A new Netto store could be built on the corner of Horncastle Street and Northgate. Today there is a meeting of the Heavy Woollen Planning Committee. The Committee will decide if the planning application on behalf of Netto should be given the go ahead. The application is for a 1,000 sqm store with access on […]

The Government is proposing a further 15 hours free childcare. This will make a great difference to many families and is very welcome. However, the proposed legislation is very, very short on details especially on whether the Government will provide enough funding for it. I spoke in the House of Lords on Tuesday to highlight […]

A very controversial planning application for land off New Lane, Cleckheaton is being considered at the next meeting of the Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Thursday June 4. The application by Strata Homes is for 39 houses on the fields adjacent to New Lane and Pearson Street off Moorside. Details can be seen at https://kirklees.gov.uk/business/planning […]

The area round Chain Bar in Cleckheaton is an air pollution hotspot. The pollution measured was that caused by particulates and gases emitted by traffic. The pollution in that area is above European Union safety guidelines. The Government has a responsibility to reduce air pollution levels and is currently failing to do so. I learned […]

The Whitcliffe Mount Foundation building was built just over 100 years ago. It is an imposing building of Yorkshire stone and the Spen Valley Civic Society applied to the Government for it to be listed. The Government Inspector however decided that it wasn’t of sufficient national value for it to be listed. Whitcliffe Mount is […]

Andrew Pinnock was re-elected councillor for the Cleckheaton ward on May 7. The Full Result: Andrew Pinnock Lib Dem 3,010 A.Gray Con 2,002 K.Lowe Lab 1,647 C.Walshaw UKIP 1,593 Stoyles Green 250 Buck TUSC 55 Majority 1,008 Thank you everyone for your support for the work Andrew and the team have done over the years.

The Council have issued the first options for changes to the library service. This includes potentially very significant changes for Cleckheaton Library. In the first option, there will only be 2 libraries one at Huddersfield and the other at Dewsbury. Under this option Cleckheaton Library would close. in the second option, there is a proposal […]

Cleckheaton’s 3 Liberal Democrat councillors wrote to the Secretary of State responsible for planning issues, Eric Pickles MP, to ask him to “call-in” the planning appeal decision on the Lower Blacup site. This is the letter: Lower Blacup Call In let 1213 A “Call-In” allows the Secretary of State to re-consider wider issues than those […]

Redrow House Builders applied last March 2013 to build 54 houses on the land off Ashbourne estate and next to Lower Blacup Farm. The application was refused by the Council’s Planning Committee. Redrow then appealed against that decision to the Government appointed Planning Inspectorate. An appeal was heard by a Planning Inspector last October and […]

Cllr John Lawson and Cllr Andrew Pinnock talking to a local resident about Tesco’s derelict buildings. Tesco announced earlier this year that they intended to abandon their application to build a replacement store in Cleckheaton. This was to replace the current one which was built 40 years ago and is cramped and not a good […]