Town hall chiefs book venue for election count

PREPARATIONS are already under way for Calderdale's big “all-out” elections next year, including counting the votes in Huddersfield.

- By JOHN GREENWOOD

Lack of a suitably-sized venue means ballots for the 2026 Calderdale Council elections will be counted, and results announced, in neighbouring Kirklees, councillors have been told.

Calderdale’s results in recent times have been counted at North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax, but for the past three years since that venue's closure pending demolition and £35m rebuilding of a new centre on the site an alternative has had to be found.

From 2022, Calderdale’s count has been held in a huge marquee set up on the council-owned Mulcture Hall Road car park at Halifax.

By-election counts, for Calder and Skircoat wards, have been housed at Todmorden Town Hall and Halifax Town Hall respectively, but neither big enough for a full scale operation.