Calderdale Council: Angry teachers and furious Local Plan protestors to rally at Halifax Town Hall meeting

The Calderdale branch of teaching staff union the NEU will rally outside Halifax Town Hall before a full council meeting.

They hope to lobby councillors to oppose funding cuts and support striking teachers.

Also demonstrating before the meeting will be residents protesting against the Local Plan, which includes building around 10,000 new homes in the borough.

As reported by the Courier, the proposals have been particularly controversial in parts of Calderdale including Brighouse, Rastrick, Greetland, Hipperholme, Northowram and Shelf where a majority of the homes might be built, with campaigners citing concerns ranging from infrastructure to air quality.

Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker has called on people to join the Local Plan protest and sign a petition against its adoption.

He said: “It doesn't matter if you build one new house or ten thousand new houses - you still need the infrastructure in place to support the level of growth.

"I am not against building new homes. The Conservative Group on Calderdale Council and I have been very clear about that. We recognise more homes are needed in Calderdale.

"But what is incredibly important is the infrastructure - roads, GP surgeries, schools, even the sewage and drainage systems.

"We cannot support such large quantities of new houses in a concentrated area of the borough (Lower Valley) that already suffers from horrendous traffic congestion, poor air quality and is prone to flooding without that vital infrastructure.”

As well as the Local Plan, councillors at tomorrow’s meeting will also be asked to vote on a motion to oppose education funding cuts and actively demand that the Government provides a fully funded pay rise for teachers and support staff in schools.

The past two months have seen teachers in Calderdale walkout during four days of strike action over pay, conditions and school budgets.

Daniel Whittall, President of Calderdale NEU, said: “Our education system is in crisis, and NEU members have been taking action to defend it.

"Our campaign to save our schools has had widespread public support and has brought the government to the table for negotiations. We now need to keep up the pressure.

"A vote for the motion will be a vote for our children’s futures, and a vote for improved pay and conditions for education workers.

"We hope the council will pass the motion, and that this political pressure combined with the pressure from our member’s industrial action will win the fully funded uplift to school funding that we’re demanding.

"Teachers and support staff, along with other workers across the country, need a pay rise, and we will be there to do everything we can to ensure councillors back this motion.”