A COUNCIL’S statement in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign is still causing flashpoints among councillors, almost five months after it was made.

The statement, issued in July, saw Leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town) say the Black Lives Matter movement had the council’s support.

He said: “As a council we stand united in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. And we are not alone in this. Across our region, our country and across the globe we have seen support for this movement; our neighbouring local authorities, the business community and our sports community have backed this call for change.

“I am proud that Calderdale has always been a safe and welcoming place with many diverse and vibrant communities and we oppose any discrimination, hate speech or racially motivated activity.”

At the time the statement was criticised by Conservative councillor Coun Sophie Whittaker (Con, Rastrick).

Kirklees Conservatives refuse to back report designed to tackle inequalities

Coun Roger Taylor (Ind, Northowram and Shelf) raised the issue of the statement in the “questions to Cabinet members” section of last week’s full meeting of the council, and also criticised supportive remarks also made in the summer by the council’s Chief Executive Robin Tuddenham.

“I wasn’t asked for a vote in this and feel it’s a little bit rich to put out that the council supported Black Lives Matter,” said Coun Taylor.

Coun Taylor said he believed all lives mattered and deserved respect and protection and asked Coun Swift why he had said “the council” when a vote had never been taken on the issue.

Coun Swift said he made no apologies for the statement – at times the council needed to respond quickly to circumstances, the council should not be blind to discrimination and what Mr Tuddenham had set out was something local authorities needed to address.

“People may disagree with that but I think the council was right to say what it did,” he said.