The town centres of Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike, Birstall, and Mirfield have been earmarked for improvements worth thousands of pounds.

Kirklees Council has set aside £25,000 to boost landscaping features in the district's town centres to make them more attractive to shoppers, visitors and potential new businesses.

On Monday, the cultural and leisure services committee is being asked to approve £3,000 each for Cleckheaton and Birstall, £2,000 for Heckmondwike and £1,000 for Mirfield.

The work planned for Cleckheaton includes shrubs outside the town hall, replanting the flower beds in Albion Street and Bradford Road and improving the beds in the park.

Hanging baskets will be provided to encourage shopkeepers and businesses to put up their own floral displays.

Horticultural features will also be provided at the entrances to the town with a view to finding sponsors for new direction signs at these sites.

In Heckmondwike the historic clock in the Market Place will be floodlit and the beds in the green space above the Market Place will be replanted.

In Birstall the planters in Market Place will be replaced with hanging baskets and the landscape feature there will be replanted. Better shrubs will be placed near the library, in Low Lane and at the junction of Low Lane and Thorn Street.

And Mirfield is to get new plants outside the library and in front of Grove Park.

Keith Joplin, president of Spenborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: "We welcome anything that enhances Cleckheaton and makes it more attractive to potential customers and creates a better environment for shopping. The improvements fit in with our feelings about how the town should look. We can't wait to see them.''

Alan Walker, president of Birstall Chamber of Trade, said: "We warmly welcome the improvements, especially for the Market Place which is the focal point of the town centre.

"Plants always brighten up a place and we hope they will encourage more people to come into Birstall.''

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