A strike by social workers in Kirklees has been called off.

Some 200 staff from Kirklees Council’s Children’s Services department were set to take industrial action on Friday.

Members of the public sector union Unison voted in favour of a strike and would have to take action by February 6.

However, Kirklees Council has agreed to extend the deadline until March 6.

With strike action postponed both sides will launch talks aimed at resolving the dispute.

The department was plunged into uncertainty after an Ofsted inspection. A report branded the service “inadequate.”

A government troubleshooter, Eleanor Brazil, has taken charge.

The council and Unison have signed an agreement to go to “joint conciliation” to negotiate an end to the dispute.

Figures released to the Examiner showed that almost 450 social workers had left Kirklees in less than four years.

Kirklees Unison branch secretary Paul Holmes confirmed the strike was off but could be called again with seven days’ notice.

He said: “Unless they come back with something substantial I think we will be giving notice of another strike.”

Mr Holmes said he could not elaborate as a confidentiality agreement had been signed.