Welcome and warning over police pay rise

HUNDREDS of riders braved the wind and rain to take part in the annual Holme Valley Mountain Bike Challenge.

About 200 participants had the choice of three routes – 15, 20 or 30 miles – starting and finishing at Hade Edge and taking in areas including Hepworth, Jackson Bridge, New Mill, Holmfirth, Hinchliffe Mill, Meltham and Holme.

Andrew Armitage, who has organised the event for the past 25 years, said: “We had about 100 entrants and although the weather put some people off it went very well. There were a few grazes, but no broken bones! This is a route we have used for a couple of years. We always try to vary it to set riders a different challenge.”

Mr Armitage, who is Explorer Scout leader at Holmfirth Scout Group, said many of the riders were raising sponsor money for good causes. They included members of the Scout group, who raised about £2,000 towards the cost of sending a couple of the Scouts to the 2019 World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, USA. to find the money will put more strain on resources. I will be asking the government to ensure they are providing the funds to make this happen without any funding impact locally.

“West Yorkshire Police has lost around £140m since 2010 and 2000 officers and staff, so I believe the affordability of the rise can only be met through Government providing the means to cover it.

“The announcement refers to the cost being met from Home Office Departmental budgets but doesn’t make clear whether that will be existing police budgets, other police budgets such as the Transformation Fund or other parts of the Home Office.

“If they are expecting it to come out of existing budgets that will not be sustainable and I believe they have a responsibility to increase our budget accordingly.”