A new post is being created to boost the retail trade in Calderdale’s market towns.

Calderdale Cabinet approved £55,000 for an 18 -month post in a bid to fill empty shops and introduce events to attract more shoppers.

The project officer employed will help revitalise Halifax, Elland, Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden which have seen relatively high void rates.

One of the responsibilities of the new post will be to support the development of a revitalised retail business association in Elland.

Clr Tim Swift, Calderdale leader, said: “There has been a lot of discussion about the future of town centres and I think ours have coped surprisingly well and have adapted to meet the needs of customers.

“As the job description shows, there isn’t a single blueprint that can be applied to every one of our towns, but they can look at good practice in Brighouse and Hebden Bridge and help others to become more of a success.”

The postholder is expected to help reduce average retail vacancies in Calderdale to 11% with no principal town having vacancy rates above 13% and to identify specific problematic and prominent vacant retail units and assist in bringing them back into use.

They will also develop new initiatives such as a programme of street markets and to review and report on local business rate issues and incentives for retail premises in Calderdale.

In a report to Cabinet, Ian Gray, the council’s director of economy and environment, said: “All of Calderdale’s market towns have a significant retail offer and parts of Calderdale have a particular strength in terms of a distinctive independent retail sector.

“It is estimated that the value of the retail economy in Calderdale is £250 million in terms of GVA.

“The retail sector in Calderdale is clearly an essential component of the borough’s economic offer and is an important employer. Again, estimates indicate that there are some 21,100 jobs in the retail economy in the borough.”

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