A councillor is hoping to secure more funding to spruce up Heckmondwike as the current scheme comes to an end.

Councillor Tim Crowther (Lab, Heckmondwike) said he would be lobbying hard to get more money from Kirklees Council this year to continue environmental improvements in the town centre.

The £30,000 programme which included stone cleaning shops, providing new bins and making minor improvements in Firth Park will finish this month. Coun Crowther said he hoped the work would improve the mood in the town - and attract investment from the private sector.

He said: "Hopefully the work will help make people believe in Heckmondwike again.

"There's a limit to what the Council can do. The real key is the private sector and we need to attract business back here."

Coun Crowther said Heckmondwike had the highest proportion of empty shops in Kirklees.

But he added there had been interest shown in a number of them, including the recently closed Dempster Lister baker's shop in Queen Street and the former Watsons baker's shop in Market Street.

A grocery and food take-away shop is due to open in Greenside next month and there are plans to build 22 starter flats in the street and a 38-room hotel in the Upper Independent Chapel in High Street.

Economics students from Bradford University are also to create a regeneration plan for the town - which will be used to help secure funding from the Government, Europe and private investors.

Members of Kirklees Council's planning and economic development committee heard the current wave of town centre improvements had run to target and would be complete after the fitting of a high-powered light in Firth Park.

Following a survey made by the Council an extra 22 litter bins were placed in the town centre and a further 22 were replaced.

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