Councillors challenge shopping centre demolition

A decision by Wakefield Council to buy and demolish The Ridings shopping centre is to be further scrutinised by councillors.

The authority's regeneration overview and scrutiny committee has taken the rare step of "calling in" plans to flatten the ageing mall to make way for a multimillion-pound regeneration project.

Cabinet members on the Labour-run authority previously voted to buy the centre as part of a scheme expected to take more than a decade to complete.

Jack Hemingway, cabinet member for regeneration and economic growth, said it was "absolutely right" the committee should "hold us to account", and said "we welcome the opportunity to present this to overview and scrutiny".

Scrutiny committees have rarely-used powers to refer decisions back to cabinet for reconsideration, setting out in writing the nature of members' concerns.

Following approval of the plans last week, 10 opposition councillors submitted a formal request for them to be re-examined over claims there had been a lack of public consultation.

They also claimed the project would pose a "financial risk" for the authority.

The request said: "The potential for a funding gap between demolition and redevelopment has not been adequately scrutinised."

The first phase of the project is being funded through £17.9m from the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government.

Councillors said there was "no mention" of the Ridings scheme in the authority's capital and investment strategy for the 2026-27 financial year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The request stated: "The cabinet has failed to address the significant public outcry due to the lack of consultation prior to this decision.

"Residents and business owners and wider community affected by the project have expressed shock and anger over the council's governance, calling for transparency and accountability."

It added: "There is no evidence that a comprehensive renovation model was fully costed as an alternative to total demolition."

Scrutiny committees comprise elected members from different political parties, along with co‑opted members from local organisations in the community and members of the public.

Since the cabinet system was introduced in Wakefield in 1999, committees have voted to call in decisions on fewer than 10 occasions.

Although a committee cannot directly reverse a decision, it can delay and force a reconsideration.

Gillian Marshall, the council's chief legal officer, said: "Call-in is part of Wakefield's democratic process to ensure accountability and transparency."

A date for the call-in had not yet been set, but it would be in "early March", she added.

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