Tip to reopen with £400,000 culture cash

A recycling centre which was closed two years ago is to reopen with £400,000 diverted from culture funding.

Sugden End Recycling Centre, near Keighley, West Yorkshire, was closed by the then Labour-run Bradford Council in 2024 as part of cost cutting measures.

Earlier this month, the Reform UK-led executive voted to reopen the site, which would be funded by "de-prioritising" money for cultural events such as markets, festivals and concerts in the district.

The decision was called in for further debate on Tuesday but the committee voted to implement the decision immediately. Reform councillor Ian Walker said: "Opening up Sugden End will benefit more people than cultural subsidies."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Labour councillor Susan Fricker argued the executive had not considered the potential impact of cutting the culture funding.

Referencing City of Culture, she said: "It brought the public realm to life. It had a hyper local programme that brought heritage into the heart of communities across the district."

Fricker added the £400,000 funding would help local communities hold similar events in the future.

Other opposing councillors feared withdrawing cash for cultural events could mean losing crowds to neighbouring cities and impact the high street.

However, Reform councillor Ian Walker explained: "Our job as a council is to work for the benefit of people in Bradford in the best way."

He added: "I get dozens of questions every week about waste collections. I get none about cultural events. Based on that, the evidence is there."

Four members voted for the executive to reconsider the decision to scrap the culture funding, but five, the committee's Reform and Conservative members, voted against.

After the meeting 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."

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