BUSINESSES, community groups and some councillors are among those who have signed an open letter delivered to both Calderdale MPs demanding a recovery plan be ready for the post-COVID world.

The letter, organised by the Build Back Better campaign and co-ordinated by Calderdale Green New Deal, was delivered to Calder Valley Conservative MP Craig Whittaker and Halifax Labour MP Holly Lynch.

It demands a recovery plan that protects public services, tackles inequality across the community, provides secure well-paid jobs and creates a shockproof economy which can fight the climate crisis.

The letter has been co-signed by more than 40 community groups, local businesses and councillors from across Calderdale.

It stresses the importance of investing in the NHS and social care, tackling the climate crisis, and creating green jobs.

Among the councillor signatories are Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot), who is the Cabinet member for Climate Change and the Environment and Liberal Democrat Group Leader Coun James Baker (Warley).

Signatories who have commented on the letter include Hazel McGrath, of Calderdale People’s Assembly Against Austerity, who said: “We can’t go back to business-as-usual after the pandemic. We need to create an economy that works for everyone.

“At the heart of the Covid-19 recovery, we need a green new deal that will help us tackle the climate crisis and create millions of well-paid green jobs to tackle rising unemployment.”

Ian Thurley, chief executive of 125-year-old Brighouse company Siddall and Hilton Products Ltd said: “Building Back Better means the government focusing infrastructure investments in deprived areas like ours.

“It means utilising local companies to build it, creating quality, secure, employment and supporting local manufacturing.

“We want to build a 21st century factory incorporating state-of-the-art green technologies to meet our climate targets – but we need government support to do it.”

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Lauren Iredale, a Sowerby Bridge resident, said flooding had shown how afterwards people knew how to rebuild as a community.

“Year on year, we’ve seen devastating floods in the valley.

“We already know the pain of seeing our homes, businesses and natural habitats destroyed.

“But the next day, we come together to help repair the damage.”

MPs are due to return to Parliament from their summer recess next week, and the community want to make sure a green and fair recovery plan is top of their agenda, said the campaigners.

The event is part of the national Build Back Better campaign, which fights for “a green and socially just recovery” from the Coronavirus pandemic.