KIRKLEES Council is owed £1.4m from developers, we can reveal.

As part of the planning process, developers wanting to build large-scale projects may be required to make an investment into the wider community.

It’s known as a Section 106 agreement and developers’ money is put towards road improvements, schools, health centres and the wider community.

Colne Valley Conservative MP Jason McCartney, took up the issue after being asked why developers’ money hadn’t made its way into the community.

He began researching Section 106 cash pledged for his constituency and says steps need to be taken to ensure it materialises.

Kirklees Council has confirmed that in the past 10 years, £10.6m was negotiated with developers as part of S106 agreements.

Of that, £1.4m is still outstanding, and the council admits that £650,000 of it is “accountable to developers in financial difficulty”.

Mr McCartney said: “It’s something which isn’t easy to understand but is really important for the community.

“I want people living near to new housing developments to be able to look at them and know the roads are improving as a result or they’re getting a new school or money is going towards re-tiling the roof on a community centre.

“Developers agree to this spend in the planning process, so it’s right that communities are getting what they’re owed.”

The MP says that of the Wellington Mills development, off New Hey Road, Oakes, the authority is still waiting for £42,163 to be handed over.

It was in 2004 that Lanson Development was given consent to transform the Lindley mill.

Companies House records show that Lanson Developments hasn’t filed accounts since 2008. Lanson Homes (Yorkshire) based at the same address, has been dissolved.

The MP was told that the developer did make a contribution and some of it benefited Lindley CE (VA) Infant School, which got £14,000 towards the £512,000 cost of a two-classroom extension built in 2006.

Lindley Junior School got a £14,000 contribution towards the £290,000 cost of a two-classroom extension built between January and May 2007.

Salendine Nook High School got a £14,000 contribution to the £928,000 cost of a science and ICT extension built between October 2007 and April 2008.