Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young and Skills Minister Robert Halfon have both been in Keighley this week and took part in visits to organisations including Keighley College and KWVR.
Accompanied by Robbie Moore MP, Mr Young was greeted by Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Chairman Matt Stroh, Operating Company Chairman Nick Bennett, Finance Director John Hinchcliffe, and Operations and Business Manager Noel Hartley, where the group boarded a steam train which travelled from Oxenhope to Keighley.
Stopping at Bridge 27 - the focus of the government's recent £1 million grant - the minister heard how the Bridge had reached the end of its useful life and how closure would have meant cutting the railway line in half, causing huge social and economic impacts to the area. The rebuild means the KWVR will have a brand new bridge with a 120-year design life.
The group then stopped at the Great Northern Junction, where they discussed introducing the need for signalling schemes at Keighley and Haworth to meet the rising demand of tourists visiting the area.
The group finished then their journey in Keighley at the Water Tank House, which is being turned into a visitor centre with levelling up funding.
Mr Young then visited Providence Park, which is currently under construction, to hear how a £6 million grant agreement with the government is helping to develop up to 7 industrial units at the site, bringing jobs and growth to the local area.
Finally, Mr Young concluded his visit at the Sangat Centre, which has received a total of £370,500 of funding directly from the government for major refurbishments to the centre’s roof and facilities.
Robbie Moore, Keighley's MP, said: “For too long, Keighley’s part-time politicians of the past failed to properly stand up for our town. But now things are changing. Since being elected in 2019, I have helped secure record amounts of government funding specifically ringfenced to get the regeneration of our town going again.
"It was therefore a pleasure to show the Levelling Up Minister just how this national funding is having a real impact on the lives of everyday people. As we speak, repairs and restorations are currently underway to buildings across our area - all on the back of government investment - and on top of the recent announcement of a new Airedale Hospital for our area.
"I look forward to working with all involved to make sure these new investments are a success and thank the Minister for his time visiting our mighty town.”
Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young, added: “I know how hard Robbie Moore has worked to make sure towns like Keighley get the funding they need to thrive, and it was great to see how our investment is already making a huge different to local people’s lives at the Sangat Centre and on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, as well as how we’re investing in the future at sites like Providence Park.
”I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone I met today for giving me such a warm welcome to your town, and to Robbie for inviting me here. Keighley is a fantastic place, and it was brilliant to visit today.”
Former MP John Grogan, who is standing for Labour at the next general election, said: "The £1 million grant to Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is of course to be welcomed. It is worth noting however that the Government recently turned down a £20 million levelling up bid for Keighley including further improvements to the railway which would have allowed more trains to use the heritage line and people to commute from villages like Haworth and Oxenhope. It also involved unlocking brownfield sites for development and support for a new advanced robotics training centre.
"Since 2010 Bradford Council has had to make cuts of £350 million due to national reductions in grant. What the Government gives with one hand it has more than taken back with the other."
Meanwhile the minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, Robert Halfon came to the town to hold a skills roundtable at Keighley College, praising the town’s “extraordinary” local apprentices and students.
The visit was part of Love Our Colleges campaign 2023, a fortnight-long celebration raising awareness about how UK colleges can support local skills, labour markets and life chances.
The roundtable discussion, hosted by Keighley College Principal Kevin O’Hare and the town’s MP Robbie Moore, was attended by a range of stakeholders, including T-level students at the College, local apprentices, vocational students from priority local skills sectors, and local employers like Tim Rogers, engineering firm Teconnex and local manufacturing firm Stell, who are actively engaged in employing apprentices at the college.
The discussion revolved around various topics related to skills and education, with a particular focus on T-levels, promoting vocational qualifications, and boosting the apprenticeship agenda.
Commenting on the visit, The Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP said: “I’ve been able to meet some extraordinary young people this week at Keighley College. They all have a real passion for what they do and it was great to hear about how they are being supported by both Keighley College in their journey through education and indeed by local employers like Tim Rogers, Teconnex and Stell as they move into the world of work.
"We can all agree that skills are the catalyst for boosting local growth in towns like Keighley, and that’s exactly why this government is working to accelerate apprenticeships, T-levels and vocational skills across all of our town’s and cities.”
Robbie Moore added: ”Keighley College plays a huge role in our community, equipping our young people with the skills they need to go on and thrive. It was great to see the Skills Minister emphasising the importance of vocational education, which is something I’ve been focused on since becoming Keighley’s MP. I look forward to taking the ideas raised at this roundtable down to Westminster.”
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