Partnerships Work 

A couple of examples of good partnership working between Bradford Council and local town councils came to light. Often to get things done it is more effective to invite people around a table than to grandstand and to constantly be looking to blame others.

Firstly there  was good news on Silsden Park where the buildings, which are nearly 90 years old, have fallen into disrepair over the years. At the request of rugby team Silsden Storm I toured the Pavilion not long before the 2019 election and was shocked by the state of the building but Inspired by the enthusiasm of the youngsters playing the game. Tenders for Phase One of the plan to improve matters will go out soon. There will be a new building clad in wood with two new changing rooms and two unclad storage containers for rugby equipment and christmas lights. The project is a great example of partnership working in difficult financial circumstances. Bradford Council have played a key enabling role and Silsden Town Council as landowner have made sure that this issue has been raised constantly as a local priority. The funding for Phase One will come from the Rugby Football League, Silsden Storm and the Sports Pitches Improvement Programme. The next priority is to get a plan for Phase 2 to renovate the main building itself.

Equally it was good to hear on Friday that the toilets at White Wells on Ilkley Moor will soon be re-opening for the summer after an agreement between Bradford Council and Ilkley Town Council.  

Remembering a friend

Last Saturday I visited Heaton Woods for the first time - to plant a tree in memory of my good friend and former Lord Mayor Councillor Abid Hussain. He was a man who sought to bring the different communities living in Keighley together.

Speaking for Labour at two important conferences 

Last week I spoke at an international conference in Poland just a few miles from the border with Belarus. My topic was the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. I have had an association with the country dating back to 2005 when I chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group for Ukraine. I provide advice on a voluntary basis to two groups backed by the Ukrainian government; one which is trying to get more early warning systems into the country and the other which is preparing to encourage new business start ups when peace comes.

Then it was a long journey back to the splendid surroundings of the Oak Room in the Principal Hotel in York where I spoke to an audience of energy businesses. My subject was Great British Energy. Under a  Labour government this will be a new state owned national champion which will partner with the private sector in investing in renewable energy. It will also aim to build up the UK’s manufacturing capacity. At the moment we have the largest offshore wind farm in the world off the Yorkshire coast but most of the jobs in the supply chain are in Scandinavia.

A promise to abolish business rates 

Postponed for a couple of days because of the snow last weekend I was pleased to be invited to open Cremz - a new cakes and shakes, waffles and donuts shop in Riddlesden. This is now one of 16,000 plus businesses in Bradford District. Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has said, Labour will abolish business rates and replace them with a fairer system. As a first step small business rate relief would be extended to those who have premises with rateable values up to £25,000 compared with the present £15,000. This will be paid for with an extension of the digital services tax. It is a pity that the Chancellor of tube Exchequer did not pick up this suggestion in the budget on Wednesday. 

Reception desk at Keighley Police Station set to re open 

On Thursday, I had a briefing about crime in Keighley at the local police station. I learnt a lot about the efforts of our local force in combating the abuse and exploitation of children. Also it was good to hear about the increased resources going into combating speeding. It was confirmed to me that the police station reception desk would soon re-open during the daytime which is an important step forward. 

When I was MP for Keighley West Yorkshire Police pledged to open a new station in the centre of Keighley. This is no longer a commitment but if I am re-elected this is something I would want to revisit.

The Mayor’s big night out 

I was pleased to attend Keighley Town Council’s annual civic dinner on Friday hosted by Mayor Luke Maunsell who has had an impressive year in office. The two benefiting locally based charities -  Dementia Friendly Keighley and It's Worth Talking About - did not exist a decade ago but are now both important players in the area’s voluntary sector. 

Looking Forward and Remembering the Past

Keighley and Ilkley is the 23rd seat on Labour’s target list at the next General Election. It is a classic Tory/Labour marginal which usually swings with the country. On Saturday we welcomed Halifax MP Holly Lynch to help us campaign. The two of us worked closely together  when I was Keighley’s member of Parliament between 2017-2019. One of the things we campaigned about was the restoration of a direct bus between Halifax and Keighley and I am pleased to see that this is now up and running. Holly and I also spoke about the economic regeneration of Halifax which I think is a big example to Keighley and a subject I want to make one of my own priorities.

We were also joined by a whole bunch of young , bright and enthusiastic students from the Leeds University Labour Society. This weekend is 20 years since the start of the Iraq War and I reflected that some of them were not even born then. March 2003 was a poignant time for me. I was at the time the MP for Selby. My Dad who inspired me into politics was dying and I recall telling him as he lay in his bed at the Leeds General Infirmary that I was going to return to Parliament to vote against the war (Ann Cryer, who was then Keighley’s MP, took the same view). He somehow managed to raise his walking stick and wave at me saying: ‘Give my regards to Tony!’. Those turned out to be the last words he said to me. I will always be proud to support a Labour government, but on matters of peace and war an informed conscience has to be paramount in deciding what to do.

And finally…

Congratulations to the Irish Rugby Union Team 

On this St Patrick’s weekend it would be churlish not to congratulate the Irish Rugby Union Team on achieving only their fourth ever grand slam. The Irish have of course been a big presence in Keighley for a century or more. The tournament is a great symbol of the ties that binds our islands together. It is so important it is available on free to air tv so that everybody who wants to can enjoy it.