Calderdale Council: When and where will tennis courts cash for Halifax and rest of Calderdale be spent, demands councillor

Councillor Felicity Issott (Con, Ryburn) first asked back in March 2022 when £165,000 of Lawn Tennis Association funding given to Calderdale would be spent.

Calderdale Council’s cabinet only agreed to accept the money, to be spread over six courts or parks, in December 2022, said Coun Issott.

“You still cannot tell me which courts or how exactly these courts will benefit,” she said.

“What assurances can you give me that there will not be yet another tennis season go by where Ripponden and Soyland Tennis Club have to play in Northowram due to the quality of courts, and that the money will not continue to sit and be wasted as the price of things accelerates?

“As £165,000 today will get you significantly less, I would imagine, than it would have got in March 2022.”

Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said she was aware Coun Issott had quite a lot of correspondence with an officer in charge of sports who had done his best to respond to some of the queries she raised.

“I will certainly take the points back you have raised,” said Coun Lynn.

“I can’t at this stage comment directly on whether Ripponden and Soyland court is one of the ones that is going to directly benefit but I can assure you that work is going on, and we are very grateful for the additional funding.”