'Tram delay is a setback - but it's not terminal'
BBCThe mayor of West Yorkshire says she shares concerns that a delay to starting work on a mass transit system could increase costs - but insists the project will go ahead.
Labour's Tracy Brabin has been answering questions on Message the Mayor on BBC Radio Leeds.
She has also been talking about the legacy of Bradford's year as City of Culture, the prospect of people living in the county paying more for policing and the future of the prime minister.
Read our takeaways from the interview below or listen to the full interview here.
This is not a nail in the coffin for trams
Brabin had hoped trams would be running in West Yorkshire by the early 2030s, but in December it emerged that is unlikely to happen until the end of that decade, following a government review.
"We have the money. We have the political will. Everybody wants a mass transit system for West Yorkshire.
"We're the first to do this in the devolved world. We're going to look at how to sharpen the process to do this in the devolved world.
"And this commitment to spades in the ground by 2028 - I still stand by that."
But the costs could go up
Opposition politicians and campaigners have raised concerns this delay could make the project more expensive.
"I am worried about that - I'm going to be frank," admits Brabin.
"Which is why I am really pleased that the secretary of state for transport and Lord Peter Hendy [government minister with oversight of the scheme] are in agreement.
"We all have to find ways to innovate, to change the planning processes, to sharpen up those decision time frames - to really double down on the delivery, so we can catch up time so it doesn't cost more."
Police tax increase is a small price to pay for safety
"The black hole in the policing budget is £10m. If we got approval from the public to raise the police precept, that would reduce that deficit by £3.5m.
"I think that is worth the 19 to 26 pence extra a week.
"So my opinion is, given we have one of the lowest police precepts in the country, that it is a small price to pay to keep our police community support officers, who are out there in our communities supporting people and keeping us safe."
Households in West Yorkshire are being asked for their views on paying more for policing, as part of their council tax.
People can stay here and follow their dreams
The mayor was asked about the lasting legacy of Bradford 2025.
"Bradford is now seen in a different light following its year as City of Culture 2025.
"The impact has been profound on tourism as well.
"Having that deadline really helped us in transforming the city centre, with the work around the station, and making the case for London to Bradford to have extra services to bring more people from south to Bradford and take more Bradfordians to London."
Confidence in Sir Keir Starmer
Earlier this week, Sir Keir told the BBC he would still be prime minister this time next year - and Brabin says she has confidence in his leadership.
"He won by a landslide and he got us to this position.
"There are only two people alive that have given us a Labour government, so he has got us here.
"The key is now to get that messaging out there: what they have delivered, how they are working with mayors to deliver more and how we tackle cost of living crisis.
"Because, quite frankly, the people of West Yorkshire have struggled and we do have to see things getting easier for people."
