COUNCILLORS have clashed over funding for the £4m redevelopment of St George’s Square.

And the landmark regeneration is still weeks from completion – despite Kirklees Council saying it would be finished by June.

Setts have been laid in various parts of the square with signs saying these areas will be fenced off until July 22. And the Examiner understands that work will not be completed until August.

On May 9, the councillor in charge of the redevelopment said the work was "into the last six weeks".

Around 10 workers were at the square on Friday, with some using plant machinery. Roads around the square were blocked off with diversions in place.

Meanwhile, the two councillors who have overseen the development since it began last April have clashed over its cost.

Clr Ken Sims was responsible for the redevelopment until his Conservative administration was toppled in January.

He has criticised his successor as Cabinet member for regeneration – Lib Dem Clr Christine Stanfield – for not knowing if the £4m redevelopment was over budget.

Clr Sims said: "We need to ask if Clr Stanfield is capable of running her portfolio. To not know the financial position of this regeneration project is appalling, especially as she was responding at last month’s council meeting to a written question, meaning she had ample time to seek officer advice."

Clr Sims added that the Lib Dem had criticised him in the past for going over budget. The Holme Valley South Conservative said: "In March she was quite happy to front a Liberal leaflet blatantly stating the square was over budget, which is misleading.

"It has never been over budget, and it is highly unlikely it will ever be. To say that it is over budget is a slur on myself as a former Cabinet member, and more importantly. it is a slur on the officers in charge of the project.

"Clr Stanfield says it is well over budget one minute, and hasn’t got a clue the next. Her ‘pink’ face should be turning very red!"

But Clr Stanfield said Clr Sims had not clarified the financial position of the redevelopment when he was in charge.

The Lindley Lib Dem said: "There were serious concerns about the cost of St George’s Square while he was the Cabinet member responsible – he failed to address these.

"Clr Sims agreed that the council should spend £50,000 every year on cleaning the water in the new water feature which is an extravagant waste of public money."