HIGH-LEVEL talks are planned on the future of Huddersfield Tourist Information Centre.

Campaigners are fighting Kirklees Council’s plans to close the Albion Street office and move its services to the town hall and the library.

And now Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman has offered to chair a meeting between the two sides.

He said: “It seems to me that this dispute will not be resolved without someone bringing both sides together.

“I thought a meeting might be useful, to see if we could have a civilised conversation rather than shouting at each other.”

The meeting, which could take place on Friday, will include council leader Clr Mehboob Khan and Kirklees regeneration chief Clr Christine Stanfield.

People against the closure plan will be represented by Stan Solomons, Newsome Green councillor Andrew Cooper and Steven Leigh from the Mid-Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

In March the council announced that the Albion Street office would close to save money.

Kirklees plans to move ticket bookings to Huddersfield Town Hall and tourist information to Huddersfield Library, saying the move would save £58,000 in the next two years.

But campaigners led by Cowlersley man Stan Solomons believe the closure will weaken Huddersfield.

Mr Sheerman said he could see both sides of the argument.

He said: “A part of me agrees with the council that a move is possibly necessary but another part of me thinks that the service shouldn’t be split into bits.

“I’m not stuck on one location, what matters is that the location is good.”

Mr Sheerman added that tourism was important to the town.

He said: “A place like Huddersfield deserves a tourist information centre.

“We’re getting an increasing number of visitors to the town.

“There are thousands of parents who come because their kids are at Huddersfield University and lots of people who come for things like the contemporary music festival.

“We need to build on this and bring more visitors.”

Mr Solomons welcomed the meeting.

He said: “I’m delighted with the action that Mr Sheerman has taken.

“I’m hoping that the council will drop their plan for a divided tourist service with information in one place and the sale of tickets in another which is flawed both from a public convenience and business view point.”