Decision on horizon for mothballed Kirklees town hall

Abigail Marlow

12 November 2024 at 0:48 pm·2-min read

A decision on the future of Cleckheaton town hall is on the horizon, with its closure previously branded a “huge blow” to thousands.

Last September saw Kirklees Council’s Cabinet agree to mothball the Grade II-Listed town hall as part of a review of its estate. This came as part of the bid to plug a £47m black hole in the local authority’s budget at the time.

The move caused outrage in the community, which has repeatedly accused the council of “neglecting” the much-loved venue, with repairs yet to be made to the area above the main stage, which was found to be unsafe in July 2022.

A further example was brought to light more recently, with messages uncovered through an FOI showing that two of the town hall’s four boilers were found “unfit” in 2015 and another had “failed”, with concerns the other would do the same.

However, when the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) put this to the council, it said the hall’s heating system was operating “effectively”.

With a new report drawn up, the matter will be brought back to Cabinet for a final decision on the future of the town hall on Tuesday, December 10.

Currently, the council is giving very little away about what options are being considered, with its website explaining members will be given the “relevant information” to help them come to an “informed decision”.

Speaking earlier this year, Cleckheaton ward councillor, John Lawson (Lib Dems), said: “The mothballing of our Town Hall continues to hurt businesses in Cleckheaton as well as the community groups it hosted.

Cllr John Lawson, Liberal Democrat group leader

“The U3A has halved in size. The Cleckheaton Amateurs struggle for a venue as good as the stage in the hall that drew groups from the whole of West Yorkshire. The Folk Festival has stopped and that was something that really put us on the map, generated income and made us proud of where we live.

“The estimates for the repair work are in direct proportion to the lack of investment in one of Spen's few remaining assets. We have missed out on at least two rounds of serious investment that other Town Halls have benefitted from over the last few years.

“The building has been steadily emptied of services and functions. It’s a textbook case of a self fulfilling prophecy.”

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