Spen Valley residents are being urged to air their views about Kirklees Community Strategy, the blueprint that will guide the district's policies, priorities and services for the next ten years.

Identifying key priorities for the strategy will be the focus of the debate at Kirklees Council's next meeting. The Council is drawing up the strategy jointly with mult--agency group the Kirklees Partnership.

Council leader Councillor Kath Pinnock also chairs the Partnership and said work on the Community Strategy was far from complete.

"It is important that we get it right, and that it is a strategy based on priorities that are important to our residents," she said.

"The Kirklees Partnership has considered what it thinks the priorities should be for the strategy. It is important that residents have the fullest opportunity to tell us if they think we have got it right or wrong, or missed things which are important to local people."

A full draft of the proposed strategy will be ready by the end of the year for wider consultation during January and February, before a final version is approved in March.

Suggested priorities for action include cutting unemployment and crime, improving transport links, housing, education and public health. The group also suggests action to tackle discrimination.

The debate will be held at Huddersfield Town Hall at 2pm tomorrow.