Bradford Council urged to request grooming gang inquiry inclusion, Worth Valley by-election candidates revealed, water whitepaper criticised
A week of news in Ilkley, the Bradford District and West Yorkshire all rounded up ...
LOCAL
Ilkley Clean River Group criticises government’s water whitepaper
The Ilkley Clean River Group has criticised the government’s New Vision
for Water whitepaper, arguing that it will “shackle” the public into paying more for a failing industry.
The group said that one of the chief issues with the whitepaper was the way in which it “solely blames the regulators”, when in fact it is the water companies themselves who are to blame for all of the problems besetting the industry, from the pollution of waterways to failing infrastructure.
“This whitepaper is a water industry and investor dream, delivering regulators that have to be closer to the water industry to understand them, and then be blamed when it goes wrong,” the Ilkley Clean River Group said in a press release.
The Labour government has described its approach to transforming the water system as a “once-in-a-generation plan” that will deliver better oversight and more accountability.
One of the big changes being introduced is the creation of a new senior role. The chief engineer will work for a new single regulator replacing Ofwat.
“The new regulator will introduce an ‘MOT’ approach for water company infrastructure, requiring health checks on pipes, pumps and more,” the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs explained.
“This forward-looking approach means no more waiting to act, spotting problems before they happen and preventing water shortages. “
You can read the whitepaper here.
Local nursing home joins inspiring musical initiative
A local nursing home has announced that it has joined the Playlist for Life music initiative, which is “designed to harness the power of personal soundtracks” to improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia.
Steeton Court Nursing Home has already kicked off work to get the project up and running with residents filling out specialist questionnaires to discover what their “musical triggers” are.
These are, for instance, songs associated with specific memories and places, whether it’s a favourite holiday or their hometown.
“Music is a powerful tool for anyone, but for those living with dementia, it can be a vital lifeline to their past,” said Kirstie Beard, activity coordinator at Steeton Court.
“While it can sometimes be difficult to recall a specific memory on the spot, hearing a certain melody can unlock doors that have been closed for years.
“We have seen a wonderful response already; the project has brought back memories of dancing at local venues, parents performing in the Steeton Male Voice Choir, and the evocative songs of the post-war era and VE Day.”
For more information on Playlist for Life, head here.
Ilkley business celebrates hitting volunteering milestone
High Speed Training has revealed that it recorded over 1,000 hours of volunteering last year with both local and national not-for-profit organisations.
The Ilkley-based business, which was founded in 2008, said that its scheme had had a positive impact on employee engagement and wellbeing.
Employees are able to take five paid volunteering days a year to support “projects that matter to them the most” at High Speed Training.
“Over the last three years we have rapidly grown our company volunteering programme, increasing the number of hours donated by a factor of 10,” said Amy Mortimer, head of social impact at High Speed Training.
“We achieved this by developing strategic partnerships with charities, providing clear signposting and encouragement for colleagues and genuinely celebrating our impact in the community with the wider business.”
One of its partners is Chapter One, which offers one-on-one reading support to children to help boost their literacy skills.
“By committing to supporting our young readers, [High Speed Training] volunteers have built meaningful relationships with children aged 5-8 who are facing disadvantage, showing up week after week to read, encourage and inspire,” commented Emma Bell, CEO of Chapter One.
According to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s Community Life Survey 2024/25, 17% of adults volunteered formally and 24% volunteered informally at least once a month in the past year.
Local charity invites residents to attend workshop to make homes warmer
Climate Action Ilkley is inviting residents in Ilkley to attend a practical workshop that will provide them with the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge needed to make their homes “warmer, healthier, and more energy efficient”.
Attendees have the option of attending one of two workshops on Saturday 14 February at the Clarke Foley Community Hub on Cunliffe Road. One is being held between 11am–12.30pm and one is being held between 1.30pm–3pm.
“Good ventilation and good draught proofing go hand in hand,” said a spokesperson for Leeds-based Wrapt Homes, the hosts of the workshop.
“Simple DIY measures can make a real difference to comfort, energy bills, and the overall health of a home. These workshops give people the chance to learn the basics and try them out in a friendly, supportive environment.”
According to the UK Green Building Council, the UK is home to “one of the oldest and leakiest housing stocks in western Europe, if not the world”.
Tickets to the workshop are priced at £10 for Climate Action Ilkley members and £17 for non-members. Workshop spots are limited, so booking ahead is recommended, the local charity, which was formed in 2018, said.
Head here to find out more and to book your place. If you have any trouble with that, contact the team via email here.
Locals encouraged to learn how to “talk about climate change” with free online workshop
Locals are being encouraged to take part in a free online workshop next month designed to help people talk more confidently and effectively about climate change.
The Let’s Talk Climate workshop will be delivered by Larger Us, which describes itself as a “community of change-makers who share the aim of using psychology for good”, on Tuesday 24 February between 7.30pm–9.30pm.
It has been designed to help participants to discover the reasons behind why they struggle to talk about climate change with others, while also offering top tips on how to have “positive, hopeful conversations” about the deteriorating health of the planet.
“Graduates” of the workshop will be encouraged to continue to actively develop their new skills by joining “the challenge” group, which will start in mid-March and run until the end of April.
“As part of a small group they will set conversation goals each week, chat through experiences with their group and focus on key topics to supercharge their skills,” Climate Action Ilkley explained.
In 2019, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority declared a climate emergency, resolving to tackle the global challenge at a local level with the full force of its powers.
It has since developed a Climate and Environment Plan 2025–2038, which outlines how the mayor and her team intends to create a net zero carbon region over the next 13 years.
You can book a spot on the free online workshop here.
DISTRICT
CSE survivor Fiona Goddard calls on Bradford Council to be unequivocal in national grooming gangs inquiry inclusion
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) survivor and advocate Fiona Goddard has urged Bradford Council to robustly make its case for being included in the national independent grooming gangs inquiry, which was first announced in June 2025 and later established in December last year.
Speaking at a meeting of the full council on Tuesday 21 January, where she presented a petition calling on the council to “formally volunteer itself for a targeted grooming gangs inquiry” that had gathered over 5,000 signatures, she expressed her frustration at the way the council’s leadership under Susan Hincliffe has equivocated on the matter.
“You have said Bradford is happy to take part and to support the work of the inquiry, but let’s be clear, willingness to take part in an inquiry is not and never will be the same as asking for one – so do not repeat those words to me again today, do not pretend that this is something that you have already done,” Goddard said.
“We are not asking for willingness. We are asking for leadership, and this is why I’m here with you today.”
During her remarks, Goddard – who also recently revealed to the BBC that her attempts to get compensation from both Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police had been rejected – drew attention to what she and her team see as the lack of clear support from councillors on Bradford Council over her specific request.
She explained that she’d sent a letter to councillors in October asking them to back her call for the council to directly request being subject to a local investigation as part of the national grooming gangs inquiry. Only a minority responded that they would, she said.
“Experts have stated that Bradford may have one of the largest grooming gang problems in the UK,” Goddard continued.
“Bradford is referenced in approximately 95% of other grooming gang cases nationwide. Investigating Bradford is therefore essential to achieving justice for victims across the country. It could bring closure and accountability to tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of fell victims nationwide.”
Hincliffe said in response that the council had “already done” what the petition had asked for.
“Back in June when the national inquiry was announced, we wrote specifically to the then home secretary, Yvette Cooper, saying that Bradford would play our full part in the national inquiry,” she explained.
“The Home Office subsequently made it clear that it would be up to the independent chair, not politicians, to decide which places will be included.
“We therefore asked for an early meeting once a chair was appointed, and now that person has been appointed, I have written to them to make sure they are aware of our intention to play our full part.”
For more info, check out our interview with Goddard, as well as a guest post from the CSE survivor and advocate below:
Fiona Goddard: “Sometimes I think, did I die and is this all a bit of a dream?”
Fiona Goddard: My fight for a proper national grooming gangs inquiry
Worth Valley by-election candidates revealed
The Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Reform have all put forward candidates in the upcoming Worth Valley by-election on Thursday 12 February 2026. They will be joined by an independent.
Paul Belcome Constantine Golding will be standing for the Conservatives who will be defending the seat. It was made vacant after councillor Russell Brown passed away at the end of last year.
Golding appears to have last contested a local election in 2024 for Bingley, where he ended up in second place. He also contested Shipley in 2023, where he finished in third place. He’s currently a councillor on Denholme Town Council.
Peter James Kates is representing Labour. Kates is currently a councillor on Keighley Town Council for the Riddlesden and Stockbridge Ward.
Kay Kirkham has been selected for the Lib Dems. She has previously and unsuccessfully contested elections in 2024 and 2023 for Worth Valley and even Ilkley in 2016.
Josie McMaster has been picked for the Greens. The Greens ended up in third place for Worth Valley at the 2024 local elections with their previous candidate Alyson Claire Telfer.
Andrew Mark Judson, who helped trigger the by-election much to the surprise and anger of the other parties, has been selected for Reform UK. He’s currently a councillor on Keighley Town Council.
Judson stood as a candidate in the 2024 general election for Keighley and Ilkley, ending up in third place with 10% of the vote. He also stood unsuccessfully for Keighley West locally that year.
Sabine Ebert-Forbes is going it alone as an independent. There’s very little information about her, but we believe she has some association with Worth Valley Foodbank, which helps people in the area who may need food aid.
For more on the Worth Valley by-election, check out our piece here.
Bradford Council: we’re making financial headway
Bradford Council has revealed that its plans to get its finances back on track are continuing to have a positive impact on its bottom line.
Its leader, Susan Hinchcliffe, said that because of the difficult financials she and her team have “had to make” and the new local government settlement announced by central government last year, the council is now likely to hit its sustainability two years earlier.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of the executive on Tuesday 27 January to discuss its finances among other things, she urged caution, stating that even this won’t swiftly “resolve the [impact that] many years of underfunding” has had on the district.
“Since 2010/11, our core spending power has fallen by 24% in real terms – far higher than the national average of 15.9%,” Hinchcliffe explained. “This equates to over £65 million less each year than if reductions had matched the national average.
“This means that the council will still have to borrow £78 million next year from government to maintain essential services and meet growing demand, particularly in social care.”
The Local Government Provisional Financial Settlement is expected to boost Bradford Council’s spending power by around 47% between 2024/25 and 2028/29.
The former Conservative government policy of austerity has been blamed for jeopardising council finances by the current Labour government, which has stated that the controversial programme of cuts has impacted deprived areas the most.
According to the most recent English indices of deprivation 2025, Bradford is one of 20 districts in the country with the highest proportions of income deprivation and employment deprivation.
St Luke’s Hospital radio broadcaster remembered
One of the oldest hospital radio broadcasters in the UK, who had been spinning tunes at St Luke’s Hospital into his early 90s, has been remembered.
Patrick Murphy, from Odsal in Bradford, was described by Clare Bancroft, head of volunteering at Bradford Teaching Hospitals, as an “amazing person” who was “kind, caring and such good fun”.
Patrick, who was 95 when he passed away 27 December 2025, had been a regular DJ for St. Luke’s Hospital radio station since 2012. Unfortunately, due to illness, he was forced to “hang up his headphones for good” two years ago.
“I feel privileged to have known Patrick,” said David Rathmell, chairperson for St. Luke’s Sound Hospital Radio.
“There was no doubt about Patrick’s enthusiasm and dedication to our radio station and we are ever so grateful for the years and time he gave to St. Luke’s Sound. His photograph is on the wall in our studio and will always be there.”
Patrick had spoken warmly about his time as a DJ at the hospital, describing it an “essential service”.
“For two mornings a week I am pleasing people and bringing them joy so what’s not to like about that?” he had reflected. “I get to play my happy music and bring smiles to people’s faces.”
Patrick’s funeral will be held at 10am on Monday 26 January at St Joseph’s Church in Bradford.
Green Party leader visits Bradford ahead of the 2026 all-out Bradford Council elections in May
The Green Party leader Zach Polanski paid a visit to Bradford last weekend to drum up support for the Green Party ahead of the 2026 all-out Bradford Council elections in May.
Speaking to a packed crowd at Valley Parade, Polanski was keen to stress how important local elections are, explaining that for many, their “first real experience” of politics happens at a local level.
“Councils are under enormous pressure after years of austerity, with some now spending most of their budgets on adult social care,” Polanski went on to say.
“That makes it vital to have councillors who will speak out against austerity, manage finances responsibly, and never lose sight of the fact that communities should not have been put in this position in the first place.”
Matt Edwards, leader of the Green Party on Bradford Council and a councillor for Tong, added that the backing Green councillors in the local elections in May represented a “real opportunity” to change how the local authority is fundamentally run.
The Green Party currently has 10 councillors on Bradford Council. They include three councillors for Craven, one councillor for Ilkley, three councillors for Shipley and three for Tong.
Since Polanski was elected as leader in September 2025, the Green Party has seen its membership numbers increase to over 185,000. When it hit 126,000 back in October, it represented an 80% increase.
CONSTITUENCY
Local MP attacks government over plans to build mega Chinese embassy in London
The MP for Keighley and Ilkley described the government’s decision to approve the construction of a mega-sized Chinese embassy as “outrageous”.
Robbie Moore said that the development of the embassy at the Royal Mint Court in the heart of London should never have been given the green light.
“This Labour government seems determined to undermine our national security at any cost,” he said. Whose side is our pathetic prime minister on?”
Last year the Guardian revealed that in October 2018, the then foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, “approved” China’s proposal to build a mega embassy at the Royal Mint Court.
Addressing the various security concerns that have been raised, the security minister, Dan Jarvis, told MPs in the House of Commons this week that “national security is the first duty of any government”.
Accordingly, security and intelligence agencies had been integral in addressing the “security implications” of building the mega embassy, he said.
“On the basis of the evidence we have received, and having carefully reviewed the nuanced national security considerations, the committee has concluded that, taken as a whole, the national security concerns that arise can be satisfactorily mitigated,” Jarvis explained.
The PM, Keir Starmer, is now expected to visit China as early as next week with a delegation of business leaders. It’ll be the first visit by a British PM since Theresa May last visited in 2018.
REGION
WYCA approves £1.2 billion pound budget
Members of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) have signed off on a massive budget of around £1.2 billion.
Council leaders from Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield approved the budget at a meeting with the mayor, Tracy Brabin.
Describing it as a budget for “delivery, delivery, delivery’, the mayor claimed that the investments that the combined authority will be able to make would transform the region’s economy and society “for generations to come”.
Investments will be made in new homes, the development of skills, employment support and transport.
“The budget promises to usher West Yorkshire from a period of planning to an era of delivery,” the WYCA promised.
“Taking advantage of the certainty and the flexibility afforded by the integrated settlement [we’ll be able] to better align investment across transport, skills, housing and support for businesses.”
The WYCA went on to say that the budget was “prudent and deliverable”. It’s expected to invest around £2 billion in the region by 2030.
Earlier this month, the combined authority revealed that work on the construction of the much delayed White Rose Station will begin again this year. There has been no activity at the site since the spring of 2024.
In December, the WYCA revealed that the launch of its mass transit system would be delayed. It’s now expected to open in the late 2030s.
xAmbitious plan to plant millions and millions of trees by 2050 announced
The White Forest Partnership has announced ambitious plans to plant around 134 million trees across west and north Yorkshire by 2050 as part of its new 25-year strategic plan to create a cleaner, greener region.
That’s only if it hits its stretch target to increase tree and woodland cover from 12% to 18.5% over the next 25 years. Its primary goal is to increase it to at least 16.5%, which is equivalent to around 92–93 million more trees.
The partnership, which was set up in 2000 and includes all five local authorities in West Yorkshire, as well as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Defra among others, said that the initiative will be delivered in stages via five-year “action plans”.
“The White Rose Forest partnership is driving forward tree planting and management where it is needed the most across North and West Yorkshire,” said
Iwan Downey, programme director for the White Rose Forest Partnership.
“It’s about collective action – from the White Rose Forest team, local authorities and businesses to communities and landowners – to create a resilient, healthy and prosperous landscape for our communities, for nature and for growth.”
According to the Forestry Commission, some of the environmental benefits of planting trees include improving air quality through the natural absorption of pollution and providing more and richer habitat for diverse wildlife to thrive.
You can read about the strategic plan here.