Losing control to Leeds
A LEEDS councillor will be making key decisions over road and rail investment affecting Kirklees.
And our own elected councillors don’t know if or how they will have a say - or be informed.
And they warned some major decisions over rail investment could lead to the “death of Huddersfield and Dewsbury” if they bypass our borough.
This week Kirklees Cabinet agreed “with a heavy heart” to approve regulations establishing Transport for the North (TFTN).
It will see 11 people making key decisions on transport issues from east to west coast and from Sheffield up to Carlisle and the north east.
Cabinet members hit out at the decision-making powers being taken away from elected members here and put in the hands of 11 people, with just one of those representing all of West Yorkshire.
That person is the Leeds City Council leader Clr Judith Blake.
Clr Peter McBride, Cabinet member for Economy, Skills, Transportation & Planning, said: “This really means a transfer of very significant power of this council to TFTN. It will have the power over all inter-regional investment for road, rail and regeneration.
“The Leeds leader will speak on Established for over 40 years Over 200 rolls of carpet in stock Same staff for over 20 years Free measuring service behalf of 2.5m people who live in West Yorkshire. It’s an impossible job for her.
“It is taking power away from the points of accountability - that is it the most dangerous thing.
“The problem is we don’t have very much choice about it. If we say ‘no’ to it we’ll be cutting ourselves off from access to resources the government might, or might not, make available to us.
“The future of our development in Kirklees is dependent on money forthcoming for road and rail.
“I know they (TFTN) are planning a very fast route across the Pennines without any discussion with us. Should they choose the wrong route it will be fundamentally against the interests of Kirklees.
“So should we have a fast link that does not stop in Huddersfield or Dewsbury that will be the death of these two major towns of this borough, and how much have we been involved in this process? Nil. “You hear hints of a fast link, talk of a link into Bradford. Should that be the case then that is the end of TransPennine as a significant route. “We hear hints of this at the Transport Committee and when you ask any questions there’s immediately a hush-hush or ‘we can’t go into too much detail’ and you know the deals are already being struck. “TFTN has been there, they’re just being given all these legal powers to implement what they’ve been planning for 18 months to two years.” Clr David Sheard, council leader, said it was not unreasonable for full council to be given an update so they can hold to account the decision-making process of TFTN. Clr Graham Turner, Cabinet member for resources, said: “Road and rail investment drives the economy and to have the power to control our destiny snatched away from us is appalling.”