‘Public sector vandalism’ claim in Calderdale town centre revamps row

Leader of the council Coun Daieln Sutherland was responding to a question from former cabinet member Coun Sarah Courtney at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council.

He claimed projects had been driven by “woke ideology".

Coun Courtney (Lab, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden East) had sought assurances that investments Labour made into Calderdale communities would not be reduced by the new Reform administration.

Major regeneration works are still ongoing in Halifax, Brighouse and Todmorden, having been awarded funding via regional or national government schemes.

Coun Courtney asked: “Can the cabinet members show the people of our beautiful borough that investments in our places, our towns and our rural areas, will not be reduced or lost in changes in outputs or outcomes that might be thought about?

“There is investment to enhance our public realm to help make our roads safer for all users, and to make them attractive, resilient, safer for residents and people who work here and visit here.

“Can I just have some reassurance that those investments are not going to end up being lost due to changes in outputs and outcomes?”

The council’s Reform administration, which won control in May’s local elections, paused the next phase of the Brighouse scheme for assessment and have made changes to the second planned phase of the project, including reinstating some parking spaces which were to be scrapped.

Coun Sutherland (Reform UK, Illingworth and Mixenden) was dismissive of elements of the schemes.

“Let’s be frank, when we look at the investments you made into the towns in Calderdale, many people call them public sector vandalism,” he said.

“When I hear from people in Elland when they talk about the pedestrianisation of Elland, and the fact that that town centre is now dead on a weekend, businesses struggling, people losing jobs, don’t talk to me about investments.

“When I think what’s been done to Halifax, where businesses have struggled all along the top end of town, and what have we got as a result? A big cycle lane and I am yet to see anybody cycle on that cycle lane.”

Coun Sutherland said his administration were retaining parking spaces in the Brighouse scheme.

“That will mean that vital business is able to keep thriving because the shoppers will be able to get in – people aren’t going to cycle into town to get their shopping,” he said.

The ongoing work at the bottom end of Halifax town centre would also be reviewed, said Coun Sutherland.

“We will be looking into making sure that only benefits come out of this scheme, not the woke ideology that was being promoted previously,” he said.

The previous Labour administration, which secured the funding for the projects, argued the improvements will encourage people to stay longer in Calderdale’s town centres, spending their money, as well as making it easier to walk, wheel or cycle around them.