The first steps have been taken to create a new sharing project in Kirklees.

And the local council hope that the initiative will get major support from communities across the area.

They have labelled the project Comoodle, a word that aims to conjure up anything and everything.

And it’s exactly what Kirklees Council wants in ideas in a unique project funded with €1m by philanthropist Michael Bloomberg.

Comoodle aims to build a sharing platform where stuff, space and skills are on offer.

The eye-catching headline so far has been that, one day, you may be able to borrow a Kirklees Council van if it benefits the wider community.

In the short term it’s aiming to be a council and community skills match-making project and an effort by Kirklees to encourage greater involvement from communities.

Around 140 people were given a sneak peak of Comoodle at an interactive launch held in Huddersfield.

Duggs Carre, Comoodle project manager, explained: “We’ve got a lot of people interested, enthusiastic and able to be involved in their communities, but the council needs to make sure it can happen.

“Around 60% of the people we invited to the launch were council staff, because we’re beginning with projects that share skills, stuff and space and a lot of that is the council’s.

“It’s about changing hearts and minds. The council is bureaucratic, we looked at things in a structured way and this is about making sure we look at things in another way.”

It’s also about changing the culture – participants were asked to note down what they can offer; what they need; what problems they face and how they can overcome them. Ruth Redfern, Kirklees Council’s director of communities, left a card seeking better ways of talking with all of the council’s staff.

Sharing ideas are still being developed and pilots will get underway soon. Kirklees will also submit a plan to Bloomberg and Mr Carre added: “The advantage of Bloomberg is that they appreciate innovation but they accept there are going to be difficulties and some times things go wrong.

“If we can get the right energy, some great ideas then we can certainly give anything a go, even loaning a van in a few years.”