SAFETY watchdogs are to meet councillors next week to discuss concerns over a Huddersfield chemical firm.

Officials of the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive will meet Kirklees Council on Wednesday, January 18.

They are to brief councillors on continued inquiries into the Grosvenor Chemical plant in Linthwaite – rocked by a huge fire in 2010.

Since the huge blaze, local residents and councillors have expressed concern over the firm’s complex alongside the River Colne.

Councillors David Ridgway and Nicola Turner have held meetings with residents and have pressed for action from the two agencies.

They want the agencies to reassure people about what can be done to protect residents and the environment from any similar incident in the future.

The huge fire rocked the Linthwaite plant on May 24, 2010.

It needed the actions of 150 fire-fighters before it was brought under control and resulted in serious damage to parts of the plant and damage to the environment.

Toxic smoke and poisonous substances were released into the air and into the River Colne.

Clrs Turner and Ridgway (inset) proposed to council in September that the two bodies be invited to attend and brief members after receiving a deputation from the Colne Valley Residents Action Group who raised a series of continuing concerns about the site including those of access and security.

Clr Turner said: “The events of May 2010 showed clearly that there are issues at the plant which need to be addressed.

“Next week’s meeting will be an opportunity for council members to hear what the agencies have to say and for us to raise with them any further concerns we still have”.

An inquiry by the Health and Safety Executive failed to establish the exact cause of the inferno after key evidence disappeared from the site and no court action was taken against the firm.

But the Environment Agency did issue three ‘Improvement Notices’ against the Linthwaite-based company.

It is an offence not to comply with the notices.

The notices were to improve drainage and the storage of materials.

Residents have also been concerned over poor access to the site to and from Manchester Road and have asked for improvements.

Vehicles going to and from the firm have to use a steep track to the main road.