Saturday, February 19, 2005

Following the squatting of the former Pitt Street Adult Education Centre, demonstrators marched around Hebden Bridge this lunchtime, giving leaflets out protesting against Calderdale Council's sell-off of community assets.

• The former Tourist Information Centre - excellent community asset sold for development for reasons most local people don't understand.
• Pitt Street - sold for a pittance
• Hebden Bridge Fire Station - a decision on its future expected in April.
• Hebden Royd Council offices - under threat
• Garden Street Car Park - tenders being considered

Both Hebden Bridge Library and the Vale Centre also have uncertain futures.

The leaflet given out by demonstrators stated

"The facilities and resources that make Hebden special are gradually giving way to development and profiteering. If we let this process continue the town will succumb to the death knell of gentrification. This means higher prices, more and more commuters with their big cars and out of town shopping habits, more sterile shopping areas and less public amenities. This can only result in a dormitory town, dead to all intents and purposes.

"The Council are supposed to represent us, make them do just that! Stop their attack on the Upper Calder Valley. Demand affordable social housing built to ecologically sustainable standards. v Invest in public services, not private development."