Sugden End tip near Keighley will re-open by the end of the year, despite an impassioned debate over how it will be funded.
Earlier this month the Council’s Reform Led Executive voted to re-open the household waste recycling centre, which has been shut since 2024.
The tip, along with two others, was closed by the then Labour run Council as part of a swathe of cost cutting measures.
The re-opening announcement was broadly welcomed, but there was concern over how it would be paid for.
The Executive planned to “de-prioritise” £400,000 of funding that the Council had previously approved to fund cultural events throughout the District to fund Sugden End’s re-opening.
That funding would have allowed community groups to host markets, festivals and concerts in the District’s towns and villages.
The decision was “called in” by Councillor Susan Fricker (Lab, Bingley East) Chair of the Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee, for further debate.
Cllr Fricker argued the Executive had not looked at other ways of funding the Sugden End plans, and had not considered the potential impact cutting the culture funding would have.
On Tuesday evening members of the Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee debated the issue. After almost two hours the committee voted to “release” the decision, meaning the £400,000 culture fund will be scrapped to allow the tip to re-open.
Cllr Fricker said scrapping the funding would “have an impact across the District.” She referred to the impact of City of Culture, saying: “It brought the public realm to life. It had a hyper local programme that brought heritage into the heart of communities across the District.”
She said the £400,000 funding would help local communities hold similar events in the future.
Grilling Director of Place Dave Shepherd, Cllr Fricker said: “Is it not a key message that Bradford Council is sharing with potential investors that culture is a key part of our regeneration programme?”
Mr Shepherd said: “I agree, City of Culture allowed us to make strong steps forward in our regeneration ambitions and showcase opportunities in Bradford.”
Stephen Mair, Director of Finance, was asked what other funding sources were looked at for the tip reopening.
He said funding for bulky waste collections, for parks and for the youth service was also looked at, but the decision was made to use the culture pot.
Some Councillors were concerned that the decision meant the Executive could effectively change a budget after it had been approved by the full Council.
Councillor Amjad Zaman (Lab, Keighley Central) said: “Why even have a budget meeting? Reform could just change that budget at the first Executive meeting.”
Mr Mair said the overall budget is around £1.6 billion, and claimed the Executive could not change the entire budget, just make changes to small amounts.
Cllr Zaman said: “£400,000 is not a small amount, maybe in your world, but not mine.”
Councillor Ibrar Ali (Bradford Independent Group, Bradford Moor) pointed out that one recent cultural event, Leeds Road Festival, attracted 65,000 people to the city.
He said pulling funding for similar events risked losing these crowds to neighbouring cities.
Councillor Ian Walker (Reform, Wyke), Executive for Neighbourhood and Communities was also grilled about the decision, and whether the Executive had considered the business case for the £400,000 funding before the decision to scrap it.
Cllr Fricker said: “Did you ask to see that business case?”
Cllr Walker replied: “No.”
He went on to say the business case was only in its draft form. He added: “Our job as a Council is to work for the benefit of people in Bradford in the best way. Without doubt opening up Sugden End will benefit more people than cultural subsidies.”
Cllr Fricker said: “Do you have evidence for that?”
Cllr Walker replied: “I get dozens of questions every week about waste collections. I get none about cultural events. Based on that the evidence is there.”
Councillor Dawn Thewlis (Reform, Keighley East) said: “When it comes to essential tipping or pleasure pursuits it is a no brainer.”
Councillor Anna Watson (Green, Shipley) pointed out that with the running cost of the tip being £315,000 a year, it will cost Bradford taxpayers £10.5m over the next 30 years to keep it open.
Councillor Lester Martin (Reform, Thornton and Allerton) said that the cost of clearing fly tipping over the next 30 year would be more than £10m, and suggested the opening the Cross Roads tip would drastically reduce the amount of fly tipping in the District.
Councillor Imran Khan, leader of the Labour group on Bradford Council, said: “This call in is not about the reopening of Sugden End, which we absolutely support.
“Our concerns are about the impact on culture and our high streets.
“Withdrawing funding from the culture sector would have a significant ripple effect.
“Cultural events and venues act as an economic engine for Bradford’s local businesses by generating footfall and shaping a city’s commercial environment.
“A reduction in funding could lead to venue closures, which in turn reduces the vibrancy of city centre, town centres and neighbourhoods.”
He urged the Executive to find an alternate way to fund the reopening of Sugden End.
Four members voted for the Executive to re-consider the decision to scrap the culture funding, but five, the Committee’s Reform and Conservative members, voted against.
After the meeting Cllr Walker said: “We are pleased that the Scrutiny Committee has now released our Executive decision for immediate implementation.
“The reopening of Sugden End Household Waste Recycling Centre will be hugely beneficial to Bradford.
“It will reduce demand seen at Keighley and Dowley Gap tips and provide much closer access for around 90,000 properties.”
