Look Local Issue 1309 Thursday 15 February 2024

Local MP Miriam Cates has responded to ‘deep concerns’ raised over the Towns Fund project in Stocksbridge, which she chairs.

Addressing concerns in a reply letter to Labour candidate Marie Tidball, who is contesting the Stocksbridge & Penistone seat.

Tidball reached out to Cates expressing worries about the project following her attendance at a community forum meeting. e forum reported significant apprehensions over the project, particularly regarding the decision to scrap several smaller initiatives in favour of a new town centre building housing a library and various other functions.

ABOVE: MP Miriam Cates, Chair of the Stocksbridge Town’s Fund is focussed on delivering Stocksbridge a new Town Centre.

ABOVE: Labour candidate Marie Tidball has expressed her concerns over the project in a letter to the MP

In her extensive letter, Tidball posed several questions challenging Cates, including inquiries about the scrapped projects, the expenditure on feasibility work for those projects, and the level of community group involvement in the decision-making process.

In response, Cates accused Tidball of political point-scoring and reiterated her commitment to acting in the town's best interests, free from narrow political agendas. She emphasised the collaborative efforts of the board over the past four years, stressing their nonpartisan approach to decision-making.

Tidball concluded her letter by insisting that the people of Stocksbridge deserve transparency in how the Levelling Up funds will be utilised and advocated for community inclusion in decision-making processes.

Cates, in her conclusion, emphasised the urgency of delivering the new Town Centre, improving transportation, and enhancing Oxley Park, reaffirming her dedication to advancing the community's interests.

The exchange highlights the tensions surrounding the Towns Fund project and the differing perspectives on how best to serve the interests of Stocksbridge's residents.