That’s the message from a Newsome councillor who is fed up with ‘Welcome to Kirklees’ signs on the town boundaries.
Clr Andrew Cooper said: “Huddersfield is the Clint Eastwood of towns – it’s got no name.
“If you go into Dewsbury or Batley there’s a sign saying you’re entering those towns. But when you come into Huddersfield there’s a sign saying ‘Welcome to Kirklees’.
“You can’t simply interchange the words Kirklees and Huddersfield, it erodes our identity.”
Clr Cooper wants to see signs put up on the approaches into town saying ‘Welcome to Huddersfield’.
He said: “There certainly needs to be a sign at Ainley Top and on other roads coming into the town. Putting up signs on the pre-1974 council boundary makes an awful lot of sense.”
The Newsome Green councillor hopes the new rulers of Kirklees will listen to his suggestion. Last month the nine-strong Conservative Cabinet – which didn’t include any Huddersfield councillors – was toppled. A new Labour-Lib Dem Cabinet, with five Huddersfield councillors, has taken over.
Clr Cooper said: “The shift in power gives us a chance to put Huddersfield on the map.”
New council leader Clr Mehboob Khan welcomed the proposal yesterday.
The Greenhead Labour man said: “I’ve spoken to Andrew about this and I think he has a very valid point and it’s something that we want to pursue. Kirklees isn’t a place, it’s a local government boundary. It’s not a term that ordinary visitors to Huddersfield would recognise.”
Clr Khan added: “I would be grateful to know of any person or business who is willing to sponsor a ‘Welcome to Huddersfield’ sign.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring a sign can call 01484 221 814.
Kirklees Council was formed in 1974 by the amalgamation of the councils of Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley, Spenborough, Colne Valley, Denby Dale, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Kirkburton, Meltham and Mirfield.
