Letter: We deserve more from Council on LDF

The main point raised by the Inspector regarding “Duty To Co-Operate” was included in my representation, the Chidswell Action Group’s and many other representations, yet it would appear that the Council chose to ignore what is a statutory legal requirement.

This raises serious questions about the competency of our local Council and the people at the top who run it.

There is, however, a wider issue arising from this shambles. It appears increasingly likely that Kirklees Council will now have to re-draw its plans based on their “Duty to Co-operate”, their housing strategy and the use of Green Belt before other types of land, meaning that thousands more of Taxpayers’ (our) money will have to be spent, on top of the thousands wasted as a result of the council not being able to comply with a simple legal requirement and produce a viable plan.

It would be easy for me, as a council candidate, to use this letter to score cheap political points against the politically driven plan, but thankfully Kirklees Council - on the insistence of The Inspector - is obliged to publish all correspondence for public consumption, ensuring full transparency in this instance.

I would therefore encourage everyone to log on to www.kirklees.gov.uk/localdevelopment, view the letters from the Inspector, and Kirklees Council, to judge for yourself who is responsible for this sorry saga. As taxpayers, we deserve better.

Mark Eastwood

Conservative Council Candidate – Dewsbury East

Moor Park Lane,

Dewsbury