Key Points
- Voters in Kirkstall ward will go to the polls on Thursday 7 May 2026 for the Leeds City Council elections, with one councillor to be elected.
- West Leeds Dispatch says it has approached candidates from Kirkstall and will publish 300-word profiles and photos ahead of the election.
- The candidate list for Kirkstall published by West Leeds Dispatch includes Hannah Bithell for Labour, Stuart Long as an Independent, and the other named contenders from the 2024 statements source include Adam Belcher for the Liberal Democrats, Victoria Smith for the Green Party, John Tival for TUSC, and others from the ward’s previous contest.
- West Leeds Dispatch reported that the current political make-up of Kirkstall ward is three Labour councillors.
- West Leeds Dispatch also reported Labour’s claim that Cllr Bithell has delivered local improvements including benches, better signage, 20mph zone signs, HGV measures and action around antisocial behaviour near shopping areas.
- Stuart Long said he would focus on road safety, bus services, the Goit, radon gas, neglected streets, local access and heritage protections if elected.
- West Leeds Dispatch said all 33 council wards in Leeds will be contested in the 2026 elections, with results due on Friday 8 May.
KirkstallWest (The Leeds Times) April 17, 2026 – Voters in Kirkstall are being asked to choose one councillor on Thursday 7 May 2026, as candidates set out their priorities on housing, transport, roads, green spaces and local services ahead of the uk/local/leeds-city-council/">Leeds City Council election.
Who are the candidates standing in Kirkstall?
West Leeds Dispatch reported that Kirkstall Labour has reselected Cllr Hannah Bithell to stand in the May 2026 elections, describing her as a dedicated public servant who has already had a strong local impact. The same report said the party believes her work on benches, casework, shopping-centre issues, signage changes, 20mph zones, HGV concerns and parking protections shows she has been active across the ward.
The Dispatch also reported that Stuart Long, a Burley resident, has announced he will stand as an Independent candidate in Kirkstall. It said Long has lived in the area for more than 40 years and has built his campaign around road safety, traffic problems, bus services, local streets, the Goit and radon gas concerns.
West Leeds Dispatch’s earlier candidate statements coverage for Kirkstall also included Adam Belcher for the Liberal Democrats, Victoria Smith for the Green Party and John Tival for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. In that 2024 coverage, the candidates set out positions on public transport, housing, local roads, recycling, schools, public health, climate action and council funding.
What issues are driving the Kirkstall contest?
Housing and homelessness featured prominently in the Liberal Democrat statement quoted by West Leeds Dispatch, with Adam Belcher calling for a better deal for renters, more social homes and action on homelessness. He also argued for better public transport, including support for trams, and said local businesses needed relief from business rates pressures.
Stuart Long’s statement, as published by West Leeds Dispatch, placed heavy emphasis on infrastructure, saying Kirkstall had been let down by limited investment in roads and that traffic problems and junction safety needed urgent attention. He also pointed to campaigns around bus services, water levels in the Goit, cleaner streets for families and elderly residents, and the need to address radon gas in housing.
Victoria Smith’s statement focused on bin collections, parking, idling outside schools, solar panels on new homes, retrofitting existing homes and more benches and bins along the canal towpath. John Tival, meanwhile, used his statement to criticise council cuts and austerity, and highlighted the Save Little Owls nurseries campaign.
What has Labour said about its record?
West Leeds Dispatch reported that Kirkstall Labour has reselected Hannah Bithell and is asking voters to back her for another term. The report said the party credits her with installing benches, improving signage and helping reduce antisocial behaviour and theft around local shopping areas.
Labour’s statement also said Bithell has worked on double yellow lines to protect junctions and bin routes, while also tackling HGV issues on St Ann’s Lane and Argie Avenue. The party said she has shown “dedication” to helping local people with issues affecting infrastructure and the wider city.
West Leeds Dispatch noted that the ward’s current political make-up is three Labour councillors. That context matters because it means Labour is defending an established position rather than trying to take the ward from another party.
What will voting look like in Leeds?
West Leeds Dispatch reported that the Leeds City Council elections will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026, with counting and results to be declared the following day, Friday 8 May. It said 33 wards across the city will see 36 councillors elected in total.
The site also said one councillor will be elected in each of the wards in its coverage area, including Kirkstall. A separate election listing source said the official candidate list for Kirkstall was expected after 9 April 2026.
How are the candidates presenting themselves?
West Leeds Dispatch’s earlier Kirkstall candidate coverage shows a campaign shaped by local, practical concerns rather than broad national themes. The Liberal Democrat statement focused on transport, housing and business support, while the Green Party statement centred on bins, school traffic, solar power and public space improvements.
The Independent candidate statement leaned heavily on lived experience in Kirkstall, with Long saying he had grown up locally and wanted to protect the ward’s heritage and address long-running road issues. Labour’s message, by contrast, emphasised the value of Bithell’s existing record and her work as a councillor already embedded in the community.
That mix suggests voters in Kirkstall will be hearing a contest built around neighbourhood management, local services and day-to-day quality of life. It is also consistent with West Leeds Dispatch’s approach of seeking 300-word candidate statements so readers can compare priorities before voting.
Background of the development
Kirkstall is one of the wards set to be contested in the Leeds City Council elections on 7 May 2026. West Leeds Dispatch first reported the reselection of Hannah Bithell for Labour in January 2026 and later said Stuart Long would stand as an Independent.
The ward’s recent political position is important because Labour currently holds all three seats there, according to West Leeds Dispatch. That makes the 2026 vote a test of whether Labour can retain its foothold while other candidates argue for change on roads, public transport, housing and local services.
What could this mean for voters?
For residents in Kirkstall, the election could shape how the council responds to everyday concerns such as traffic, bin collections, housing support and street-level maintenance. If Labour holds the seat, the focus may stay on continuity and existing ward work, while a win for another candidate would likely shift attention towards more visible change on transport, infrastructure and community campaigning.
The outcome may also matter for local groups and businesses because several candidates have tied their campaigns to shopping areas, public spaces and neighbourhood amenities. With one seat on offer, the result will be decided by how well each candidate persuades voters that their record or proposals best match Kirkstall’s immediate priorities.
