Rishi Sunak says Kirklees Council is 'no longer fit for purpose'

Rishi Sunak made his comments in response to a question from Dewsbury MP Mark Eastwood

A West Yorkshire council that is struggling to balance its books has been branded "no longer fit for purpose" by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Kirklees Council has warned of cuts to services as it needs to make savings of more than £47m in next year's budget.

It plans to close some care homes and leisure centres and increase parking charges in a bid to save money.

Council leader Cathy Scott said authorities faced a "black hole in their finances" due to government cuts.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Sunak said "residents deserve better" from the Labour-run council.

He was responding to a question from Conservative MP for Dewsbury, Mark Eastwood.

Mr Sunak said the council had "closed Dewsbury Sport Centre and are proposing to increase car parking charges, punishing local residents and shoppers in the run-up to Christmas".

"This council is clearly no longer fit for purpose."

The authority has been forced to consider closing two dementia residential homes, sparking pleas from the relatives of residents to keep them open.

Senior councillors have also approved plans to increase parking fees in Huddersfield and across Kirklees, with the rise expected to come into effect from January.

Councillor Yusra Hussain, cabinet member for culture and greener Kirklees, said the council had not increased its fees in the past 14 years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Ms Scott said councils across the country faced financial difficulties.

In response to Mr Sunak's comments she said that with "NHS waiting lists at record highs and a prime minister who needs to raid the political graveyard just to find a foreign secretary, maybe Rishi Sunak needs to ask himself whether his government is fit for purpose".