IN two recent editions of the Keighley News, there has been coverage of two projects that sit within the Keighley Towns Fund grants remit – for which Bradford Council is the accountable body.
There was coverage focused on the release of funding to complete the renovation work on the Victoria Hotel building. And then it was about the delay in releasing the funding for Haworth Village Hall.
In both instances, MP Robbie Moore blamed Bradford Council for the delays in getting these projects implemented. Mr Moore is being disingenuous and misleading the public, as he well knows, being a member of the Towns Fund board (now Keighley Neighbourhood Board). Each board meeting has always had, and continues to have, an update on where each of the projects that were initially granted funding are in terms of their implementation – and if delayed, the reasons for that. There are also minutes of each meeting online. I understand this from my previous membership of the Towns Fund board.
The two projects recently covered by the Keighley News were both delayed for very good reasons, as issues were identified as part of due diligence reviews. It’s excellent news that these have now been resolved in relation to Victoria Hotel, and hopefully will soon be resolved in relation to Haworth Village Hall. I’m sure the taxpayers of Keighley would not want funding released until there was 100 per cent certainty that these projects were going to be delivered and well managed going forward.
Mr Moore just trots out his usual ‘blame everything on Bradford Council’ line. This is purely political point scoring. As the local MP he should surely be welcoming proper scrutiny and protection of public funds by Bradford Council as it carries out its accountable body functions, especially as he is fully aware of why they were held up.
Jan Smithies, Braithwaite Village
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