A councillor has hit out at a bid to share cash from housing developments in other areas.

Kirklees Council, like all authorities, gets a New Homes Bonus which is a government financial incentive for councils agreeing to new housing.

Plans put forward in Kirklees would see the cash be put into a general committee pot rather than it solely being spent in the council ward affected by the new housing.

Clr Mark Hemingway, Lindley Conservative, said: “I spoke against this on behalf of the residents of Lindley which already has an unfair and unsustainable level of new housing developments.

“I see the fact that other wards will now have access to our New Homes Bonus as an added incentive to vote even more housing through in Lindley.

“This is totally unfair. At the meeting I was told that the additional money could well be used in Lindley, but I’m not holding my breath, as it is we seem to be losing out to other wards in terms of school places etc and I don’t see this changing anytime soon.

“Housing in Lindley seems to be block-voted through by certain groups with the residents who speak at planning meetings being completely ignored.”

Kirklees Cabinet had recommended that 10% of the New Homes Bonus be given to District Committees, which for the Huddersfield area is £226,355.

Councillors from all seven wards in the Huddersfield area discussed how it could be used and agreed to consider how the funding could support the district move towards a new council approach, plus set deadlines for the funding proposals to be considered at the public meetings.

Clr Hemingway’s ward and party colleague, Clr Gemma Wilson, and Lindley Lib Dem Clr Cahal Burke raised their objections to the decision.