I hope you all had a good Easter Weekend and enjoyed some of the sunshine on offer.

In today’s edition, my LDR colleague John Greenwood has a story on a subject very close to my heart - beer!

He’s reporting that Halifax-based Darkland Brewery have submitted a plan to turn a building at Hebden Bridge station into a brewery tap. Full details are below.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in the Calderdale Digest…

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Calderdale Digest

💷 More than 260,000 hard-working people across Yorkshire and the Humber will see their pay increase as the Government raises the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates.

As Minister for Employment Rights, Halifax’s MP Kate Dearden has been using her role in Government to stand up for working families in Halifax.

After hearing from employees across Halifax about the impact that insecure and low-paid work has on their lives, Ms Dearden has worked closely with the Government to deliver this uplift in wages, ensuring that local residents are paid fairly for a hard day’s work.

The increase means workers in some of the country’s most essential roles — from cleaners starting shifts before dawn, to care workers supporting elderly residents through the night – will take home more money each month, as the Government delivers on its commitment to improve living standards.

Workers on the National Living Wage will see their hourly rate rise to £12.71, an increase of 50p per hour. This means a full-time worker on the NLW will be around £900 better off over the course of a year.

🌦️ A film showing potential impact of climate breakdown on a number of issues will be screened in Hebden Bridge this month – but people wanting to see it might have to wait a while.

The film – The People’s Emergency Briefing – was made by the National Emergency Briefing (NEB) initiative, which is a UK‑based public information project.

Fronted by Chris Packham and featuring contributions from scientists and other public figures, it is being screened at Hebden Bridge Town Hall on Thursday, April 16, at 7pm.

The free screening has sold out fast – but the organisers are urging anyone interested to register their interest for any returned tickets, and for future screenings which are planned.

In November 2025, more than 1,200 MPs, peers and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media gathered at Westminster Central Hall for the initial, national, NEB briefing, from which the film has been created.

The aim is that this will be shown in communities around the country and Hebden Bridge will be one of the first to see it, say local organisers.

The briefing covers the impact of climate and nature breakdown for food security, health, national security, infrastructure and the economy, alongside practical evidence on how risks can still be reduced, they said.

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Brewery seek permission for tap room venture at Hebden Bridge station

By John Greenwood

A Grade II-listed Calderdale railway station could soon boast a taproom selling beers from a local brewery – and guests – if they can gain a planning consent.

But Darkland Brewery will need to use a portion of a waiting room at Hebden Bridge Rail Station to create a key cold store, if planners agree.

The brewery, based just outside Halifax, has applied to Calderdale Council seeking listed building consent to make that change.

The brewery team say they have developed a plan for the vacant unit with two primary objectives – designing a taproom that “respects and complements” the station’s historic features, and ensuring the operation is viable and sustainable, justifying a long-term commitment.

Darkland, established in 2018, hope to create a cold store in the station waiting room, to the east of the proposed two bar rooms.

For security reasons, a portion of the room would need to be partitioned off to house the cold store unit.

But a large part of the room would remain available for use by the travelling public, and this has given approval by rail operator Northern, according to the application.

In a supporting statement, Darkland says: “Our plan includes offering six to eight hand-pulled cask beers, including guest selections from like-minded local microbreweries.

“To achieve this and maintain the highest quality and freshness, we require a large cold room located as close to the bar as possible.”

They further explain: “To present these beers at their best, they must be rested and vented near the beer engines (hand-pull pumps) to minimise the distance the beer travels during dispensing.

“Given these requirements, creating a cold storage area within part of the waiting room would provide the optimal environment for the beers to flourish.”

A small hole would be need to cut in the wall between the waiting room and the bar, in order for the pipework to pass through, however this would not need to be very large, and could potentially be filled in and plastered over should the bar use cease, says the brewery.

“Whilst the introduction of partitioning into the current waiting room would have an impact on that space, it would not really impact upon the external appearance of the listed building,” they argue.

The cutting of the small holes – another would be needed for a drain – would be reversible and the limited harm that they would cause to the listed building would be more than outweighed by the benefit of giving the building a viable use which would provide enhanced facilities for rail passengers and visitors to Hebden Bridge, argues Darkland.

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That’s all for this edition of The Calderdale Lead. Don’t forget that if you’ve got a story you think we should be covering then please email calderdale@thelead.uk and we’ll take a look.

Until Sunday, enjoy the rest of the week!

Andrew

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I hope you’ve all had a good week so far.

In today’s edition we’ve got some news that many residents in Hebden Bridge have waited a decade for - the controversial incinerator in the Ryburn Valley is no more!

The chimney and flue from the incinerator was removed from the site this week, a move that residents hope will bring the saga to an end. I’ve got details and reaction below.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

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Calderdale Digest

👷🏻Around three quarters of workers made redundant when a town’s largest employer largely closed late last year have found new work.

It was a major blow for industry in the upper Calder Valley in Calderdale when global mining technology company Weir Minerals announced it was closing its Todmorden operation.

Responding to a question about support at full council, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Transport, Cllr Sarah Courtney, said senior council leaders including its Chief Executive Robin Tuddenham had met with Weir as soon as the company indicated its intention to consult on closing the Todmorden site and had remained “closely engaged.”

The council’s Business, Employment and Skills Team worked with Weir and partners including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the National Careers Service (NCS) and Jobcentre Plus (JCP) to assess the potential impact on Calderdale residents and co-ordinate support, said Coun Courtney (Lab), who is also a Calder ward councillor.

Support to staff at risk included in-house training and employability support which had been given by Weir, and a six-week programme of events delivered by the DWP, NCS, Citizens Advice and the Money Advice Service in late 2025.

A Jobcentre Plus jobs fair was also held in late 2025, attended by 16 employers from West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

Information was also available from the council’s Employment Hub, DWP and NCS on how individuals could self-refer for additional support.

Of the 193 staff at risk, 156 were made redundant in late 2025, including 111 Calderdale residents, said Cllr Courtney.

“Prior to the jobs fair, around 40 per cent had already secured future employment.

“Following the event, a further 30 per cent secured roles with employers who attended.

Some employees also explored early retirement options, she said.

👨🏻‍🍳 Owners of an Italian restaurant in Halifax say a ten-month nightmare resulting from a multi-million pound roadworks scheme has cost them around £60,000 in reduced takings.

Cousins Lino and Antonio Massimo have built up their family restaurant at Sapore, which is in Central Street, over nine years, weathering the Covid-19 pandemic.

But major roadworks which Calderdale Council says will improve routes in and around Halifax town centre in the long run have been a nightmare, they say.

Flooding into Sapore’s basement kitchen one night this week, which attending water authorities told them resulted from a workmanship fault on paving outside, saw them take to social media to express their frustration.

The flooding incident was followed by their Business Rates bill dropping on the mat – the amount almost doubled, said Lino.

On Facebook they criticised the council and the contractors undertaking the major A629 phase 2 Halifax town centre project for lack of communication and impact the work had on their business.

The post has gone viral, with almost 400 shares to date, each containing multiple comments.

“Enough is enough – we want to give a ‘huge’ thank you to the council and Galliford Try for seemingly doing everything in their power to shut us down.

“After nearly a year of being boxed in, we have reached our breaking point,” they said.

Incinerator removal brings to a close decade-long fight for residents

By Andrew Greaves

Residents in Sowerby Bridge are celebrating after equipment for a controversial incinerator was removed from a site they have been campaigning against for a decade.

Campaigner Deb Copeland posted a picture of the equipment - including the chimney and flue - being removed from the former Calder Valley Skip Hire (CVSH) Belmont site.

Ms Copeland said: “Ten years after this group was created, a day I didn’t think would happen, has happened! The flue/chimney has been removed from the incinerator building and it looks like the incinerator has left the site!”

The prospect of a small waste incineration plant (SWIP) being operated at the Belmont site in Sowerby Bridge has seen campaigns by worried residents and politicians against the proposal running for years as well as public hearings on the issue in 2022 and 2023.

The company which used to own the site – CVSH – had won planning approval to operate the incinerator at the site following an appeal, after Calderdale Council refused permission.

But they also needed a key environmental permit to operate it.

This was granted, and challenged, twice by Calderdale Council, which then revoked the permits on both occasions – once following a Planning Inspector’s effectively refusing the permit after a public inquiry, following legal challenges from campaigners.

The removal follows a pledge by the new owners of the site, Ellete Waste Ltd, in February that they did not intend to operate an incinerator at the site or any other it currently owns.

That news was cautiously welcomed by campaigners but the fact that the removal has now taken place - it is believed CVSH still open the equipment - has been greeted with a sigh of relief.

Posting on Facebook, ward councillor Adam Wilkinson said: “Absolutely delighted that, after more than 11 years of determined campaigning, the incinerator has now left Sowerby Bridge.

“This has been a long and hard-fought battle, and today’s outcome is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together and works closely with its councillors. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making this happen.”

Ellete Waste also owns the Mearclough site in Sowerby Bridge and a statement in February also said it will be seeking to vary a recent application to allow hazardous waste and an increase in overall permitted tonnage relating to Mearclough.

“Ellete Waste Ltd will be seeking to remove hazardous waste from that application and reduce the proposed tonnage accordingly,” they said.

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That’s all for this edition of The Calderdale Lead. Don’t forget that if you’ve got a story you think we should be covering then please email calderdale@thelead.uk and we’ll take a look.

Until Sunday, enjoy the rest of the week!

Andrew

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I hope you’re all having a good weekend. This amazing weather has brought people out and about and I’m looking forward to heading to Todmorden today for the reopening of the town’s beautiful bandstand.

There’s loads of different acts going to be performing so if you’re at a loose end then why not head down yourself?

In today’s edition, we’ve got news of a unique new agreement signed between Calderdale Council and Yorkshire Water which is aiming to improve the health of the River Calder.

The Calder, which runs through many of the towns in our borough, faces a number of challenges which the two organisations are hoping to tackle.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in the Calderdale Digest…

Calderdale Digest

🚸 Work is under way on an extension to replace four temporary classrooms at a leading Calderdale special school.

Calderdale Council has invested nearly £3 million to build a permanent extension at Ravenscliffe@Spring Hall in Halifax.

This will replace the four temporary classrooms that the council provided to support more students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It forms part of the council’s work to increase the number of school places for children and young people with additional needs, in response to the national shortage.

Other actions include plans to build a new through school for primary and secondary special school places on the former Threeways community centre site in Ovenden, north Halifax, and creating a new alternative provision free school to provide short-term placements with a range of support for young people with complex needs.

The extension to the existing school building will include four classrooms, flexible space, a group room, a quiet and sensory room, toilet facilities and a dedicated outdoor play and social space.

🏠 Some cash from the sale of a Halifax car park will be used to help fill a funding gap for a social housing landlord to buy a property.

Calderdale Council and Calder Valley Community Land Trust have signed a grant agreement to progress buying a two-bedroom home in Heptonstall.

The council is providing funding of £90,000 towards the project, which will see the home at Northfield in a village where homes are described as sought-after.

The council’s contribution to help buy and renovate the property, which requires substantial refurbishment work, is coming from the authority’s Cow Green Affordable Housing Fund.

This was set up with money from the sale of Cow Green car park in Halifax town centre which the council ring-fenced to support affordable housing projects in the borough.

Council Cabinet housing portfolio holder Coun Scott Patient said the project supported aims of developing high-quality affordable housing in Calderdale.

“This innovative partnership project with Calder Valley Community Land Trust would provide a much-needed local affordable home for a young family and we’re pleased to be able to support the project, using ring-fenced funds for affordable housing,” he said.

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Landmark agreement signed to help improve health of River Calder

By Andrew Greaves

Calderdale Council and Yorkshire Water have signed a landmark agreement to improve the health of the River Calder.

In the first agreement of its kind in the Yorkshire region, a new Memorandum of Understanding sets out how the two organisations will work more closely together to tackle pollution, improve water quality and support nature-based solutions across the Calder catchment.

The River Calder flows through many of the borough’s towns and villages and plays a vital role in the local environment, wildlife and communities.

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In 2024, councillors heard the Calder was one of the worst for sewage spills in the country, with Yorkshire Water acknowledging the problem.

Like many rivers across the country, the Calder faces a number of challenges including historic industrial pollution, sewage discharges, pollution from surrounding land, residential misconnections and highway runoff.

Protecting and restoring the borough’s rivers and riverbanks is one of the key themes of the Calderdale Ecological Emergency Plan, and a recent Council Scrutiny review on river pollution looked at ways to improve the health of rivers in Calderdale.

One of the recommendations of this review was to strengthen joint working between the Council and Yorkshire Water. The new agreement provides a clear framework for how both organisations will work together to improve the health of the River Calder.

The document, signed by both the council and Yorkshire Water, focuses on the following priority areas:

• Reducing the operation of Combined Sewage Overflows to help improve water quality

• Improving coordination of highways drainage and surface water connections

• Identifying, investigating and resolving property misconnections

• Delivering sustainable catchment management and nature-based solutions to slow the flow of rainwater before it reaches the sewers and the river.

• Increasing water storage and attenuation

• Working together to raise public awareness on pollution prevention, such as encouraging people to not pour fats, oils and grease down sinks or flush wet wipes.

• Sharing information for better targeting of work and to minimise duplication

• Holding regular review meetings to track progress and adjust priorities

These pledges also build on further recent commitments, including Yorkshire Water’s plans to upgrade 19 Combined Sewage Overflows and the Barnsley Green Treatment Works in Calderdale between 2025 and 2030, as well as ongoing joint work between both organisations to tackle property misconnections.

Cllr Scott Patient, the council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Housing, said: “The issue of river pollution is something that’s rightly had a large amount of national focus, and we’re passionate about the health of our local waterways and committed to doing all we can to improve them.

“Sadly, the River Calder, which flows across parts of West Yorkshire and through many Calderdale towns and villages, faces challenges relating to pollution. There are a number of different causes, but we’re determined to do all we can to deliver change locally and we’ve been working closely with local partners and communities to try and highlight these and develop a plan to tackle the issue.

“The signing of a shared Memorandum of Understanding with Yorkshire Water is a milestone in this work, and the first agreement of its kind in the region. It aims to deliver real and lasting change, providing a focus for our joint working and supporting a positive working partnership.

“The priority areas include actions for both organisations and build upon a significant amount of work already taking place.”

Clare Beasant, River Health Improvement manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “Improving the health of our rivers across Yorkshire is incredibly important to us and to our customers, and something we’re absolutely committed to achieving.”

More information about the work taking place as part of the Ecological Emergency Action Plan, can be found by clicking here.

That’s it for this edition of The Calderdale Lead.

We’ll be back with another edition on Wednesday and, as ever, if there’s something you think we should be following up on, feel free to drop me a line on calderdale@thelead.uk.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Andrew

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I know I frequently bang on about the weather in this opening gambit but how brilliant has it been to see some proper sunshine this week?

The good weather is apparently due to last a few days so maybe it’s time to shove the sweaters back into the wardrobe and pull out the t-shirts… I certainly hope so!

In this edition, we’ve got news of councillors backing a bid to make Halifax the UK’s first ‘Town of Culture’.

The Government will introduce the title for 2028 and I’m sure we all share the opinion that Halifax would be a worthy recipient. Check out the story from my colleague John Greenwood for more.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

⚒️ Bosses from Halifax-based Hargreaves Foundry have paid a visit to the Palace of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower, home to Big Ben, to check out the company’s contribution to the tower’s recent restoration.

Managing Directors Michael Hinchliffe and Helen Thornber visited the iconic tower to see first-hand the results of the restoration project, which included cast iron work produced by the Halifax firm.

Hargreaves Foundry played an important role in its restoration, with their cast iron used throughout the Tower, including in its gutters and roof tiles.

Helen and Michael were joined by representatives from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the restoration’s architects, Purcell. Visitors were guided through the history of the tower and the restoration project, with the tour including the clock mechanism and the inside of the bell tower, where they were able to hear the famous Big Ben chime.

During the visit, Helen, Michael and Halifax MP Kate Dearden were delighted to see first-hand the Hargreaves Foundry ‘HF’ stamp on the metalwork throughout the tower.

Michael said: “We’re proud to have been chosen to work on this historic, iconic and world renowned building. The project has been one of the highlights of our careers.”

💷 Calderdale Council’s financial position has worsened as demand to care for its vulnerable people and fix its roads has increased.

Half way through the financial year the council was projecting a £5.4 million deficit on its £249.8 million budget for 2025-26 but a further three months on it is predicted that by the years end in March the figure will be £7.2 million.

Deficits have to be covered by the council’s financial reserves, which senior councillors are warned are limited.

Senior Cabinet councillors heard savings the authority has been making through the year have seen good progress.

But they are still being out-stripped by demand for some services the council has to provide.

Cabinet member for Resources, Cllr Silvia Dacre said: “This is not perhaps the news we’d hoped for.

“This has primarily been as a result of considerable difficulty in controlling spend in some of our demand-led services such as adults and children’s services and also highways repairs.”

The overall figure masked good progress in reducing overspends but the warning was there that if the council cannot entirely reduce the deficit by the financial years’ end, then further reserves would have to be used, she said.

When preparing the 2026-27 budget – which councillors approved in February – baseline budgets for each directorate were set in such a way as to avoid this year’s level of overspending in the year ahead, said Cllr Dacre.

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Councillors back bid for Halifax to take ‘Town of Culture’ title in 2028

By John Greenwood

Halifax is throwing its hat into the ring, bidding to become the first UK Town of Culture.

Senior Calderdale councillors agreed to submit an expression of interest for the borough’s main town becoming Town of Culture in its first year, 2028, by the March 31 deadline.

They believe they have a good case, building on top of tangible benefits from Calderdale’s Year of Culture, which ran from spring 2024 to spring 2025 – popularly and memorably dubbed as “CultureDale”.

Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Scott Patient said: “We’ve got a really rich opportunity for the Town of Culture.”

Cllr Danielle Durrans, Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, said CultureDale had proved to be an economic driver and not just an “add on.”

This had been recognised by hospitality, retail and other businesses.

She said: “Cultural visitors stay longer, spend more and are much more likely to return, which of course does directly support our local jobs and local growth within the area.

“We were able to raise Calderdale’s profile nationally through CultureDale, with a stronger, more confident story about our borough as a place of creativity, heritage and real ambition.

“And that matters when we are competing for visitor investment and external funding,” she said.

It produced benefits for communities too, supporting grass roots organisations across all council wards, including helping them access funding they could not previously reach.

Cllr Durrans said this ensured “culture is inclusive and deeply rooted.”

From the council’s perspective, “the return on investment has been extremely strong – a modest investment from the council has unlocked significant external investment,” she said.

Calderdale’s Year of Culture was backed by a £2.4m funding pot, including £400,000 from Calderdale Council itself and around £2m secured from external grants and investment, such as support from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and national cultural bodies.

Cllr Adam Wilkinson noted the near-doubling of the worth of tourism to the local economy to £650 million over five years up to 2024, supporting 6,000 jobs.

“That’s why we’ve invested in culture in our recent budget, to build on the success of CultureDale,” he said.

UK Town of Culture is a new, national government‑backed competition for towns to win a multi‑million‑pound package to run a year‑long cultural programme, broadly modelled on UK City of Culture, with a bidding process, a designated ‘title year’ for the winning town, and an expectation that the funded events, festivals and projects will support regeneration, boost visitors and build local pride.

The first one will be awarded for 2028.

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That’s all for this edition of The Calderdale Lead. Don’t forget that if you’ve got a story you think we should be covering then please email calderdale@thelead.uk and we’ll take a look.

Until Sunday, enjoy the rest of the week!

Andrew

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We’ve had it all weather-wise this week with high winds, torrential rain, a touch of sunshine and even some sleet. Maybe this is winter’s last hurrah before spring gets into swing properly. I certainly hope so!

In today’s edition, we’ve got details of how the community is being asked for suggestions on how to spend a £20m grant in Mixenden and parts of Illingworth.

Halifax MP Kate Dearden was treated to a host of ideas at a special community forum she organised.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of choice nuggets in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

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Calderdale Digest

🚧 A project to better protect some Elland homes from serious flooding can still be developed despite a funding blow.

Residents in the Park Road area have been badly flooded at times when Calderdale has been deluged, including in major flooding amid Storm Ciara in February 2020.

The Environment Agency included the Park Road project in a £118.3 million funding bid for schemes in Yorkshire in 2026-27 but only £55 million had ultimately been allocated for the region.

The bid included £2.4 million for a Park Road scheme – but no money had now been allocated for next year.

This prompted concerns from Calderdale flood partners.

Cllr Silvia Dacre asked for some clarity as to what was happening as one report to Calderdale Flood Recovery and Resilience Programme Board indicated the axing of the funding – but another indicated a scheme was being taken forward.

“Residents will be anxious and want some answers about how the scheme will progress,” she said.

Jo Arnold, EA Calderdale programme and partnership manager, said money had been found from other sources to take proposals forward.

This was partly thanks to some funding from Calderdale Council.

Natural flood management (NFM) measures were being considered as part of a solution, alongside individual property protection.

💀 In one form or another, it has been around for centuries… but the replica of Halifax’s famous Gibbet needs replacing.

The original of the machine used to behead those found guilty of certain offences was first used in 1286 and the final three victims of its blade were in 1650.

Pre-dating by some while the guillotine, it utilised a large axe blade and upright posts.

Its notoriety is echoed in the phrase: “From Hull, Hell and Halifax, good Lord deliver us.”

More recently people can see the replica of the machine just off Gibbet Street but Calderdale Council says this needs replacing with a bespoke rebuilt successor, and an application has gone into the authority’s planning department seeking the relevant listed building consent, as it is Grade II-listed.

It is rotting and thus needs the replacement work.

The new structure will definitely be a chip off the old block, promises the council, with the application outlining how the renovation will be carried out.

It is an old oak structure and minimal intervention using traditional methods and techniques will be deployed.

The full extent of the damage has been fully assessed and it is deemed the whole structure needs replacing.

Green, unseasoned oak will be used, the same material as it is replacing, modern materials will be avoided, and mostly glue or resin will be avoided too – “we will use traditional fixing methods and will use the existing fixing holes to fix the new structure,” says the council.

Twelve months after installation the green oak should have air dried and timber preservative can be applied, say supporting statements with the application.

The old structure will be removed top down, nuts and bolts re-used where practicable, and templates made from the existing sections at workshops.

Existing joint methods will be replicated including mortice, tenon and, on the base, half lap joints.

All stages of the replacement process will be photographed and recorded, says the Council.

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Community at heart of decisions as MP seeks suggestions for £20m grant

By Andrew Greaves

Residents in Mixenden and parts of Illingworth have had their say on how they think a £20m ‘Pride in Place’ grant should be spent in the area.

More than 40 residents attended the meeting at Ash Green Primary School, where they heard how the Government’s new Pride in Place programme will be delivered locally and how they can help shape plans for the future of their community.

Last year, Halifax Kate Dearden secured £20 million for the area through the Government’s Pride in Place programme.

The funding will be delivered over ten years and is designed to support improvements chosen by the people who live and work locally, with community engagement and resident leadership at the centre of the programme through an independent chair and a neighbourhood board.

During the event, residents were able to ask questions about the programme and share their early ideas for how the funding could be used.

Suggestions ranged from community clean-up initiatives and land development to improved SEND provision and new facilities such as a local gym or boxing club for young people.

Local organisations and community groups were also in attendance, sharing information about the work they are already doing in Mixenden and Illingworth and how they can support residents as the programme develops.

The forum was followed by a community social hosted at Holy Nativity Church, where residents came together to celebrate their local area, enjoy food provided by Munchies Café and take part in a quiz organised by the church.

The events come as Calderdale Council and Ms Dearden continue to invite expressions of interest from residents who would like to join the new Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board - a community-led group that will guide long-term investment and decision-making in the area.

Applications have now closed for the Independent Chair, with an appointment expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Following the event, Ms Dearden said: “It was fantastic to bring residents together from across Mixenden and Illingworth to start shaping how this £20 million investment will benefit our community.

“What really stood out was the passion people have for their local area and the thoughtful ideas already being shared about the improvements they want to see.

“Pride in Place is about putting local people in the driving seat - ensuring that investment reflects the priorities of the community and delivers lasting improvements for the area.”

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, Cllr Sarah Courtney, said the funding offered the council an ‘incredible opportunity’ to deliver local improvements for residents.

She added: “We’re at the start of this exciting journey, and it’s so important that people who live and work in the area shape the improvements and are involved right at the start of the process.

“Thank you to everyone who attended the recent community event, we heard some great ideas and a sense of optimism and enthusiasm about what the programme could deliver.

“We share this ambition and passion for making the area a better place for everyone, and we’re excited to turn this into action and deliver for north Halifax.”

That’s it for this edition of The Calderdale Lead.

We’ll be back with another edition on Wednesday and, as ever, if there’s something you think we should be following up on, feel free to drop me a line on calderdale@thelead.uk.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Andrew

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I hope you’re all having a great week.

In today’s edition, we’ve got news of a Calderdale firm who have been given a massive £100,000 grant from West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin to help them commercialise a tool which helps wellbeing. I’ve got full details below.

Plus, a couple of nuggets in the usual Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🏠 An extra seventeen flats are now being used as temporary homes for homeless people in Calderdale.

The flats, in central Halifax at Trafalgar House, are helping Calderdale Council reduce its use of bed-and-breakfast accommodation, a Cabinet member has reported.

The spaces have become available thanks to the council partnering West Yorkshire housing association Horton Housing, said Coun Scott Patient.

Coun Patient, Cabinet member for Climate Action and Housing, said the building is newly refurbished and provides “much needed quality self-contained accommodation for both families and single households.”

In all, the service has access to 61 self‑contained properties that will be used in place of bed-and-breakfast accommodation, he said.

Coun Patient said Trafalgar House first became operational in December 2025, and as a result the service quickly saw a significant reduction in the use of bed-and-breakfast accommodation, with the proportion of homeless households placed in bed-and-breakfasts falling from just under 50 per cent to 34 per cent.

🎭 Senior councillors are being asked to give their formal approval to submit an expression of interest for Halifax to be named UK Town of Culture 2028.

When they meet on Monday (March 16) Calderdale Council’s Cabinet are asked to support submitting this by the March 31 deadline.

The UK Town of Culture competition, launched by the Government in January, invites towns to showcase their identity through cultural programmes, offering up to £3 million in funding to the winner.

It aims to boost pride, investment and access to the arts, with winners announced for a 2028 cultural year.

The Cabinet councillors are also asked to support continuing the CultureDale programme, particularly to get communities involved, and endorse efforts to bring in more external funding for events.

CultureDale is the legacy brand arising from Calderdale’s Year of Culture, which ran spring-to-spring over 2024-2025, and council budget proposals approved last month include £100,000 towards this, with other funding streams resulting in a pot of almost £350,000, with spending over three years.

Councillors are also asked to support establishing a Cultural Place Partnership Board to lead, advocate and oversee a “transformative” programme for culture, heritage and sport, ensuring Calderdale benefits from the opportunities presented through West Yorkshire Local Growth Plan for supporting thriving places.

The council asked members of the public what they thought about entering Halifax into the UK Town of Culture competition and senior councillors say they have been encouraged by the responses.

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Calderdale developer wins £100k grant to help commercialise wellbeing product

By Andrew Greaves

A Calderdale firm has scooped a £100,000 grant from West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin as part of her ‘big ideas’ challenge.

Mind Body Goals has developed a product called Luma³ Editions, a tool that offers breathwork and mindfulness techniques, providing accessible, preventative mental wellbeing support.

The firm, which is based in Brighouse, beat competition from 19 other companies from across West Yorkshire to become one of three to receive the grant to help commercialise the product.

The challenge, launched by Ms Brabin last February, sought entries from West Yorkshire-based SMEs that could innovate to combat health inequalities among communities across the region.

And Michael Crinnion, founder of Mind Body Goals, said his own personal experience with mental health issues led him to develop the Luma³ Editions.

He said: “In my 20s, I navigated a very difficult period with my own mental health. Discovering the power of breathwork was a fundamental part of my journey back to wellbeing.

“My experience as a teacher and senior leader has also shown me the long-term impact that a lack of emotional self-regulation skills has on young people as they grow into adulthood – which is where the idea for Mind Body Goals came from.

“Standing here today as a winner of the challenge, I am committed to using the funds to ensure that Luma³ becomes a tool that is accessible for all those in West Yorkshire, so that preventative mental health skills become a normalised and accepted part of everyday healthcare.”

The Luma³ acts as a prompt to ‘check in with yourself’, using light to guide you through a range of breathing exercises, which the company say is scientifically proven to bring you calm, balance, and gentle relief.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Our region is home to endless talent, creativity and ambition, and today I’m thrilled to announce the three winners of our Big Ideas Challenge.

“Each team will now receive £100,000 to accelerate the development of their lifechanging technologies – boosting health and wellbeing throughout West Yorkshire, and creating good skilled jobs in our region.

“By investing in innovation and backing the entrepreneurs who are determined to make a difference, we’re building a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.”

The challenge has been led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and delivered by global challenge expert, Challenge Works.

Support for each of the three winners also includes access to world-class research expertise and specialist facilities and a dedicated community of innovators to help these businesses navigate and scale their ideas for use.

That’s all for this edition of The Calderdale Lead. Don’t forget that if you’ve got a story you think we should be covering then please email calderdale@thelead.uk and we’ll take a look.

Until Sunday, enjoy the rest of the week!

Andrew

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I hope you’ve had a good weekend so far.

Today is International Women’s Day and I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the strong women in my life.

I know we shouldn’t need a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women but it’s a great opportunity for all of us to take a step back and look at what more we can do to speed up gender parity.

In today’s edition, we’ve got an interesting report from my LDR colleague John Greenwood that shows Calderdale having the largest number of ‘economically inactive’ residents in the region.

Plus, a couple of nuggets as usual in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🧳Tourist numbers are on the up in Calderdale – and so is the cash they are bringing with them, almost doubling over five years.

While tourism was worth £348 million to the borough’s economy in 2019, its value is £649.6 million in 2024, the latest data available.

Calderdale scrutiny councillors heard the borough is exceeding West Yorkshire averages for both value and numbers.

Using a three-year metric, visitor numbers are up 3.7 per cent on 2023, when figures were last collated.

It all has an impact on the economy, including tourism supporting just under 6,000 jobs – 4,113 directly and 1,668 indirectly, Calderdale Council Place Scrutiny Board members heard.

In their report officers say: “Calderdale’s growth as a visitor destination is thanks in part to its many events and attractions.

“They are powerful economic drivers and bring in thousands of people to the borough each year.”

Councillors heard the Halifax-based Eureka! – national museum of childhood – is number four of the top 15 most visited bookable attractions in West Yorkshire, according to Visit England.

Shibden Hall – historic Halifax home of Anne Lister, subject of television hit series Gentleman Jack – is at number 11.

Events at Halifax’s Piece Hall pulled in more than 185,000 visitors in 2025, and other popular draws ranged from Brighouse’s 1940s weekend to Hebden Bridge’s Handmade Parade.

👔 Almost 100 “early stage” businesses in Calderdale have received support from a regional scheme.

Business support programme Ad:Venture is funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and its partners.

Calderdale Council Cabinet member for Regeneration and Transport, Cllr Sarah Courtney, said local engagement with the scheme remains high.

Recent Calderdale figures showed 92 early-stage businesses in Calderdale received support from Ad:Venture.

Four new jobs had been created as a result and each of those is “high value”, contributing around £55,000 per role to the local economy, Cllr Courtney (Lab, Calder) reported to Calderdale councillors.

The Calderdale businesses taking part claim an average grant of £4,977 per business – one of the higher averages in West Yorkshire, she said.

Ad:Venture is designed to help early stage businesses – those trading fewer than three years – to grow, says WYCA.

More than 32,000 Calderdale residents ‘inactive’ in job market, councillors told

By John Greenwood

Calderdale has the highest number of economically inactive residents in West Yorkshire – but less than 17 per cent of these want a job, councillors heard.

Councillors were being updated on work done as part of “healthy working life” programmes.

From a health point of view, these aim to prevent people from leaving work and support them getting into work, and reducing long-term sickness.

Scrutiny councillors heard that 32,100 residents are classified as “inactive”, the highest in West Yorkshire.

Another 12,000 people are long-term sick, while 15 per cent of Calderdale households are workless, according to a report from officers.

Of those classed as inactive, research showed only 16.9 per cent wanted a job, research showed.

Chairing Place Scrutiny Board, Lib Dem Cllr Abigail White asked why this was.

“What’s the breakdown of that, that so many people weren’t looking for a job or didn’t want a job?” she asked.

Officers said there were a number of reasons and some challenges on what is among “significant” labour market challenges the borough faces.

Some issues were intergenerational – where more than one generation of a family did not work.

Others included people who had, for example, caring responsibilities – 7,100, according to the report.

There was also a high prevalence of mental health need and chronic health conditions, the councillors were told, with fast-track access to help with these part of the programmes.

They heard funding for a further year has been made available for the programmes in Calderdale, which have provided help to 500 people last year.

They will be able to build on the research gained in the past year to develop actions to improve the position, working with partners who include employers, particularly supporting small and medium sized companies which make up a lot of Calderdale’s business sector.

A hyper-local approach means building trust and confidence among people contacting or referred to scheme partners, while prevention – dealing with health issues so people do not leave work – is starting to have impact, councillors heard.

Ultimately, Calderdale’s economy would benefit from people being able to get back into work, councillors heard.

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That’s it for this edition of The Calderdale Lead.

We’ll be back with another edition on Wednesday and, as ever, if there’s something you think we should be following up on, feel free to drop me a line on calderdale@thelead.uk.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Andrew

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I hope you’ve all had a good week and are enjoying the first signs that spring has sprung.

In today’s edition we have local reaction to Hannah Spencer’s historic by-election victory for the Green Party in Gorton and Denton on Thursday (26 February).

We’ve spoken to Calderdale Greens leader Martin Hey who is, understandably, delighted to have a northern Green MP in Ms Spencer.

Find out what he has to say below.

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Plus, a couple of nuggets in our usual Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🚆 West Yorkshire leaders are set to give the go-ahead for the first phase of a project seeing a new rail station and improved cycling and walking infrastructure built in Elland.

The new station will be added to the Calder Valley line to improve the town’s transport links with the wider region and beyond, including Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford and Manchester, says West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).

Approval of walking and cycling improvements will allow works to start this year, ensuring progress is made on this key project before final approval for the station is sought later in 2026.

A new way of delivering the rail station itself will also be discussed at the WYCA meeting on March 12.

It would see responsibility for the build handed to Network Rail, harnessing its expertise in delivering complex rail infrastructure projects.

In total, the scheme is expected to cost around £70 million, according to WYCA.

🏢 Households in Calderdale are to see council tax bills rise by nearly 5% after the budget for the next financial year was agreed by the local authority.

The 4.99% increase - the most allowed without having to hold a referendum - is the same rise as in April last year, with most properties expected to see an annual increase of £77.79.

The council’s budget for 2026-27 will be almost £283m, with plans to spend an extra £4m a year on road repairs, £844,000 supporting adult social care and £100,000 on boosting fly-tipping enforcement.

Scott Patient, the council’s deputy leader, said the budget gave “hope again we can really make Calderdale a better place”.

A majority of councillors approved budget recommendations from the council’s cabinet after a debate lasting over two and a half hours.

Savings include £2.7m from budgets across directorates, a step-up in fees and charges and more income from commercial property leases.

The Lead

Gorton and Denton by-election: The silent majority isn't silent, and it isn't Reform

The result in Gorton and Denton last night has ripped British politics apart…

Read more

a month ago · 89 likes · 8 comments · Zoe Grunewald and The Lead

Calderdale Greens leader says enthusiasm for party on doorstep gives hope ahead of council elections

By Andrew Greaves

The leader of Calderdale’s Green Party says Thursday’s historic by-election victory in Gorton and Denton proves a vote for his party is not a wasted vote.

Hannah Spencer became the Greens’ first-ever Northern MP, overturning a huge Labour majority from 2024 and pushing the party into third behind Reform UK’s Matthew Goodwin.

Cllr Martin Hey, who leads the Greens on Calderdale Council, was one of a number of local activists to help with Ms Spencer’s campaign on the doorstep in Greater Manchester.

And he says the enthusiasm of voters was evident as polling day loomed.

He told The Calderdale Lead: “Those of us who went across were struck by the enormous enthusiasm of the residents who voted Green. Rather than voting out of fear, these people were casting a positive vote for positive change.

“And our voters were from all different backgrounds and age ranges. Whilst in Gorton, I met Sandra, a traditional Labour voter who had initially decided not to cast her vote but then on the day changed her mind. She talked about how proud she felt to vote for our message of fairness and equality for all.

“Young people suffering with low pay and high rents, mothers juggling expensive childcare and minimum wage jobs, older people shocked by their energy and water bills - all these people talked to us about wanting a better life and neighbourhood. That’s what our new MP, Hannah, will be campaigning for on their behalf.”

Cllr Hey will defend his seat in the Calderdale Council elections in May when all seats on the authority are up for grabs for the first time in more than 20 years.

And he believes that the Greens’ recent electoral successes, and the fact that Ms Spencer was able to overturn such a large majority, shows that a vote for his party can be a positive.

He said: “We believe that the election result will forever end any questions as to whether voting Green is a “wasted vote”.

“Voters at the local elections in Calderdale in May cannow be reassured that they can cast a positive vote for the party that best represents them and their community.”

The Greens have set ambitious targets locally to try and increase the number of councillors they have on Calderdale Council.

The party are targeting nine seats, which if successful would triple the number of councillors they have.

Green Party leader Zak Polanski recently visited Halifax and praised the work Coun Hey was doing in the borough.

He told The Calderdale Lead at the time: “Our candidates and councillors spend a lot of time door-knocking, and they noticeably do it outside of election time, too. So, it’s not just an activity that happens to ask for people’s votes.

“When they go to council meetings, they’ve genuinely spoken to people on the doorstep so they are taking those voices into the council chamber. I would always ask people to judge us or consider us based on our record of action and delivery and where we’re going in the future.

“I don’t think anyone should trust a political party unconditionally, including the Green Party. Political parties aren’t like football teams where you pick your team and just have to stick with them through the good and the bad. I think it’s a transactional relationship where you should always make sure they’re being held accountable and that they’re transparent.”

The local elections take place on May 7.

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That’s it for this edition of The Calderdale Lead.

We’ll be back with another edition on Wednesday and, as ever, if there’s something you think we should be following up on, feel free to drop me a line on calderdale@thelead.uk.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Andrew

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I hope you’ve all enjoyed a good week.

In today’s edition we’ve got a story about something very close to my heart - pubs!

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn stood up in Parliament and asked a question about the struggles of landlords working under PubCos.

It immediately piqued my interest and it seems Mr Fenton-Glynn is as passionate about saving the great British pub as I am.

Just for full disclosure, I will mention that I myself own a bar - The Beer Necessities in Todmorden for anyone interested - but what Mr Fenton-Glynn is proposing will have no effect on my business as it’s not a tied-house.

I’ve got full details below about the fight to put landlords first.

Plus, we’ve got details of a spat between West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin and a Calderdale councillor over the funding of Halifax’s Piece Hall venue.

So, on with the news…

‘Community living rooms’: Calder Valley MP wants to free up landlords to help pubs thrive

By Andrew Greaves

It’s a picture we’re all so used to seeing - an MP stood behind a bar pulling a pint to show they understand how pubs work.

But, somewhat refreshingly, Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn was keen to avoid falling into the cliche when I met up with him this week.

It turns out Mr Fenton-Glynn, who once actually pulled pints at Hebden Bridge’s legendary Trades Club, has a real passion for pubs, or as he likes to call them ‘community living rooms’

So much so that he used a parliamentary question - to his neighbouring MP Kate Dearden, who is the Government’s minister for small businesses - to raise the behaviour of PubCos.

Now, for those who are not in the know, PubCos are companies that run pubs. Some of the PubCos have estates of more than 500 pubs and, depending on the deal a landlord or landlady has with his or her PubCo, they can insist on all products - beers, ciders, soft drinks etc - being purchased through them.

PubCos have been around since the Government in the 1980s broke up the monopoly that breweries had over pub ownership using something called the Beer Orders.

The Beer Orders in 1989 saw the Government order breweries that owned more than 2,000 pubs to sell off a large portion of their estate or release their tie, leading to about 11,000 pubs coming onto the market.

Companies were established to purchase these newly available pubs, often retaining the "tie" (forcing tenants to buy beer through them) but without being brewers themselves.

Today, there are thousands of pubs which are ‘tied’ into these types of deals and previous attempts by government to ensure fairness don’t appear to be working.

The Pub Code, introduced in 2016, does include a mechanism called the Market Rent Only (MRO) option, which gives tenants the right to request a new lease that allows them to buy products from any supplier at market prices.

This right is usually triggered by specific events, such as a rent review, a significant increase in the price of tied products, or a renewal of the tenancy.

To oversee compliance and resolve disputes, the government established the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA), an independent office that provides a formal route for arbitration if a pub company fails to adhere to the code’s standards.

Mr Fenton-Glynn raised the issue of a pub in his constituency where the rent charged by PubCo Stonegate went from £800 per week to £1,700 per week just weeks after a six-month probationary period came to an end.

And research by The Calderdale Lead has revealed that landlords or tenants in many tied houses are forced to pay between £40 and £60 more per keg or cask of beer than those running bars or freehouses who are allowed to negotiate deals with suppliers.

And Mr Fenton-Glynn said: “This cannot be right. I see pubs as ‘community living rooms’ which are vital and we need to be helping landlords to thrive and survive.

“The behaviour of PubCos when it comes to putting up rents and tying landlords to buying their products from them is something that we need to look at.”

One of the other issues that tied houses face is not being able to offer a range of different products on their bar, something which Hebden Bridge-based brewery Vocation highlighted recently in a study was a reason for people visiting the pub less.

The research, which polled 2,000 adults, found almost four in five Brits (79%) said they would visit pubs more often if they had more exciting options, while 47% of 25–34-year-olds are actively seeking out new beers.

More than eight in ten (81%) said they would pay slightly more for a pint if pubs offered more variety on the taps.

Mr Fenton-Glynn is now keen to speak to landlords, breweries and operators not just in Calderdale but across the country as he looks to build a campaign to ensure a fairer deal for landlords.

To get in contact click here.

Reform UK councillor slapped down by West Yorkshire mayor over Piece Hall funding

By John Greenwood

West Yorkshire’s Mayor has been asked if she would take on responsibility for providing some financial support for Halifax’s historic Piece Hall.

Calderdale councillors recently debated the authority’s relationship with the Trust which runs the council-owned Piece Hall, in particular an annual grant of £225,000 to help with the costs.

The Grade I-listed former 18th century cloth hall is now a major tourist attraction bringing economic and cultural benefits to Halifax through businesses it houses and events including a summer concert season attracting some of music’s biggest names.

But some councillors have said this has to be balanced with challenges it faces to its budgets, some questioning whether the Piece Hall needs that amount of funding from the council’s coffers.

At a question-and-answer session with Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council, Cllr Dan Sutherland said she had spoken throughout her tenure about the importance of the economy and culture, and had been able to secure a “fantastic settlement” financially from Government through devolution for the region.

But at the moment the Piece Hall was millions of pounds in debt to the council and there were concerns about its leadership and expectation a permanent subsidy would be expected from the council, he claimed.

Cllr Sutherland said: “You comment that the Piece Hall is an asset that is important to the whole region and gives, gives, gives – one of the issues we have in Calderdale is that in many ways, for many residents, it has taken, taken, taken.

“Considering the position you’re in to be able to influence the settlement and economic matters in the region, would you as Mayor be willing to consider taking on the sort of responsibility for support of the Piece Hall on an ongoing basis, so that this council can focus on these very difficult budget decisions that it has to manage?”

Mayor Brabin did not respond to the question but took issue with Cllr Sutherland over some of what he had said.

“If the Piece Hall didn’t exist, everybody would have wanted it, because it is phenomenal.

“There is nothing like it anywhere else in the country and, pound for pound, what it brings to this community is extraordinary.

“I don’t recognise what you are saying about the leadership, I really don’t.

“I don’t recognise the anxiety about the management of the Piece Hall – I know that they have a really experienced board, they are held to account by Calderdale.

“Through the leadership of this council and partners, you’ve created Europe’s finest live music venue,” she said.

Mayor Brabin said this included supporting local young people through training to look at careers in aspects of the industry.

That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading!

I’ll be back in your inbox on Sunday with another edition but don’t forget you can get in touch via calderdale@thelead.uk with any story tips, comments or just to say hello.

Until next time, have a great week!

Andrew

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I hope you’ve had a good week so far as 2026 continues to rattle through weeks at a great pace!

In today’s edition, we’ve got full details of how you can grab a bargain in Halifax this week in a bid to help local businesses.

Dozens of shops, hospitality, museums and other businesses are signed up to the Fiver Fest which offers punters something brilliant for just five quid! Check the list below and get planning!

Plus a couple of other tidbits in our Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

👷🏻Calderdale councillors are being asked to approve the council’s capital spending programme when they meet next Monday, including an additional £4.48 million to complete a long-awaited new leisure centre.

Recommending the £451 million programme, covering currently expected spending on capital projects for 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 and onwards, Cabinet councillors agreed additional capital investment needed for some schemes.

These include Clifton Business Park, new vehicles for waste services which the council starts running in partnership from August, refurbishing playgrounds, highway maintenance (£4 million a year for three years), the Pride In Place programme helping disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the new leisure centre with swimming pool being built at North Bridge, Halifax.

The councillors heard a fully market-tested cost plan for the latter on materials and labour bringing increasing cost certainty and assurance for the project, forecasts an additional £4.48 million required to complete the leisure centre, now expected to cost £36 million.

The papers set out funding sources for the capital projects which, said Cabinet member for Resources, Coun Silvia Dacre, come from grants (£261.2 million) followed by prudential borrowing (£167.4 million) – councils can borrow for capital projects at a lower level of interest rates.

Another £12.3 million will come from revenue (day-to-day spending) budgets and another £10.4 million from capital receipts from sale of council assets.

🚒 Todmorden Hippodrome suffered a small fire yesterday with crews from Lancashire and West Yorkshire called to tackle it.

The fire, in a loft space at the theatre on Halifax Road, is believed to have been caused by some kind of electrical fault.

Smoke was seen coming out of the top of the theatre at around 4pm and the road was blocked temporarily as crews brought it under control.

No other details have been given about the cause or the level of damage the theatre sustained.

But a spokesman for Todmorden Hippodrome, which is undergoing a major renovation project, said: “Thanks for all the well wishes. All under control thanks to the Fire Brigade.”

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Fun for a fiver? Head to Halifax for a bargain to help local businesses

By Andrew Greaves

More than 50 businesses in Halifax have signed up to take part in the town’s Fiver Fest, which kicks off this week.

The premise of Fiver Fest, organised by Hebden Bridge-based Totally Locally, is simple - independent businesses offer something for five pounds in the hope that it drives people to spend locally rather than with the big boys.

It’s been running across the country for a number of years and is the brainchild of Chris Sands, who runs Totally Locally alongside his other business The Good Company, which works with places and brands on their marketing and engagement.

Chris started Totally Locally in Calderdale way back in 2010 when Calderdale Council put out a call for a shop local campaign.

A spokesman for Halifax BID, which is helping co-ordinate this year’s Fiver Fest in the town, said: “There are no vouchers and no sign ups. Just head into town, look out for the Fiver Fest posters and ask for the £5 deal.

“Whether you already shop local or want an excuse to try somewhere new, Fiver Fest is the perfect time to explore independent businesses in Halifax town centre.”

All the businesses taking part in Fiver Fest, which runs from February 20 to March 1, are independents and they get to choose what they offer for their £5.

It is estimated that for ever adult in Halifax spent just £5 per week with a local business it would bring an extra £17.2m per year into the local economy.

Here is a list of independent businesses taking part in Halifax Fiver Fest this February.

Food & Drink

• Astronomer Diner – A food and drink offer for £5
• Bebe Rose Boulangerie – A hot drink and any of their amazing cakes or brownies or cookies, also 5 macaron box
• Brothers Bakery – Freshly made sandwich and 3 mini pastry for £5
• Browns Café – Pie and peas plus a tea
• Circle Lounge – £5 for a pint of Moretti
• Coletta’s – Toastie, salad and a drink for £5
• Delicious – Cake and a hot drink for £5
• Downtown cafe bar – Full English breakfast
• Freddie Fowlers – Takeaway dish and a drink for £5
• Harveys of Halifax – Soup and half a sandwich in the Restaurant for £5.
• Healthy Bites Halifax – Snacks and Tea Bundle
• Hop In – Beer and a Snack for £5
• Just Gaia – Selected soap sets or refillables or a takeaway coffee or hot chocolate for £5
• Lily Spencer – 4 Hollands Pies for £5
• Little Lotus – Bubble tea or a Mixed Maki Set for £5
• Merrie England – 1 Jacket potato and 1 filling for £5 (extra filling 0.75p)
• Merrie England Express – 1 Jacket potato and 1 filling for £5 (extra filling 0.75p)
• Mustard & Mayo – Hot breakfast ciabatta and a hot drink for £5
• Phat Lava Lounge – Americano or tea with a slice of cake
• Refresh (train station) – Any Regular Hot Drink & Freshly Baked Pastry £5
• The Deli – A food and drink offer for £5
• The Hop Yard – Coffee, tea or a hot chocolate + a cake. Quote “Fiver Fest” when ordering
• The Hourglass – £5 Fiver Fest Cocktail. Quote “Fiver Fest” when ordering
• The Wine Barrel – Heritage Coffee & Cake – £5
• White Swan Hotel – Tea/coffee + fresh slice of cake

Shopping, Gifts & Retail

• Baby Bunting – Newborn beanie hat including embroidery
• Brown Paper Packages – Greeting card surprise pack 10 for £5
• Diva’s Boutique – Scarves and purses
• Ferns Market Plants – 2 small snake plants for £5, 2 Onion sets for £5
• Greens Photo Centre – 25x 6×4 Prints for £5
• Mary’s Florist – Rose plant or posie
• Mr Bailey’s Candy Cave – mystery £5 bag of goodies
• Pages N Pixels – Comic blind bags
• Paw Prints – Goodie bag/mystery bag
• Robbo Rocks – Personalised Easter Bunny
• The Chocolate Box – 6 Belgian Chocolates from our cabinet in a gold ribboned ballotin
• Toffee Smith – 3 mega bags of sweets for £5
• Unit e11ven – All natural essential oil soaps

Beauty, Health & Wellbeing

• Beauty Spot Warehouse – Body Jewellery £5
• Crown Jewels – Any Watch Battery Fitted for Just £5 or Any Plain Silver or Yellow Gold Ring Polished for Just £5
• Dolly’s – Eyebrow Threading
• House of 925 – Hair clip and cute stickers goodie bag
• Lash’d – £5 off full lash sets, nail sets and facials
• OMY Nails – £5 Nail Art with manicure

Experiences, Activities & Services

• Calderdale Industrial Museum – £5 voucher to use in any area of the museum
• Crossleys Cars – A £5 voucher for a taxi journey
• Eureka! – Surprise Goodie Bag from Gift Shop
• Open Gallery – £5 Art Workshop
• RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield & Bradford – Recall training lead
• Sunny Play Gym – Play gym entry & child’s picnic plate + squash

That’s it for this edition of The Calderdale Lead.

We’ll be back with another edition on Sunday and, as ever, if there’s something you think we should be following up on, feel free to drop me a line on calderdale@thelead.uk.

Enjoy the rest of the week and we’ll be back in your inboxes on Sunday!

Andrew

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I hope you’re all having a better weekend than me - I sat through 90 minutes of dross at Turf Moor yesterday as my team Burnley were ‘dumped’ out of the FA Cup by League One Mansfield Town. Football, eh?

Anyway, enough of the moping, what have we got in this edition?

Well we’ve got details on how all parties have backed motions and proposals to tackle road safety issues - including anti-social behaviour committed by e-bike and e-scooter riders.

Plus, an update on the ‘hole’ that is causing issues between Todmorden and Hebden and more in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🚔 Police are appealing for witnesses after a car was in collision with a pedestrian in Halifax.

Officers were called at 9.37am yesterday to reports of a collision on Ovenden Way at the junction with Athol Gardens.

A 69-year-old man was taken to hospital with serious injuries and remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The driver of the white Audi A3, a man aged 30, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury through dangerous driving and remains in police custody.

The vehicle was travelling from Halifax to Illingworth.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit are appealing for any witnesses or dash-cam footage of the collision or the circumstances leading up to the collision to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 or use the live chat options at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat, quoting log 434 of February 14.

🚧 The road between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge is likely to stay closed until at least Saturday (February 21) as Yorkshire Water carry out repairs.

Halifax Road, between the junction with Stoodley Glen in the Todmorden direction and the lay-by outside the property known as Rivendell in the Hebden Bridge direction, has been closed since Tuesday evening after a hole appeared in the carriageway.

Further investigations yesterday clarified that the damage to the road as a result of a leak on Yorkshire Water’s “clean water network”, says the company.

The leak has washed away soil around the pipe at Eastwood, leaving voids in the road which have caused it to close.

There is a signed diversion route will be via the A6033 through Littleborough, Blackstone Edge, Cragg Road, and into Mytholmroyd.

Yorkshire Water is working with Calderdale Council to provide a daily shuttle service between Todmorden and the closure point, running between 7am and 7pm.

A sewer collapse around half a mile away at Charlestown, closer to Hebden Bridge, closed the route for weeks either side of Christmas 2024 and took months to repair and re-instate in 2025.

Unity in the chamber as Calderdale councillors agree on road safety measures

By John Greenwood

Measures to curb the menace of anti-social behaviour from some e-bike and e-scooter riders should be introduced, including doubling the fines, councillors in Calderdale have agreed.

Clamping down on offenders should form part of Calderdale Council’s use of all the powers available to it to make roads safer with the goal of getting deaths and serious accidents on the borough’s roads down to zero, they said.

Councillors backed a Labour call for stepping up other measures including clamping down on pavement parking and using national legislation being introduced by the Government, such as adopting Moving Traffic Enforcement powers, where fines will be used to improve the condition of the borough’s roads.

And Labour councillors agreed to add to their motion the Liberal Democrat group proposals for tackling e-bike-related anti-social behaviour, including doubling fines from £100 to £200.

The group said: “The rising use of e-bikes and e-scooters is becoming a problematic issue for many neighbourhoods and poses a safety concern when used in an anti-social manner.”

Introducing the motion at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Transport, Cllr Sarah Courtney, said as an example schools reported that poor driver behaviour was preventing parents from walking to school with their children.

The council and councillors needed to be championing better behaviour from drivers, she said – wanting to renew Calderdale’s commitment to Vision Zero – essentially trying to make the borough accident-free – remained a major issue across Calderdale, with 478 people injured on its roads in 2024, including 149 killed or seriously injured.

That meant using all the pressure and powers available to the authority, said Cllr Courtney.

Her Labour colleague Cllr Ann Kingstone agreed – every death or serious injury on the roads represented lives changed forever, families devastated and grieving, and the deaths were often preventable.

“Road safety is not anti-driver – it saves lives,” she said.

However, Reform’s Cllr Peter Hunt said getting safety measures such as speed bumps in place was often an uphill battle with the council – “the answer is always ‘computer says no’” – and called for practical actions.

Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, Cllr Adam Wilkinson said he had some sympathy with what Coun Hunt was saying and speeding was probably the number one issue raised with councillors on the doorstep.

Lib Dem Cllr Sue Holdsworth said she had worked with highways officers to successful get some improvements in her ward of Greetland and Stainland.

Cllr Ashley Evans (Lib Dem, Warley) said the question of who would enforce measures needed to be raised and agreed actions should be practical.

Reasonable progress was being made on installing crossings but there was frustration over getting traffic regulation orders through, said Cllr Tim Swift, Cabinet member for Public Health.

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That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading!

I’ll be back in your inbox on Wednesday with another edition but don’t forget you can get in touch via calderdale@thelead.uk with any story tips, comments or just to say hello.

Until next time, have a great week!

Andrew

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I hope you’re having a good week so far and you’re getting ready to spoil your loved ones rotten this weekend for Valentines Day.

One thing that I’m sure no-one will love is the subject of our main story today - another hole has appeared on the Todmorden to Hebden Bridge route!

Yes, unfortunately it looks like the A646 Halifax Road will be closed for a while so that more repairs can take place. We’ve full details below.

Plus, to try and lighten the mood, we’ve a couple more positive nuggets in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

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Calderdale Digest

🚊 Calderdale planners have granted a certificate of lawful development confirming work on the new £25 million Elland Rail Station has legally started before expiry of a planning deadline.

Planning approval for the new station was granted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) on February 28, 2023 but under its terms work must begin not later than three years from that date.

In other words, work must start on, or before, February 28, 2026.

The certificate confirms the planning permission work has lawfully commenced at Old Power Way, Lowfields, Elland.

Site clearance work to prepare for building the station’s car park was undertaken on December 10 last year.

This included excavating out and construction of the car park’s pavement foundation to the required level and laying of kerbs along a five metres by three metres stretch, and the laying of some granular material on the foundation, Calderdale Council planners were told by the combined authority.

⚽ Calderdale Council has said it will give consideration to issues raised in a pre-action legal letter sent by campaigners against proposals to dispose of a major sports stadium.

Campaigners against the authority’s plans to dispose of The Shay Stadium at Halifax have warned the authority they intend to seek a Judicial Review of the decision.

The Shay is home to Halifax’s professional sports teams, football’s FC Halifax Town and rugby league’s Halifax Panthers – but is council-owned.

The campaigners are calling on the council to halt the disposal process, indicating they will seek permission from the courts for a Judicial Review of the decision if this and other requests are not met.

Community group Friends of The Shay have sent a Pre-Action Protocol letter to the council’s Monitoring Officer – the first step of the Judicial Review process – calling for disposal of the stadium to be halted.

The letter sets out their reasons for the challenge, and nine proposed grounds for the challenge, including over consultation.

In response, a Calderdale Council spokesperson said on behalf of the authority: “We will, as required, consider the matters raised in the pre-action letter and respond.”

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Road closure misery for motorists as hole appears on busy route

By Andrew Greaves

Motorists in Calderdale are facing yet more misery after another hole appeared on the busy Todmorden to Hebden Bridge route.

An emergency road closure has been put in place on the main A646 Halifax Road will be closed at Eastwood, Todmorden, from the junction with Stoodley Glen on the Todmorden side and the lay-by outside the property known as Rivendell on the Hebden Bridge side.

Cllr Sarah Courtney, Calderdale Council Cabinet member for Regeneration and Transport, said the council was notified of a depression in the road yesterday morning.

The ‘hole’ is said to be a depression around four inches deep in the centre line of the carriageway.

Cllr Courtney said: “As the excavation depth has already exceeded safe working limits and works must extend further into the centre of the carriageway to identify the cause, it has been necessary to implement a full road closure.”

Cllr Courtney said teams will be working “on a 24/7” basis to locate the issue causing the depression.

“Once the cause has been identified, a further update will be issued detailing the anticipated duration of the repair works and the expected re-opening of the road,” she said.

Turning points for traffic will be available at the Todmorden roundabout and the Hebden Bridge turning circle, with advance warning signs in place to notify road users of the closure, said Coun Courtney.

“While we hope to resolve this matter as quickly as possible, the overall duration of the closure will depend on what is discovered beneath the carriageway,” she said.

Cllr Courtney says she has also asked for a temporary bus shuttle service to be put in place as soon as possible.

Calderdale Council’s Assistant Director for Strategic Infrastructure, Adrian Gill, said investigations have been ongoing throughout today, but further excavation is now necessary to identify the cause of the issue and determine the anticipated duration of repair works.

“The signed diversion route will be via the A6033 through Littleborough, Blackstone Edge, Cragg Road, and into Mytholmroyd.

“The council is urging people to follow the signed routes, to avoid additional problems for local communities, as the rural, narrow roads are not suitable for heavy volumes of traffic.

“We understand the disruption this closure will cause, and teams will be working 24/7 to locate the issue causing the depression.

“We will do all we can to resolve the matter as quickly as possible, but the length of the closure will depend on the outcome of these ongoing investigations.

“We will continue to provide updates when more information is available.”

Last year, the road was closed for a period of time due to a void in the road caused by long-standing damage, involving a collapsed culvert and a damaged sewer, half a mile or so towards Hebden Bridge at Charlestown. Work on those was completed by Yorkshire Water.

That’s it for this edition of The Calderdale Lead.

We’ll be back with another edition on Sunday and, as ever, if there’s something you think we should be following up on, feel free to drop me a line on calderdale@thelead.uk.

Enjoy the rest of the week and we’ll be back in your inboxes on Sunday!

Andrew

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I can’t quite believe that it is Sunday again. February is rattling along at what seems like a far faster pace than January did. And it’s still raining!

In today’s edition we have a story from my LDR colleague John Greenwood about senior councillors in Calderdale being urged to set up a business rate hardship fund to help out firms under pressure from the various increases they’ve faced over the last few months.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in the usual Calderdale Digest.

So, grab a brew and let’s get on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

⚽Halifax Town boss Adam Lakeland was left to rue what he described as ‘six or seven minutes of madness’ as his side threw away a commanding 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Aldershot.

Will Harris had got the Shaymen into a comfortable position with goals either side of the break before the mini-meltdown saw them concede three goals between the 60th and 65th minute to fall behind.

And Lakeland said: "Up to 2-0 I thought it was a really good, disciplined, dangerous performance, but six, seven minutes of madness and we've ended up losing the game.

“Even when we went 3-2 down, I felt we settled again, we started playing again and we had two massive chances with Will Smith and Kieron Morris.

“We’ve got to score them. We should have won that game but we haven’t and fair play to them for capitalising on our really poor five, six minute spell.”

The defeat leaves Halifax in seventh place in the National League.

🏟️ Campaigners against council plans to dispose of Calderdale’s major sports stadium have warned the authority they intend to seek a Judicial Review of the decision.

Following Calderdale Council Cabinet budget proposals two years ago, a decision was taken by the senior councillors to dispose of Halifax’s Shay Stadium, with a potential sale to Huddersfield Giants rugby club owner Ken Davy the likeliest possibility.

The campaigners are calling on the council to halt the disposal process, indicating they will seek permission from the courts for a Judicial Review of the decision if this and other requests are not met.

The full council later approved the proposal, which Cabinet says is necessary to save money and help it balance the books in cash-strapped times, but it is opposed by some, including some FC Halifax Town supporters.

The Shay is home to both of Halifax’s professional sports teams, football’s Town and rugby league’s Halifax Panthers.

If a sale to Mr Davy is successful, all three clubs will share the ground – Mr Davy wants to use The Shay as a home for Panthers until he can identify land and build a purpose-built stadium for his team in Kirklees.

Opponents of the sale are worried what would happen if Mr Davy decided to sell further down the line.

Now community group Friends of The Shay have sent a Pre-Action Protocol letter to the council’s Monitoring Officer calling for disposal of the stadium to be halted.

The letter sets out their reasons for the challenge, and nine proposed grounds for the challenge, including over consultation.

The group has asked the council to respond within 14 days and, relating to a request for a copy of a report, within seven days.

Calderdale Council business rate hardship fund would help firms to survive

By John Greenwood

Senior Calderdale councillors are being urged to look into setting up a business rate hardship fund to help those which might be struggling.

It might cost Calderedale Council around £105,000 a year as a rough ballpark figure but these would be outweighed by enabling businesses to survive and then ultimately thrive, says Cllr Joe Thompson.

Awards would only be made in “exceptional circumstances.”

Cllr Thompson successfully added a recommendation that the council’s Cabinet look into the possibility as part of its budget planning for the years ahead to those forwarded to them by scrutiny councillors.

He said Calderdale’s three-year business survival rates are high and councillors want Calderdale to continue to be a great place to do business.

However, there are challenges for businesses, including National Insurance and minimum wage increases, and changes to bus services and the impact of hopefully ultimately beneficial improvements schemes while work is ongoing.

Calderdale also has the lowest net increase in business in West Yorkshire, he said.

Cllr Thompson said Business Rates Hardship Relief is a discretionary, temporary, reduction or cancellation of Business Rates, granted in exceptional circumstances by local authorities.

Some of the other West Yorkshire councils have such as scheme, requested information from them, and, using a scaled down figure for cost as is spent by Leeds, estimated setting up one in Calderdale would cost around £105,000 a year, plus some additions if extra council staff were needed to administrate it.

He asked the councils how the relief was distributed to businesses, how businesses could apply and what evidence they would need to provide, the rough annual cost to the council, the average amount claimed by businesses, positive and negative impacts, if the system had been abused and, ultimately, whether or not businesses stayed open.

He also looked at councils more widely, spoke with many local businesses and the Halifax BID (Business Improvement District) team.

He said: “As someone who spent several years working in town centre businesses across Calderdale, I know how vital they are to keeping our town centres thriving, and also how fine the line between success and failure can be.

“We often see a lot of rhetoric around supporting businesses, but I am always looking for what we can practically do, so rhetoric can be replaced by action.

“I researched what other areas were doing, and found that introducing some kind of discretionary business rates relief happens in many other areas.”

Cllr Thompson said he reached out to other councils directly for information about the schemes.

“I always want to champion our local businesses, and if this recommendation were to be implemented and help even one business, I would consider it a success,” he said.

That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading!

I’ll be back in your inbox on Wednesday with another edition but don’t forget you can get in touch via calderdale@thelead.uk with any story tips, comments or just to say hello.

Until next time, have a great week!

Andrew

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I hope you’re having a good week so far - we’re finally in February, the days are staying (a little bit) lighter and the first signs of spring are beginning to show.

There’s so much doom and gloom about that I thought we’d share some good news in today’s edition.

Following more lobbying from Halifax MP Kate Dearden, the Government has announced that even more schools in the town are going to get free breakfast clubs!

Almost 1,000 children will benefit from the expansion of the programme across schools and I’ve full details below.

Plus, a couple of other positive nuggets in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🚴🏻 The next steps in the £2.56million Active Todmorden project are taking shape, with work beginning soon on improving part of the National Cycle Network Route 66, known locally as ‘Tipside’.

The Active Todmorden project is one part of the £17.5million Todmorden Town Deal regeneration programme, which is funded by the UK Government and is being delivered in partnership with the Todmorden Town Deal Board.

Calderdale Council is leading on the Active Todmorden project, which aims to create healthier communities by enabling people to walk, wheel or cycle for everyday journeys and improve access to the town’s attractions, whilst maintaining a welcoming and attractive area.

The Council has already delivered upgraded lighting for Centre Vale Park as part of the project. The next phase of work will be the resurfacing of Tipside, to create an improved traffic-free route between Hallroyd Crescent and Todmorden town centre.

🎇 Bonfire period anti-social behaviour fell last year, with higher safety warden and police presences in and around the night itself helping lower incidents.

Calderdale councillors heard measures introduced by community protection partners were bearing fruit, with West Yorkshire Police reporting fewer incidents last November than in 2024.

In Calderdale as a whole there were 14 less incidents, down from 80 to 66, although there was some variation between wards.

There were two more cases of anti-social behaviour which needed dealing with in Halifax, but 16 less in the Calder Valley areas, when compared to the previous year.

The statistics covered the November 1 to 8 period.

In Halifax, eight extra incidents, up from three to 11, were in Park ward, with Skircoat, Warley and Illingworth and Mixenden all showing small increases, although Town ward saw a big decrease, down to four from 15 incidents the previous year.

In Calder Valley wards, only Luddenden Foot, Northowram and Shelf – in terms of policing falling under valley statistics rather than Halifax – Greetland and Stainland and Sowerby Bridge showed slight rises, with incidents down in other areas.

There was also a slight fall in incidents involving fireworks, down two from 28 to 26 compared to the previous year, with Park ward in Halifax showing the biggest increase, of seven (from nought).

Halifax headteacher excited for impact of breakfast clubs as more schools join scheme

By Andrew Greaves

More children in Halifax will soon benefit from free, daily breakfast clubs following the Government’s announcement of the next 500 schools that will offer the scheme from April.

Dean Field Primary school and St Malachy’s Primary School have been named on the list, after being urged to apply by Halifax MP Kate Dearden.

Ms Dearden said she was delighted more schools were being included in the scheme, which means 984 local children will be able to access a nutritious meal at the start of the day, ensuring they are ready to learn, supporting parents back into work and helping families to save up to £450 a year.

Alongside writing to local schools, Ms Dearden also wrote to the Government to highlight the positive impact free breakfast clubs are already having in Halifax.

She said: “After calling for more Halifax schools to be included in the next phase of this Labour Government’s rollout of free breakfast clubs, I’m delighted that Dean Field Primary and St Malachy’s Primary school have been selected.

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“This means more children will go to school full and ready to learn, helping to boost attainment and tackle child poverty, whilst taking concrete steps to improve the finances of families across Halifax, boost parents’ work choices and improve children’s life chances.

“I can’t wait to see the new breakfast clubs first-hand and I want to thank the teachers and school staff who are instrumental in opening these transformative clubs.”

The clubs come alongside a raft of measures driven forward by Labour to cut the cost of living for families in Halifax including expanding free school meals, rolling out 30 hours of government-funded childcare, bringing down school uniform costs and securing the future of Best Start holiday clubs.

These clubs are central to Labour’s Plan for Change, breaking down barriers to opportunity by making sure every child starts the school day ready to learn – with research showing the clubs have a lasting impact on children’s behaviour, attendance and attainment.

Oliver Harper, Headteacher of St Malachy’s Primary school, said he was excited to see the impact of the new club for his school.

“We are thrilled that St Malachy’s has been selected to take part in the Government’s free breakfast club programme,” he added.

“This initiative will make a real difference to our pupils, ensuring they start the day ready to learn, while providing meaningful support to families at a time when it is very much needed.”

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That’s it for this edition of The Calderdale Lead.

We’ll be back with another edition on Sunday and, as ever, if there’s something you think we should be following up on, feel free to drop me a line on calderdale@thelead.uk.

Enjoy the rest of the week and we’ll be back in your inboxes on Sunday!

Andrew

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In today’s edition we’ve got details of a lantern procession that is taking place next week to mark a year since the Square Chapel Arts Centre closed.

Campaigners are still trying to get Calderdale Council to use their influence to get the centre reopened and the procession is the latest call to action.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in the Calderdale Digest…

Calderdale Digest

🏳️‍🌈 A lack of funds has led to the organisers of Calderdale Pride cancelling the 2026 event.

In a Facebook post, organisers said they’d not been able to secure enough sponsorship for this year but hope to return in 2027.

They said: “It is with a heavy heart we have to announce that Calderdale Pride 2026 will not be going ahead this year.

As many of you know, this event costs a huge amount of money to put on each year for you all to enjoy, and we have always committed to keeping this free for all to attend.

We fundraise all year round and with the help of incredible sponsors over previous years, we have been able to achieve this. This year however has proven to the toughest yet.

We have seen the difficulties small prides have faced along with the major pride events in the UK. With a difficult environment to apply for grants and funding of which we have previously been successful in, we have had no choice but to come to this decision.”

🚧 Calderdale’s significant role in protecting people from the impact and ongoing threat of climate change was showcased at a major regional event.

The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission chose Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub as the location for its full meeting this week, recognising the outstanding work that communities do together across the borough to tackle climate change.

The Climate Commission is an independent advisory body that brings together a wide range of people from the public, private and community sectors to support and guide ambitious action on climate and nature across Yorkshire and the Humber.

The meeting attendees visited sites in Todmorden that show high levels of sustainability and have been developed or improved to excellent environmental standards, thanks to funding from the UK Government funded Todmorden Town Deal transformation work – including Grade II-listed Fielden Hall and Ferney Lee Enterprise Centre.

Attendees also heard about Calderdale’s Climate Action Partnership Influencing Strategy, which aims to drive meaningful change across the region and shows how local insight can create positive change nationally. Calderdale’s Citizens’ Jury gave an update on how pioneering, community-led work is supporting warmer and healthier homes through improvements to energy efficiency.

Campaigners hope procession will shine light on arts centre’s plight

By John Greenwood

Campaigners trying to get a Halifax arts centre re-opened to the public are hosting a lantern procession marking the anniversary of its closure.

Square Chapel Arts Centre closed its doors to the public in February 2025.

The Save Square Chapel Campaign will be holding a lantern procession and rally on Thursday (February 5) to mark this anniversary.

Campaign supporters will be meeting at 5pm outside the old Wilko building on Southgate, Halifax, and forming a lantern procession down to the open space between Square Chapel and Halifax Central Library, where a short rally will be held.

The campaigners want Square Chapel restored as “a vibrant and inclusive space for diverse culture, arts and socialising, a vital home for local arts organisations and a hub for community outreach and creative jobs,” they say.

The Campaign has been lobbying Arts Council England, Calderdale Council and others “to enable a leadership that puts the community first.”

The group says people can help the campaign by signing up to receive campaign e-mails and updates, by liking and following its Facebook page and by joining the lantern procession and rally, also by talking to other people about the campaign and encouraging them to sign up.

They are asking people bring their own lanterns, torches, banners and placards.

Campaigners have urged Calderdale Council to use its influence to help get the arts centre back into use for Calderdale residents.

Senior councillors have said the council does not have any direct influence over the owner or operator of Square Chapel or over Arts Council England, which has a charge over the building.

But Leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion told opposition councillors last autumn that: “We do have the kind of role of ‘soft power’, which is a convening role and a lobbying and pressurising role”.

Almost 2,700 signed a petition organised by the group last year to save the centre as a community asset.

Square Chapel Arts Centre closed suddenly with all scheduled performances cancelled, following which Arts Council England pulled its funding for the theatre.

Square Chapel was taken over by Arts At The Mill CIC – the umbrella for Wigan organisations The Old Courts, Wigan Pier and The Royal Court Theatre – in 2020.

The centre had admitted prior to closure that there were “a number of artists” who had not been paid following performances there.

That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading!

I’ll be back in your inbox on Wednesday with another edition but don’t forget you can get in touch via calderdale@thelead.uk with any story tips, comments or just to say hello.

Until next time, have a great week!

Andrew

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I hope you’re having a good week so far and that the miserable weather isn’t causing you too much bother.

I’ve often thought it might be fun standing for election but I’ve never actually gone through with it. Why? Probably because I didn’t have the first clue about what I’d have to do.

Have you ever been in the same position? Well, if you’re thinking of standing in this year’s all-out elections in Calderdale then help is on hand. My LDR colleague John Greenwood has more details below on how the council is helping first-time and less experienced candidates get up to speed ahead of the vote.

Don’t forget at the minute we’re running a special paid subscription offer with 50% off an annual sub. Just click here for more details. This offer is only available until the end of January.

Plus, we’ve got a couple of little nuggets as usual in the Calderdale Digest…

Calderdale Digest

⚫ Halifax Goth Festival is returning next month for a weekend packed full of events.

Taking place from February 13 to 15, organisers The Grayston Unity will host a series of gigs, talks and film showings.

Other events include a Dark Beer Weekend at the Meandering Bear, goth bingo at Dukes, a Goth Market with more than 20 traders at the Borough Market and a Gothic Burlesque show.

For a full list of events and to get tickets, click here.

🚌 A scheme to replace West Yorkshire’s fleet of Access buses is expected to cost around £6.5 million.

At a meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority last week, members from across the region voted to approve funding for 33 ultra-low emission buses to replace the existing ageing models.

The Authority’s dial-a-ride bus service provides door-to-door transport to support the needs of older, disabled and vulnerable passengers and those who have difficulty accessing the general bus network.

It makes around 6,000 trips each week and serves around 6,700 registered users, but the current fleet has been described as being past its “anticipated operational life” – with vehicles being between 11 and 18 years old.

AccessBus vehicles have low floor access and an internal layout that provides more space for wheelchairs and other mobility equipment than a standard bus.

Help on hand for those who fancy a shot at power

By John Greenwood

Have you ever fancied standing for election, but don’t know how? Well you might just be in luck ahead of the Calderdale Council vote in May.

The local government elections on May 7 is an “all out” election in Calderdale, quite a rarity for the council, which normally elects councillors in “thirds” – one candidate per ward in each of three years, with a fourth “fallow” year when there are no elections.

But every two decades or so the Boundary Commission runs the rule over councils and this time is has concluded Calderdale needs an extra council ward due to population changes.

This means 2026 is an “all out” election where every seat, three in each of 18 wards, is up for grabs.

Standing for election can be a daunting prospect, but Calderdale Council hopes to ease the path for prospective candidates and agents with information sessions next month.

The pre-nomination session – nominations do not close until 4pm on Thursday, April 9, 2026 – will run on the evening of a choice of four dates at Halifax Town Hall, the home of the council.

The council says: “This is an in-person information session delivered by Electoral Services for anyone considering standing as a candidate or acting as an election agent at the upcoming Local Government Elections in Calderdale.

“This session will provide information about the nomination process and how to complete nomination papers, what to expect from the electoral process, and gives you an opportunity to ask questions.”

There will be four sessions, each held from 6pm to 7.30pm on February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25.

They will be hosted by Calderdale’s Returning Officer – the council’s Chief Executive, Robin Tuddenham, councillors were told recently.

Governance and Business Committee councillors heard the sessions are open to less experienced potential candidates as well as those who have been through the process before.

The places are free but need to be booked on Eventbrite by clicking here.

There is more information about this and about other aspects of the election on Calderdale Council’s website here.

That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading…

Don’t forget at the minute we’re running a special paid subscription offer with 50% off an annual sub. Just click here for more details.

You’ve just got a couple of days left to take advantage of that deal, so be quick! :-)

Until Sunday, have a great week…

Andrew

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The good news is that we’re nearly at the end of January (I think!). The bad news is, we’re not quite there yet.

I’m not sure why January always feels like the longest month - it may well be a combination of being skint, the weather and the post-Christmas lull.

But we’re nearly there…

In today’s edition, we’ve got a report on care homes in Calderdale and how the adult social care funding crisis is leading to some predicting they may not survive.

My LDR colleague John Greenwood has more below.

Plus, a couple of nuggests in the Calderdale Digest.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🚌 Residents in Calderdale are being given the chance to talk to regional representatives about issues concerning them and future plans.

Meetings are led by local councillors who have responsibility for transport, in partnership with organisers West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and the West Yorkshire councils.

Operators of transport services in each area are also invited to join the meetings and answer any questions about their services, says WYCA.

Topics will include the authority-backed Weaver Network for buses.

The Calderdale meeting is tomorrow (January 26) 5pm to 7pm at Brighouse Sixth Form College at Halifax Road, Brighouse.

Anyone wishing to attend must register beforehand on Eventbrite by clicking here – or by emailing yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or calling 0113 245 7676.

⚽ Halifax Town made it three league wins on the spin yesterday with a 3-2 win at Eastleigh.

The Shaymen, who sit seventh in the National League table, got off to a great start in the ninth minute with Will Harris acrobatically firing his side ahead.

The hosts equalised just before the half hour mark but Harris restored Town’s lead on 40 minutes with his 12th league goal of the campaign.

Adam Lakeland’s side survived a scare in the second half when Eastleigh were awarded a penalty but keeper Sam Johnson was more than a match for the spotkick.

Florent Hoti looked to have put the game beyond Eastleigh’s reach but Lloyd Humphries made it a nervy last 10 minutes for the travelling faithful, converting a penalty to drag his side back into it.

Town withstood plenty of pressure though and travelled back to Calderdale with another three points in the bag.

Staff shortages, unsustainable funding and lack of places: Grim picture for care homes in Calderdale

By John Greenwood

Some Calderdale care homes say they do not expect to be operating in five years’ time with the adult social care funding crisis deepening in the borough.

A Care Home Review group of councillors found care homes in Calderdale need to be at around 85 per cent capacity to break even, a situation care homes say is “unsustainable”.

The issue is a national one, compounded by the cost-of-living crisis and increases in employers’ National Insurance contributions and the national minimum wage, they found.

Challenges in the care home market in Calderdale echo those nationally – staff shortages and staff turnover, financial strain and unsustainable funding, decreasing care home capacity and rising demand, they heard.

The councillors say the sector needs support and have made recommendations they think will help.

Pressures are set to rise with Calderdale’s population of over 65s predicted to rise from the 41,965 in 2025 to almost 51,000 in 2037, increasing demands on care homes – and also on unpaid carers, another crucial part of care – they found.

The review group councillors, Coun Ann Kingston and Coun Colin Huthcinson (both Labour) and Coun Christine Prashad (Lib Dem), spoke to a range of people including staff and residents at Calderdale care homes.

They found there is a shortage of general needs residential care in Calderdale.

This is partially due to the fee levels for different types of care and care homes looking to make the most profitable use of their facilities – and the authority of the council to influence new providers towards the highest need is “limited.”

With the council and partners’ “home first” strategy – allowing people to live in their own homes for as long as possible – in mind, their recommendations include requesting senior council officers increase support for unpaid carers of older people discharged from hospital back home, and the council should review its own support for these carers.

Recruitment and retention of staff are “real challenges”, with care homes competing with businesses like supermarkets and others able to pay better rates.

Pressures of the job have an impact on high turnover and another concern is the number of registered managers themselves getting older, with high percentage over age 55, they found.

The councillors recommend senior council officers encourage more independent care homes to consider collaborating with neighbouring homes to increase opportunities for training and career progression for staff, and to encourage increased use of the Care Quality Commission’s Registered Managers Service to share instances of best practice.

On funding issues, they recommend senior officers consider how to ensure more timely re-assessments of change of care needs – and subsequent funding implications – take place.

Communications with registered managers and care home directors also need to be improved, they said.

The council’s Cabinet will consider the recommendations.

That’s it for this edition - thanks for reading!

We’ll be back on Wednesday with another edition. Don’t forget that if you want to get in touch about a story, or just to say hello, you can do so by emailing calderdale@thelead.uk

Cheers

Andrew

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I hope you’re all well and have had a cracking start to the week! This edition is slightly later than normal but we hope we can make up for that by what we’ve got for you!

Because… in today’s edition, we’ve got an exclusive chat with Green Party leader Zack Polanski.

Polanski was in Halifax on Sunday to speak to local activists and do some good old-fashioned door-knocking ahead of the council elections in May.

As far as I’m aware, The Calderdale Lead were the only media outlet in attendance and certainly the only ones to be given a (quick) sit down interview with the man himself.

Find out what his hopes are below.

Plus, we’ve got the usual news in brief in the Calderdale Digest!

Don’t forget at the minute we’re running a special paid subscription offer with 50% off an annual sub. Just click here for more details.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

📵 Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn is one of more than 60 Labour MPs to add his signature to a letter urging the Prime Minister to bring in a social media ban for under-16s.

The letter urges Sir Keir Starmer to follow the example of Australia, which brought in a ban in December. Several other countries are said to be considering similar laws.

Mr Fenton-Glynn said: “The evidence is becoming increasingly clear that the pressure and emotional toll that social media is having a negative impact on our young people and we should do what we can to protect them from that.”

Both the Conservatives and the Lib Dems have voiced that they would ban social media (or similar) sites for under-16s and Labour peers are set to force the issue when they’re expected to vote this week on a cross-party amendment that would implement an Australia-style ban in the UK.

❎ Almost half of Calderdale voters who currently choose to vote by post are reminded their preference may be about to lapse.

Councillors heard that following legislation in 2022, postal voters who applied for their postal vote before January 30, 2024, will have this preference removed on January 31 this year if they do not make a re-application to extend it.

After that date they will have to go through the whole re-application process again – although information on how to do this will be supplied to them.

Governance and Business Committee councillors were told the council’s Electoral Registration Officer has written to all postal voters affected, providing details of how to re-apply if they want to keep on voting by post.

Additionally, email reminders and social media posts have been and will continue to be posted.

Councillors heard that as of early January, approximately 40 per cent of postal voters who are affected have yet to re-apply to extend.

What will happen next is that on February 2, the Electoral Registration Officer must notify electors that their postal vote has been removed.

Information about applying for a postal vote completely afresh will be included with this, and information will also be included on poll cards that will be sent nearer to the time of the all-out elections when Calderdale goes to the polls on May 7.

It will be the first “all out” election in 21 years and follows a Boundary Commission review that will add an extra ward, in a part of Halifax, to the council.

Polanski brings message of hope as Greens hit campaign trail in Halifax

By Andrew Greaves

Imagine a political party saying their vision wasn’t to win every seat up for grabs and take control of the council.

Imagine setting - when the whole council is up for election - a modest target of tripling their current number of seats to nine.

This doesn’t feel like the way politics is done. But under new(ish) leader Zack Polanski, this is the plan for the Greens in Calderdale.

Polanski, elected as leader in September to great fanfare (and the odd baffling story about breast enlargement via hypnosis), was in the borough on Sunday to spell out his vision to local activists.

And it’s fair to say his speech - which touched on the national and international as well as local issues - was like a shot in the arm for the local branch which has grown its membership by more than 300% in the last year alone.

Polanski was clear in his speech to members: the vision of winning nine seats wasn’t a lack of ambition but a realistic target that would help them build for the next election. And the next election. And the next election. Can you see where he’s going?

He said: “People will sometimes say to me, and I get it, why are we not being more ambitious? Why are we not talking about leading the council or definitely being the leader of the opposition? That is exactly where we want to get to.

“But we also know we need to do things in stages and going from three to nine is a big step and that's a big jump. But as soon as you're at nine, that's exactly when at the next set of local elections, you are talking about leading the opposition or indeed even leading the council. So you're on the exact right trajectory here and need to keep it up.”

Given the drizzle that was enveloping Calderdale as I drove over on Sunday morning, you’d be forgiven for thinking spirits may be dampened.

But there was a buzz in the entrance atrium of Halifax’s fantastic Orange Box youth club that felt like the start of something. Or at the very least a ‘restart’ of something.

Forget socks and sandals, forget hugging trees, forget all the other lazy stereotypes that have been bandied around about the Greens in the past - this was ground zero of a political movement ready to make its mark.

Local party leader Coun Martin Hey, one of three Green councillors in Calderdale, whipped the crowd up into a frenzy, cheekily walking off and starting again when the reception for him taking the mic fell short of expectations.

His fear was that the welcome for his national party leader might hit the same bum note.

He needn’t have worried - the 100+ activists packed into the room whooped and hollered to welcome Polanski to the stage and those same people would spend the next 20-odd minutes hanging on every word of their leader.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Polanski’s election last year, interest in the Greens has soared.

In Halifax, he was keen to talk about the national and international agenda and how the Greens would tackle issues such as immigration, the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine and how to tackle Donald Trump.

But, most importantly for those gathered, he also talked about the importance of connecting with local people and their issues. Using social media to excite but then good old-fashioned door-knocking to seal the deal.

“I'm not shy of social media, those of you on social media might have noticed that. But I do know we don't win elections on social media. What we can do on social media is inspire people, excite people, give people a sense of solidarity, all really important things to do, but actually elections are won on the doorstep,” he said.

“They're won by going door to door and having those conversations and finding out what people care about and then matching those things with what the Green Party care about and ultimately making sure that this isn't about a national party leader, it's not about people performing on media or TV, it's about democracy.

“It's about people turning up, being heard, even when we disagree with them, and working out to make better solutions because that's exactly how we can make sure that we improve Calderdale and people have more democracy in Calderdale, and that's how we'll improve Yorkshire and it's how we'll change our country.”

The cost of living crisis - and how taxing the wealthy could level the field a little - received a huge applause, as did Polanski confirming he’d never taken a penny “from private healthcare, from oil and gas, from arms trade companies, from gambling”.

He said: “Yorkshire is a place that has been badly affected by deep inequality. Rich people are getting richer and richer, and more people are getting poorer.

“They tell us that there’s no wealth in this country. What they mean is there’s no wealth for working-class communities, for people in the North. There’s no wealth for disabled people, or people who are unemployed.

“The wealth is being siphoned upwards to the super rich. The answer is to tax the rich and to redistribute wealth and power around our communities.”

Afterwards I caught up with Coun Hey who was beaming from ear to ear with how the event went. He’s clearly someone who, I’ve come to witness over the last year or so, cares passionately not just about his own politics but the people he serves in his Northowram and Shelf ward.

And he’s keen to echo the message from Polanski that listening is the key: “The national media still aren't fully covering us—Zack's done a great job, but they’re still not fully covering our views on, say, what Trump's doing in Greenland at the moment.

“So that ground campaign, saying to people we're here, that we're present, we want to win, we will represent them is important. But also, the other thing I said is that people want to be listened to, and that's what we want Green Party people to do; we want us to be good listeners and not just say what we think.”

Coun Hey confirmed the Greens had nine targeted seats for Calderdale’s first all-out elections in more than 20 years but that they would be standing candidates across the borough.

“We're going to stand candidates everywhere; we're going to give people the chance to vote Green across the whole of Calderdale. So it's a great opportunity.

“In the past it has been incremental change, whereas we know from some of the all-out elections down south a couple of years ago that the Greens can go from very few seats to actually taking decisions. So we've got to be ready for that as well.”

The elections take place on May 7.

Exclusive: Green Party leader Zack Polanski chats to The Calderdale Lead

By Andrew Greaves

“That wasn’t set up,” Zack Polanski is quick to tell me with an easy chuckle after he waves off the mother of a young Calderdale Green Party activist who accosts him as he’s ushered into the side room that’s been unlocked especially for our quick interview.

The woman, who is keen to apologise for not being able to stay and help with the door-knocking, tells him that he’s given her a sense of hope again and thanks him for helping to engage people in politics.

I get the impression it’s not the first time he’s been warmly grabbed like that on his mini tour of the north. In fact, in his speech to members he reveals he took a short break in Hebden Bridge with his partner Richie Bryan just after he was elected thinking it would be a place he could walk around unrecognised. How wrong he was!

I ask him whether he feels his personality has helped ignite movement, similar - I suggest - to the way Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and a previous darling of the Left Jeremy Corbyn has done.

But I get the impression Polanski isn’t totally convinced: “I think that is important to inspire, to excite, and to make people appreciate their own agency. Then we’re into stage two now, which is the much more important bit: movement building.

“In fact, the last thing I said in the room was that I’m much more interested in what happens after I’ve left the room. What does the conversation look like? What does the organizing look like?

“Sure, it’s inspired by the things that I’ve said, but much more importantly, it’s informed by people’s real experience in Calderdale. I’m a politician from London; I don’t know what people in Calderdale need or want.

“What I do know, though, is that when people get together without vested interests and have conversations about what they need and want, it will be for people and not profit. That’s what the party stands for.”

Ah, the party. Most people’s view of the Greens is a caricature of what the party actually is - tree hugging isn’t necessary in the modern version you know.

I get the sense that Polanski is both comfortable and respectful of its past and ready to hold dear the principles of which it was founded and thrived whilst keen to move it to a ground where it can really affect change.

“I think that’s the difference between your values and your policies. Our values are totally inflexible. We have red lines on racism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia—that’s never going to change.

“In terms of the policies, they’re flexible because they’re voted on by the membership. It’s fully democratic: one member, one vote. I would reflect, though, that over the previous decades of the Green Party, they’ve always pointed in a similar direction, which is for people and planet, and that’s never going to change.

“In terms of the detail of how it’s done, then yes, it absolutely needs to be flexible because governments change and the world is changing. I think it’s always important that you’re as up-to-date as possible rather than trying to operate in a world that’s gone.”

Back to that buzzword that politicians like to spout - listening. Every party says it’s keen to listen to the electorate, to find out what those that vote really want and need.

Polanski knows that merely standing on a doorstep and saying the Greens hear the concerns of the occupant is meaningless unless you back it up with action.

And he said: “Our candidates and councillors spend a lot of time door-knocking, and they noticeably do it outside of election time, too. So, it's not just an activity that happens to ask for people's votes.

“When they go to council meetings, they've genuinely spoken to people on the doorstep so they are taking those voices into the council chamber. I would always ask people to judge us or consider us based on our record of action and delivery and where we're going in the future.

“I don't think anyone should trust a political party unconditionally, including the Green Party. Political parties aren't like football teams where you pick your team and just have to stick with them through the good and the bad. I think it’s a transactional relationship where you should always make sure they’re being held accountable and that they’re transparent.”

And with that he’s gone. Back into the atrium where he’s accosted a couple more times before being ushered away to start doing the thing you sense he genuinely does love to do - door-knocking and speaking to the people that matter most: the voter.

That’s it for this bumper edition - thanks for reading!

We’ll be back on Sunday so until then, enjoy your week!

Andrew

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I hope you’ve all had a good week and are enjoying the weekend so far - I’ve been laid up in bed so not had a chance to get out and about but I’m going to rectify that today with a visit to Halifax for a special event (more on that in a future edition!).

Someone else who visited Halifax over the last week was Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood. She was invited by the town’s MP Kate Dearden to hear from residents about their road safety concerns.

We’ve got full details below along with a couple of nuggets in the Calderdale Digest.

Don’t forget at the minute we’re running a special paid subscription offer with 50% off an annual sub. Just click here for more details.

So, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🎭A new exhibition is celebrating the 125-year legacy of Halifax’s Victoria Theatre.

The theatre building opened in February 1901 and to celebrate the milestone, the Friends of the Victoria Theatre group has curated a new exhibition, which has now officially opened at Halifax Central Library.

The new display marks the first time the venue’s extensive collection of artefacts has been professionally curated and presented to the public in such a comprehensive format.

The exhibition, which spans six display cabinets and two large boards across three floors of the library, offers an immersive journey through the cultural heart of the borough. From its grand opening in 1901 to its status today as a premier touring venue, the display captures the magic, the stars, and the local stories that have defined the theatre, as well as chronicling the changing leisure habits of Halifax residents since the late 19th century.

The exhibition at Halifax Central Library is free to visit and will run during regular library opening hours, until February 12. The theatre will be holding other events and exhibitions throughout the year to celebrate the 125^th anniversary

🍾The search for antique old bottles could land you in trouble, if you dig in the wrong place, town hall chiefs have warned.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet were considering the authority’s annual safety report.

Councillors noted it covers a staggering range of issues and responsibilities – including bottle digging.

The report says: “This national issue involves people excavating old landfill sites, or natural areas to search for antique bottles.

“This is a dangerous practice, and unauthorised digging can lead to serious risks to public safety and the environment.

“The council is pursuing enforcement action against perpetrators, as well as monitoring and responding reactively to reports of digging locally.”

Among other areas of safety work undertaken by the council is tree management.

Councillors heard that following the appointment of the dedicated Tree Service Manager, and their small team of Tree Inspectors, there have been significant improvements in the management of trees across the borough.

The report covers topics ranging from attacks on staff to new legislation councils need to consider following tragedies like Grenfell and the Manchester Arena bombing.

Transport minister hears residents concerns over road safety

By Andrew Greaves

The Government’s Local Transport Minister was in Halifax this week to hear from residents about their road safety concerns.

After hearing strong concerns from local residents about road safety, Halifax MP Kate Dearden invited Lilian Greenwood to the town to discuss action being taken locally and nationally to improve road safety.

Ms Greenwood met with pupils at Lee Mount Primary School, one of several schools that have consistently raised road safety concerns with Ms Dearden.

Pupils and Headteacher Ben Normington spoke about the dangers of speeding and unsafe driving around schools, and shared the steps students are taking to encourage safer driving behaviour in their community.

The Minister then joined Ms Dearden, local councillors, and the Headteacher of Withinfields Primary School to view recent road safety improvements funded through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Active Travel Fund.

Accompanied by council officers responsible for delivering the scheme, the visit highlighted how £900,000 of funding from Active Travel England is helping to make routes to school safer and improve local roads.

These improvements included:

• Changes to the existing road layout

• A new zebra crossing

• Landscaping and road surfacing improvements

The visit concluded with a roundtable discussion bringing together families who have lost loved ones in road collisions, the Deputy Mayor for West Yorkshire Alison Lowe, councillors, council officers, and representatives from Vision Zero and road safety charity Brake.

As the Government works to reduce road deaths and serious injuries, the discussion provided an important opportunity for local voices to feed directly into national policymaking, share best practice, and highlight the specific challenges facing West Yorkshire.

The visit followed the recent publication of the Government’s road safety strategy, giving Halifax residents the chance to hear directly from the Minister about national measures being introduced, including:

• Consulting on a minimum learning period for learner drivers and mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over 70

• Mandating 18 advanced safety technologies in new vehicles

• Establishing a Road Safety Investigation Branch

• Consulting on lowering drink-drive limits

• Tougher penalties for seatbelt offences and new powers to suspend licences for serious motoring offences

• Action to tackle uninsured driving and illegal number plates.

Following the visit Ms Dearden said: “I’m proud that this Labour Government is taking decisive action through its road safety strategy, and this visit was a valuable opportunity for local residents to share their experiences and help shape national policy.

“It was incredibly moving to hear from members of our community, particularly those who have suffered the devastating loss of loved ones on our roads.”

Ms Greenwood added: “Our vision with this ambitious road safety strategy is clear: to ensure that people can travel safely on our roads however they choose.

“One of the hardest parts of my job is speaking to families who have lost loved ones on our roads and this is something we as a government are taking action to prevent. No family should have to endure that loss, and this strategy sets out how we will work to ensure fewer do.

“Experts and campaigners have long called for a comprehensive strategy that treats road safety as a shared responsibility – from car manufacturers and town planners to drivers and legislators.

“This strategy, the first in over a decade, shows a government that is not just listening, but leading and together, we can build a safer future for all road users.”

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That’s it for this edition - thanks for reading.

Don’t forget that because it’s January, we’re offering 50% off a paid subscription to The Calderdale Lead. Independent journalism is hard to come by these days, and this is the best way to support what I do and make sure I can keep doing it. You can look at the offer here.

Until next time, have a great week!

Andrew

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I hope you’ve all had a good start to the week and that you’re already looking forward to the weekend!

In today’s edition we’ve got the latest on the new multi-million pound railway station that is being planned for Elland (complete with some very nice looking artist impressions!).

Plus, in the Calderdale Digest we’ve got a couple of other nuggets.

Don’t forget at the minute we’re running a special paid subscription offer with 50% off an annual sub. Just click here for more details.

Now, on with the news…

Calderdale Digest

🎾Proposals to create a padel court in a former Sunday school building in Sowerby Bridge have been submitted to planners.

Chris Hasling has applied to Calderdale Council seeking listed building consent to change the interior of Bolton Brow Gallery, Bolton Brow.

Mr Hasling wants to create a padel court in the building – padel is a racquet sport originating in Mexico, combining elements of tennis and squash which is said to be becoming increasingly popular in Europe.

He argues the building – the Grade II listed former Bolton Brow Sunday School – is currently underused and at risk of long-term decline.

Mr Hasling says installing a padel court will provide a viable, income-generating use to support ongoing maintenance of the building.

🚔More than 280 suspected drink or drug drivers were arrested in West Yorkshire over the Christmas and New Year period.

A total of 288 people were arrested on suspicion of drink or drug driving during our annual Christmas and New Year road safety campaign which ran from 1 December to 1 January.

Of that figure, 196 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving, while 92 were arrested for suspected drug driving.

New Years Day saw the highest total of arrests, with 18 people detained on suspicion of drink or drug driving.

The highest daily total of drink driving arrests was on 7 December with 13 arrested, while the highest daily total of drug driving arrests happened on 14 December with 7 arrested.

‘Transformational’ new railway station for Elland moves step closer as Cabinet agrees CPO for access land

By John Greenwood

Senior Calderdale councillors have approved compulsory purchase powers for land related to access routes to a new multi-million pound rail station at Elland which will prove “transformational” for the town.

Coun Scott Patient said approval was a “significant moment” although a final decision on funding is not due until later this month.

“We all know how long people have been waiting for Elland railway station, some patiently, some not-so-patiently, but actually it’s going to be a bit of game changer and this is the opening salvo really, after a long wait.

“I know how transformational this will be not just for the people of Elland but also for all the businesses at Lowfields as well,” he said.

Leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion told colleagues that money for both the station itself and for the access package were to be fully considered at West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s meeting on January 28, where she would be “fighting for Calderdale and Elland.”

Coun Patient, Cabinet member for Climate Action and Housing, said Lowfields business park can be difficult to get to, with no station running through.

The idea of the access package for which the CPO powers which had been approved by the Secretary of State were going to be used was not just to build a station in isolation, he said.

“This is about allowing people that live there and visitors to access it in ways that suit them, whether they are on a bike or whether they’re walking or however they want to travel there,” said Coun Patient.

Propositions include developing a new pedestrian bridge, and walking and cycling routes, connecting the station to the town, he said requesting Cabinet members support using the powers.

“What this aims to do is quite transformational – to help finally achieve what we’ve been waiting so long to achieve, which is moving forward with the Elland station package,” said Coun Patient.

Coun Scullion said Elland had been through some tough times with roadworks related to major schemes – they were “just beginning to recover from that and become re-energsised.”

The rail station projects were “I think the beginning of something people have waited for for a long time, of a real regeneration of Elland,” she said.

Coun Scullion hoped negotiations with Network Rail and Grand Central were successful, which would mean a London train stopping at Elland.

Together, the planned new station and access package aim to improve people’s access to jobs, learning and opportunities, Cabinet members heard.

That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading.

Don’t forget you can get in touch by leaving a comment here or by emailing calderdale@thelead.uk.

Until Sunday, have a great week!

Andrew

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