Fly-tipping rockets in Calderdale as opposition call for more resources
Plus, your guide to what's on this week...
Hello and welcome to the midweek edition of The Calderdale Lead!
We’ve got a row over fly-tipping leading today’s issue as the borough battles to keep up with the rise in people dumping rubbish on the side of the road.
Plus, we have your usual weekly guide to all that’s happening around Calderdale…
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Opposition call for more resources to tackle fly-tipping scourge
Additional reporting by LDRS’ John Greenwood
Opposition councillors have called on the ruling Labour group to plough more resources into tackling fly-tipping after latest figures showed a 39% increase.
Speaking at the meeting of the full Calderdale Council, Conservative Coun Peter Hunt said he had spent time with the four-person crew to find out how stretched resources were.
He said: “We have an amazing four-person strong team and one van to cover the borough – which is inadequate due to the 1,600 outstanding fly-tipping reports.
“Due to these burdens, they must rely on privately contracted services to assist – cutbacks are depriving the team of valuable resources.”
Making a direct appeal to the council, he added: “Will the council please accept that sometimes spending more means getting more – and will they consider investing more in our enforcement teams by increasing head count and the size of their fleet?”
Between April and October this year, incidents were 39% higher than in the same period last year, although the councillor in charge of fly-tipping said the 1,600 outstanding cases figure was not quite what it seemed.
Coun Danielle Durrans, the Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, said many of the reports referred to the same tipped waste, so multiple are closed and the waste was being cleared.
She said: “The new fly-tipping team has already delivered better enforcement outcomes with more fixed penalty notices being issued and more vehicles being used for fly-tipping being taken off the road.
“In addition to prevention and enforcement, the team are also committed to improving the clearance of fly-tipping as well as fostering better partnership links with community and voluntary groups doing a great job keeping their own neighbourhoods clean,” she said.
Coun Durrans said regarding concern about using a contractor, the service deems it to be a very cost-effective approach, the HGV plus grab arm able to clear more waste in a day than the cage wagon.
“Using these two different resources ensures the right resource is used at the right time and in the right place,” she said.
Now, here’s this week’s culture guide for Calderdale…
December 12 - A Taste of Halifax: Borough Market Food Tour - Halifax Borough Market
Join a guided walking food tour of Halifax Borough Market, sampling dishes and specialities from some of the best eateries and hidden gems in the Halifax area, served up by local independent market traders.
Over two hours, you’ll have the chance to savour a curated selection of tastes and flavours from Halifax and around the world, as well as learn about the market’s rich history, dating from the Victorian era to the present day.
The tour - which is vegetarian themed - starts at 1.30pm prompt and tickets are £20. For more details click here.
From December 14 to January 5 - Peter Pan - The Victoria Theatre, Halifax
December means only one thing (“oh no it doesn’t) - Panto time and this year the Victoria Theatre is hosting a spectacular production of Peter Pan!
The run kicks off on Saturday and Peter Pan will be packed full of all the ingredients necessary to make The Victoria Theatre’s panto the best panto in West Yorkshire – lots of hilarious slapstick comedy, stunning scenery and costumes, magical musical numbers and plenty of audience interaction.
Kieran Morris returns in the title role as Peter Pan with Nathan Morris back for his second year to play comic pirate Starkey. Joining them are panto dame Andrew Pollard as Mrs Smee, Aled Thomas Davies as Captain Hook, Molly Jane as Wendy and Siān Gentle-Green as Rainbow.
Tickets are priced from £24.25. For more information click here.
December 15 - Deck the Hall - Halifax Minster
The Out Of The Box singers are bringing their ever-popular Deck the Hall event to Halifax Minster on Sunday and it’s sure to get you in the festive spirit!
Expect a festive concert of songs, words and music, in the glorious candlelit setting of Halifax Minster, surrounded by 40 glittering Christmas Trees. What more could you ask for at this time of year?
Tickets are £12.50 and the show starts at 7pm. For more information about the Out Of The Box singers, visit their Facebook page here.
That’s a wrap for this midweek edition. I’ll be back on Saturday with a long-read and interview with CEO of The Piece Hall Nicola Chance-Thompson looking back on an amazing 2024 for the venue and ahead to what’s coming up next year.
Until then though, enjoy your week!
Andrew