A HUDDERSFIELD Town fan is asking fellow supporters to help him win a seat on Kirklees Council.

Robert Pepper is running as an independent in Dalton in this year’s elections.

The secretary of Huddersfield Town Supporters’ Association is standing in the May 3 poll to draw attention to a dispute about the ownership of the Galpharm Stadium.

Kirklees Stadium Development Limited (KSDL) was set up in the 1990s to build a new sporting arena in Huddersfield.

Kirklees took a 40% share in the company, Town 40% and the Giants 20%.

But that arrangement changed after Giants chairman Ken Davy rescued Town from administration in 2003.

He transferred the football and rugby club’s shares into his company Huddersfield Sporting Pride.

In 2009 he sold Town to current owner Dean Hoyle. However, a deal to transfer Town’s 40% back to the football club broke down.

Mr Pepper said: “My primary focus in this election is the issue of the stadium shares. I want to bring more attention to the fact that the shares issue has not been resolved.

“If I were elected I would be in a much better position to try to get the council to do something about this.”

Mr Pepper hopes Town fans in Dalton will help his election push.

“I will be contacting as many football supporters as possible in the ward, which includes Kirkheaton as well as the area around the stadium” he said.

“But it’s not just a sport issue, it’s a public issue.

“The residents in the area are losing out because the stadium is not being developed.

“If it was developed as planned, there would be employment opportunities for years to come. The development plans will not progress until the shares issue is resolved.”

Mr Pepper also hopes to call attention to the Local Development Framework (LDF), the council’s controversial proposal to allow 22,470 new homes in the district by 2028.

“I’m very active about the LDF, which I believe is a flawed plan,” said the Meltham man.

“In the past, Dalton has been a straight fight between Labour and the Lib Dems, and that’s a coalition which has voted for the LDF.

“If I were elected I would be strongly against the LDF and would vote against it.”

Huddersfield Town Supporters’ Association spokesman Steve King urged voters to back Mr Pepper.

“The public need to know and should know – this is not a private issue between two wealthy businessmen. It is in the public interest – public money is at stake and the future of Town and the wider sector of sport in general are at risk.

“The people of Dalton should vote for Bob Pepper to have this matter properly debated to ensure Kirklees taxpayers get better value for money.”

The following are standing for election in Dalton on May 3:

David Lawrence Honour (Green)

Naheed Mather (Lab)

Chris Meadows (Con)

Rochelle Louise Parchment (Lib Dem)

Robert Edward Pepper (Ind)