stewart Golton, Liberal Democrats 🟠
Jonathan Tilt, Independent ⚪️
You can read more about this above candidates in our piece here.
THE ILKLEY JOURNAL VIEW 📢
According to the Institute for Local Government, around 30–40% of the electorate typically turns up to vote for local candidates compared to 66% who show up to a polling station to pick an MP to represent them in Parliament. It has long been this way – low turnouts for local elections, bigger turnouts for general elections – and it shouldn’t be. Local elections matter a great deal – and voter apathy at a local level is a huge problem for democracy.
The idea that local elections are not as important as general elections is mistaken. They are just as important. Local authorities manage key services in your area like education, transport, social care, rubbish collection, housing and planning applications. By participating in local elections you get to play your part in deciding who ends up being responsible for these services and more, whether it’s an incumbent or someone new (interestingly, as a House of Commons paper on election turnout noted in 2023, there is a “lack of competition in these elections, with some seats uncontested and councillors often in place for long periods”).
So, get and out vote this Thursday and have your say.
WHAT’S ON 🎭
Class
A parent-teacher meeting that goes awry – that’s Class in a proverbial nutshell. Written by Iseult Golden and David Horan, the award-winning play – it won the Edinburgh Fringe First Award in 2018 – takes a hard look at “the plight of teachers on the frontline and the pressures of modern masculinity”.
Class at The Ilkley Playhouse runs from 13–18 May from 7.30pm.
Monkey Man
Some of you may remember Dev Patel from Skins. Some of you may remember him from Slumdog Millionaire. Some of you may know him from The Green Knight. Some of you may have no idea who he is. Regardless, he’s dipping his toes into the world of directing with his debut Monkey Man, an action thriller that is about “one man’s quest for vengeance”.
Monkey Man is at Ilkley Cinema until Thursday 2 May
SPORT ⚽️
Ilkley Rugby Club have been crowned Aire Wharfe Cup winners after defeating West Leeds 23–21 at Stacks Field on a sun-kissed spring evening last night (30 April). It was even more impressive for the fact that the Dalesman were down a man for a decent chunk of the game, with Harry Smith seeing a red (much to the outrage of the crowd).
Writing on the club’s official website, John Hope said: “With the last vestiges of what felt like the first day of summer and the May Day fairground testing their hair raising rides in the adjacent field this game turned out to be a helter skelter of an encounter.”
Ilkley Rugby Club also won the cup last year, beating Old Otliensian 29–20 at Chaffers Field in Otlet.
Ilkley Town AFC’s women’s first team have been promoted to the Premier Division of the West Riding County Womens Football League, with an emphatic 7–1 win over bottom of the league Hall Green United.
The promotion is a remarkable first for the team, as it’s the highest league they’ve ever competed in. And that’s not all. It also means they’ll be able to enter into the FA Cup where, as the old adage goes, anything can happen.