Time to split Kirklees into Huddersfield and Dewsbury? Councillors have their say as the district marks its 50th anniversary

The borough of Kirklees was shaped by the Local Government Act of 1972. This act, which came into effect in 1974, completely revamped the way local government functioned in England, and redrew many traditional boundaries.

Prior to April 1, 1974, the towns and villages within the modern borough of Kirklees were governed very differently from how they are today. The towns of Huddersfield and Dewsbury were county boroughs, which meant they were governed independently of county council control.

Batley and Spenborough were municipal boroughs, which had their own town councils, while the remaining area was covered by the urban districts of Colne Valley, Denby Dale, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Kirkburton, Meltham and Mirfield.

These small boroughs and districts were brought together in 1974 under the collective banner of Kirklees after a public poll decided that the new region should be named after Kirklees Priory, the supposed resting place of Robin Hood – although the land of Kirklees Hall, located near Brighouse, sits mostly within Calderdale.

The amalgamation of so many towns with distinct identities has been a cause of discomfort for some over the past 50 years. Most notably, in the 1990s, the MPs for Colne Valley and Batley and Spen, Conservatives Graham Riddick and Elizabeth Peacock, campaigned to split the borough between Huddersfield and Dewsbury.

With Kirklees marking the anniversary, we asked local councillors whether they felt it was a matter worth celebrating.

Leader of the Council, Coun Cathy Scott, said: “As Kirklees approaches its 50th anniversary this April, it’s certainly an occasion that gives us pause for thought and reflection. I feel that the attention should, deservedly, be on the people and communities that have shaped Kirklees over these five decades.

“I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the residents of Kirklees, whose commitment and dedication have been the key to our successes.

"From social workers changing children’s lives to teachers offering countless opportunities, from council workers making our home a greener, safer place to businesses driving our economy forward – it’s the collective effort of individuals and groups that makes Kirklees such a special place.

“Not forgetting the countless voluntary organisations whose unwavering work to better the lives of Kirklees residents has enriched our communities beyond measure.

"Their selflessness and resilience, especially in the face of adversity, exemplify the spirit of Kirklees.

“As we commemorate the past 50 years, we also look ahead with optimism and determination.

"Challenges will undoubtedly arise, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that Kirklees is resilient and resourceful.

"We have the opportunity to draw inspiration from our past to build a brighter future for the next 50 years.”

Leader of the Green Group, Coun Andrew Cooper, felt differently and said: “Kirklees doesn’t exist.

“Kirklees Priory, after which it is named, was situated in Calderdale and was, according to legend, associated with the death of Robin Hood, who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. Or progressive taxation, as it is more generally known.

“For 50 years we have had a council with a contrived identity with a name chosen as a compromise and a convenience, which has satisfied no one.

“As a supposedly democratic body, Kirklees falls short. At the last local elections, the ruling party won 43 per cent of the vote but has 100 per cent of the power.

"The vast majority of its decisions are taken by the nine councillors in the cabinet with the other 60 councillors having no vote on the important decisions that people elected them to address.

“Ultimately we need a fair voting system in this country for both local and national elections but we have parties who rely on an undemocratic system working for them rather than voters.”

Councillor Cooper described the Conservatives’ idea to split Kirklees along North-South lines as “cynical, vote-grabbing nonsense that can’t be delivered”.

He suggested that one way to improve things in Kirklees would be by moving to a committee system where every councillor votes on all decisions.

The councillor also argued that new town councils could be created for a more local focus without the need to abolish Kirklees.

He added: “Under the Localism Act 2011, five per cent of local electors can trigger a referendum to change the way the Kirklees is governed or seven and a half per cent to create new town councils.

"And if people back those referenda we can move from an undemocratic cabinet system to a more democratic committee system. It happened in Sheffield. Why not in Kirklees?”

Leader of the Conservative Group, Coun David Hall, said: “Although it is an interesting fact that Kirklees Council was formed 50 years ago, I doubt whether many will particularly be celebrating this milestone, as Kirklees as an entity has never been universally popular.

“While we have much cause to celebrate our communities and all that our wonderful residents achieve, Kirklees itself remains to me a bureaucratic construct to which I attach little affection.

“Perhaps, given that the Labour administration have got the council into such terrible financial straits, they should spend less time partying and more time sorting out their own mess?”

Leader of the Kirklees Community Independents Group, Coun Jo Lawson, said: “Kirklees at 50 does have cause to celebrate.

"Within Kirklees Council we have many officers who daily go above and beyond for our residents while working under great pressure and financial constraint.

"Many will look longingly to the days of the Huddersfield and Dewsbury town councils but, thanks to central government austerity cuts, much would still be the same.

“We have amazing faith groups, community groups and individuals who often do not realise how important the hours they put in really are for residents living within Kirklees.

"Within Crosland Moor and Netherton there are some amazing individuals who have done so much over the years to improve the local area and provide help and support for so many.

"From coffee mornings, craft groups, sporting activities, school holiday clubs, events in the park, financial advice/support, the Bread and Butter Thing and so much more.

“Hopefully the next 50 years will not be as challenging as some of the last 50 have been.”

Holme Valley North Independent, Coun Charles Greaves, said: “While there has been a lot of change for the good in Kirklees over the last 50 years, there is no more love for Kirklees now than there was when it was created.

"I believe in decisions being made by the people who will be affected by them.

“The 100,000 people who live in the valleys would do so much better with a council that actually represents them.

"I would love to see Kirklees split up, but every election time the Conservatives claim they will split it but then do nothing.

"Fourteen years later we’re still waiting. You’d think it was just a cynical ploy to get some votes.

“Only the government can split Kirklees and in recent years they have been forcing councils to merge. So I asked my MP Jason McCartney how it could be done but he would only give a vague reply, and another senior Conservative [Adam Gregg] talked about spending millions to just rebrand Kirklees – but what is the point of a new name and colour scheme? It would still be the same old Kirklees!

"So I wrote to Michael Gove MP asking him what it would take to get approval. His reply was disappointing – he made it clear that without a sound financial position, he would not allow it.

“So if the government won’t allow us to split Kirklees, we should do the next best thing and introduce a committee system with devolved districts. This would give much greater freedom to local areas to pursue their own priorities – and perhaps the valleys might see a fairer share of the funding.

“After 50 years, I can celebrate the hard work of council staff, our great schools, our community spirit, our local groups and active residents, and our resilience in the face of national and local politics, but as for Kirklees, I’d rather have the districts back.”

Leader of the Lib Dems, Coun John Lawson, said: “As Kirklees reaches fifty I think it’s appropriate to mark the occasion by celebrating the people, communities and the workforce that have worked so hard to provide the volunteering and everyday core services that we need.

“It’s often problematic to ‘celebrate’ an organisation in itself as they sometimes have mixed histories for different people and Kirklees is no different.

“I think that the Civic Office, along with Mayor Burke, have chosen a fitting way to applaud our communities by initiating the formal recognition of the work of local champions who volunteer in their areas.

“It’s these individuals and groups who represent the best of what we aspire to be as a council.

"So as we reflect on the journey of the last fifty years we’d do well to look at what we can learn as we choose the path for the future.”