A LABOUR politician has welcomed a Government grant to Kirklees Council.

Clr Mehboob Khan, his party's leader on Kirklees, said the £1.5m awarded to the council meant it was one of the first to benefit from new grants aimed at helping local businesses grow.

He said the main benefit was that the council would be allowed to spend the extra cash on anything it chose, from improving services to cutting council tax bills.

Revenue from business rates is paid to the Government by councils, then redistributed according to population density.

Clr Khan said: "Over the next three years, cash given back to councils will total more than £1bn.

"This provides substantial rewards for Kirklees to help new businesses develop and existing ones to expand.

"The Liberal Democrats moan about the increase in council tax being down to the Government not giving them enough money to plug the shortfall in social services spending.

"But they are being given £1.5m extra to spend how they like - and still the council tax goes up by 5%."