Reform leader of Calderdale Council 'refusing' to meet Halifax's MP

Kate Dearden says she has contacted Daniel Sutherland “a number of times” since Reform took over the running of the council in May.

But she says he has not yet responded to any of her offers to see how they can collaborate.

Councillor Sutherland has written to both Ms Dearden and Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn, calling on them “to do more” to ensure Yorkshire Water improves its service to people in Calderdale.

Ms Dearden has today published her letter of response to Coun Sutherland, along with the revelation that he has ignored her offers to meet.

The Labour MP posted: “I will always welcome, and be open to, scrutiny of my record. It is part of my job as the Member of Parliament for Halifax.

"But it is disappointing that Coun Sutherland has so far refused to meet with me, despite the fact that I have contacted him a number of times over the past three months.

"When he became council leader in May, I wrote to him and every newly elected councillor offering to put our political differences aside and work together in the interests of Halifax and our surrounding communities.

"Several Reform councillors took me up on that offer. Had Coun Sutherland or Reform Calderdale wished to discuss my work on Yorkshire Water, they could have done so at any point over the past three months. My door remains open.

"In the meantime, I will continue taking action for residents.”

She said she has already written to Yorkshire Water 183 times raising concerns of different residents, and helped bring mains replacement works in Sowerby Bridge forward by two years.

She says she has recovered more than £10,000 for residents who had been overcharged, secured repairs where water problems were damaging family homes, organised a public meeting so residents could directly question Yorkshire Water’s CEO Nicola Shaw, and pressed for lower bills, faster infrastructure improvements and stronger accountability.

"I have also written to the new Environment Secretary, Dame Angela Eagle MP, asking what further action the Government will take to fix the water industry,” she added.

"There is much more to do, and I will continue working with councillors from any party who genuinely want to secure better services for local people.”

The Courier has asked Calderdale Council for a response from Coun Sutherland but has yet to receive one.

The letter from Coun Sutherland from MPs came after a majority of councillors agreed at a meeting last month to express concern that “despite repeated commitments by the Labour Government to reform the water industry, residents continue to face rising bills, ongoing sewage discharges, significant leakage rates and increasing pressure on household finances”.

Labour had proposed a motion calling on Calderdale Council to support calls by Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin for Yorkshire Water to set out a clear strategy for rebuilding trust and confidence, explain its governance arrangements, and commit to transparency in reporting the latter and financial decision-making.

They also wanted the council to ask Yorkshire Water to increase investment in infrastructure in Calderdale, step up the pace of reducing leaks and sewage discharges, not unfairly burden customers with bill increases and press Government for wider water regulation and enforcement, including considering public ownership.

But the ruling Reform group said Labour councillors and Labour MPs should get the Labour Government to sort it out.