'Spin' claim in £1m publicity cash

Andrew Robinson

A council has received a 1m grant to help Dewsbury people promote their own town, prompting accusations that the money will be wasted on “spin” and “talking shops”.

Yorkshire Forward has awarded the grant to Kirklees Council so “residents can play a part in regeneration and in promoting Dewsbury themselves”, according to the council.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The authority says the money will help promote the town once the physical regeneration is complete.

Council leader Labour councillor Mehboob Khan said:“The council continues to focus its efforts on physical projects such as the shop-front improvement grant scheme and safeguarding Pioneer House, both of which could transform the face of the town.

“But once these physical changes are under way, the final part of the jigsaw will be to make sure Dewsbury is a place where people are united by a common ambition for a better future and where the actions of local people are helping us to build a positive reputation for the town.

“We firmly believe that local people hold the key to Dewsbury’s success and we are determined to see people more involved in their town.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Part of the public relations work involved the release of 1,000 balloons in the town on Wednesday. School children and visitors to the town centre wrote personal messages on the balloons before they were released.

Coun Khan added: “It is all too easy to think that a town can be regenerated simply by improving its buildings, but if Dewsbury is to attract the private investment it deserves we should also invest in people.

“We’re keen to see that residents are able to play a major part in developing a future both for themselves and their town, and help us to rebuild Dewsbury’s profile for all the right reasons.”

Helen Thomson, of Yorkshire Forward, said: “Improving the physical aspects of a town obviously plays a key part in its regeneration, but without the support of the residents of Dewsbury there’s a chance all this hard work could fall by the wayside.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We hope to promote a community that has pride in its town and shares the common goal of aspiring to create an atmosphere that encourages visitors to return again and again.”

But the spending plans have not impressed Dewsbury councillor Khizar Iqbal.

He said the money was being wasted on “spin”, officer salaries and feasibility studies and could be better spent.

“This is yet another example of wasted opportunities and wasted money. This is nothing short of a disgrace. It could have been used to finance free car parking in Dewsbury and rate relief for hard-pressed businesses in the town and to attract new business to the town.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Coun Iqbal claimed the money would be spent on “endless feasibility studies and communications initiatives”.

“The people of Dewsbury are sick to the back teeth of talking shops.

“We have numerous talking shops spending millions of pounds of money that should be going into practical regeneration and to improving the town and not into inflated salaries for officers, propaganda publications, spin doctors and communication plans.”

Coun Iqbal, a former Conservative who is aiming to become the town’s next Independent MP, claims the town is “dying”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I have put forward a plan for the regeneration of the whole town and various projects that could have been easily financed from the millions that have already been wasted.

“The talking shops have to end and action must now follow.”