Todmorden's future to be decided in a Referendum
Plus: Town hall chiefs make decision on Calderdale recycling centres amid cutbacks plan
Hello and welcome to the weekend edition of The Calderdale Lead.
We’ve got a couple of political bits again for you this week with residents in Todmorden being given the chance to vote on whether they adopt a Neighbourhood Plan which will shape the future of planning in the town.
Plus, Calderdale Council have made a decision on the borough’s recycling centres. We have the latest in terms of which will close below.
Thanks again to the LDRS’ John Greenwood for some additional reporting on these stories.
So, on with the news…
Referendum for plan that will shape future of planning in Tod
Residents in Todmorden will soon be asked to vote whether or not the town adapts a new Neighbourhood Plan which will help shape future planning decisions.
Several years in the planning, the 119-page document has been prepared by Todmorden Town Council.
An independent examiner has now advised Calderdale Council that with some modifications, which Calderdale has accepted, it should go out to public referendum – and senior councillors have now agreed.
If more than 50 per cent of Todmorden people voting in the referendum say “yes”, it will become a document which will help shape planning in the area alongside Calderdale’s Local Plan.
It is anticipated that the referendum will be held within the 56-day period set out legally for these referendums with the date proposed as March 6, 2025, with details to follow.
Covering areas including housing mix and design, economic development, the natural environment ranging from old mill ponds to its green spaces, the town centre, waterways including river and canal, transport, heritage, community culture and recreation.
Recommending to colleagues the plan should go out to referendum, Deputy Leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Scott Patient, said: “Residents within the area will be able to vote and if a threshold of 50 per cent or more vote for ‘yes’, then the plan will form part of the development plan once it is formally adopted.
“The policies in the plan will have weight in decision-making and should be considered by planning officers as well as applicants that come forward for any planning applications.”
Todmorden Neighbourhood Plan’s vision is: “Todmorden will be an innovative and resilient town that responds effectively to the changing needs of its community.
“Emerging economic sectors will provide new jobs and new housing will be developed in line with community aspirations so that people of all ages have access to appropriate housing of a high quality.
“Tourism and leisure opportunities will be expanded to develop Todmorden as a thriving town for residents and visitors alike.”
Three Cabinet councillors are residents of the town and declared this before the vote to put the plan out to referendum.
Coun Diana Tremayne said the plan highlighted very clearly the sense of price and importance of the heritage of Todmorden but also the way it can embrace forward-thinking current issues.
Coun Sarah Courtney added: “There is a community spirit and I think it would be really great to see all that coming together to continue to support the town, which has a lot of energy.”
Council leader Coun Jane Scullion said key for her was that the Neighbourhood Plans are produced locally.
“People having their say in terms of the ways in which they would like to see their town develop and change and things they want to see conserved and preserved,” she said.
The plan and other documents can be viewed online by clicking here.
Calderdale tips to close as council aims to cut costs
Town hall chiefs have decided to close ALL Calderdale’s recycling centres for two days per week in a bid to slash costs and balance the budget.
Calderdale Council has waste and recycling centres at Halifax, Brighouse, Todmorden, Sowerby Bridge and Elland, and last year initial budget proposals were to close the latter.
All will now close two days per week - but not the same two days - in a bid to slash £300,000 from the already-stretched budget.
After protests from residents and councillors the plans were put on ice pending results from introducing a permit scheme to ensure only Calderdale residents can use the tips, which has been successful.
At a meeting this week, councillors from the ruling Labour group heard that changes from next year - when the contract to run the centres with the current contractor Suez comes to an end - meant that not only Elland could be saved but a second recycling centre which may have been at risk in 2026/27.
After the current contract with Suez ends on July 31, 2026, the council, in joint partnership with the Norse group, will run the services.
Coun Dacre said: “An unexpected and welcome indication from that is that under the joint venture we are told we can make full year savings of £300,000 by closing each of the household waste and recycling centres on two days per week, not including weekends.”
These savings would not have been possible using the same proposal under the current contract, she said.
The decision took into account that the savings would not be available until the joint venture came into being in 2026, said Coun Dacre.
“We’ve taken a policy decision that we will adopt the option of closing each centre on two days per week.
“It also means we don’t have to also consider closing a second site in the budget for 2025-26,” she said.
Coun Danielle Durrans said staff were very well informed about waste and when demand to use each site was lowest.
This meant not all tips would not be closed on the same weekdays – an alternative would always be open.
“They’ve been able to target the days that are most sensible to close,” she said.
Coun Diana Tremayne said: “People who do have concerns, I think can be reassured that (closures) will be made according to the best figures that we have.”
Regarding the permits, Leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said they were working – anecdotal evidence showed, for example, people arriving from neighbouring Kirklees arriving at a Calderdale tip being turned away.
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Enjoy the rest of the weekend and we’ll be back on Wednesday!
Andrew