Mirfield town council names two new members

Last month, five people put themselves forward to fill four vacancies on the town council.

But this week only two of them won enough votes from sitting councillors to be able to join. They were marketing consultant Jo Fearn and retired policeman Alan Mapplebeck.

Coun Fearn, who will represent Eastthorpe as a Conservative, said she was ‘chuffed’ to have been co-opted. She has worked before in local government and has lived in Mirfield for two years.

“It will be nice to give something back to the local community,” she said. “The people of Mirfield have made me and my family feel really welcome.”

Coun Mapplebeck, 61, was the last police officer to be based at Mirfield Police Station in Knowl Road before it closed to the public.

He is known to many locally for his involvement in the Campaign For Real Ale and the Calder Navigation Society.

He said: “I’m very pleased to be able to carry on serving the people of Mirfield, which I used to do when I was in the police.”

Coun Mapplebeck, of Back Lane, will represent his home ward of Battyeford as an independent.

Three other people – Charlie Coates, Imelda Marsden and Beth Prescott – also put themselves forward for co-option but did not gain enough support when councillors voted on who to co-opt during a meeting at the town council offices.

The Mayor of Mirfield and council chairman Coun David Pinder said: “All of the candidates were good, it’s just that they need to have a majority of votes from the councillors.”

The council will re-advertise its remaining vacancies and seek to co-opt two other members in due course.