Denby Dale

1
Denby Dale Kirkburton Locality Profile 2009
Anna Bowtell, Principal Research Intelligence
Officer, Policy Governance
2
Introducing Denby Dale textile cottage
industries, coal mining, waterways, viaduct,
Denby Dale pies
DENBY DALE Before the Industrial Revolution,
Denby Dale, or Denby Dike as it was then known,
was a very sparsely populated village, with a
textile cottage industry. Relics of this
hand-weaving industry still survive in several
buildings which retain their typical
weaving-chamber windows. The roads were mere dirt
trackways, often impassable during the winter
months and wheeled transport was brought to a
standstill. In 1825, the quiet location became a
main crossroads of two turnpike roads - the
Barnsley to Shepley Lane Head and the Wakefield
to Denby Dale25 years later and the railway had
been built with surrounding factories and mills.
And the village prospered well placed to supply
the textile industry with raw materials, coal for
power, a water supply and transport to move the
products to and from markets. Added to this were
the inherent skills set within the local
workforce of the textile industry, supplemented
by external resource, keen for the new work in
the mills. And so the population of the village
greatly increased and it became necessary to
build terraces of houses to accommodate the
people who began to arrive to fill the demand for
factory workers. For many years into the
nineteenth century children provided cheap labour
in the mills, often working for up to twelve
hours or more a day.
The viaduct started life in 1846 as a wooden
construction, opening in 1850 as part of the
newly-constructed Huddersfield to Sheffield
railway line - but not before it was badly
damaged in a storm and partially rebuilt. The
famous Denby Dale Pies are a 220 year old village
tradition usually baked to celebrate national
special occasions and events. These are not your
normal run-of-the-mill pies these are monster
meat, and sometimes potato, pies that have been
registered in the Guinness Book of Records in
past years!
3
Introducing Kirkburton textile industry, wool
and coal industries, village shopping, students,
attractive landscapes environment
KIRKBURTON The origins of the village date back
to the Iron Age when a settlement was believed to
have been built on the site of the present
church. A Saxon Fort is also believed to have
stood on that site. The village is recorded in
the Domesday Book as Bertone in Wachefeld. After
the Norman conquest the village gradually grew
from the wasteland description that was recorded
in 1086. The two parts of the village were so
named after the construction of the church in
1190, Kirkburton being the part of the village
that housed the church whilst Highburton was
built on the hills. In the Middle Ages the
township remained part of the Manor of Wakefield
and Kirkburton church was at the head of a 16,000
acre parish, which extended as far west as the
Holme Valley. During the First English Civil war
the villagers supported the Parliamentary cause.
The local priest, the Reverend Gamaliel Whitaker,
angered his parishioners by openly supporting the
Royalists. He was denounced to the government
forces who attended upon the vicarage to arrest
him in 1644. During the struggle the soldiers
shot his wife Hester in the ensuing confusion.
Local legend has it that her ghost haunts the old
vicarage. The population of the township
increased rapidly with the growth of the textile
trades. By 1800 the population was about 1400 60
years later it was approaching 3700. After this,
better job opportunities elsewhere led to a
general decline in the population and for nearly
a century the figure settled around the 3000
mark. By 1971 there were 2800 inhabitants, but
following housing developments at Highburton the
population is now nearer 5000.
The Huddersfield-Kirkburton Branch Line opened in
1867, serving the 2 terminal stations as well as
Deighton, Kirkheaton, Fenay Bridge and Lepton. It
was very unusual in that it was operated by the
London and North Western Railway company in an
area where the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
company had an almost monopoly. Plans to extend
the line to Barnsley never materialised and so
Kirkburton remained at the end of the line. It
was primarily used for the transportation of
goods, although passenger services ran until
1930. The line continued to be used to transport
goods until the 1960s, when a combination of road
haulage and a decline in industry around the
village lead to closure of the station in 1965.
Evidence of the railway remains in the area
around Northwood Park, a housing development
built on the old route. Parts of the station
still remain, albeit in ruined state, whilst the
bricked up tunnel can be clearly seen when
travelling into the village centre from Penistone
Road. A psychiatric hospital operated at Storthes
Hall from 1904-1991. It was founded as an asylum
and was previously called the Storthes Hall
Mental Hospital (1929-1938), the West Riding
Mental Hospital (1939-1948)and Storthes Hall
Hospital (1949-1991). After it was closed the
land was sold to the University of Huddersfield
and halls of residence built. Most of the former
site is now home to the Storthes Hall Park
Student Village, with the remaining acres due for
further development as a retirement
village. Kirkburton thrived on a variety of
industrial advances, particularly in wool and
coal. The gradual decline of these industries
gave way to the villages small but thriving
shopping centre. Kirkburton remains the
commercial heart of the township, whilst
Highburton has become the residential centre.
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The locality is a sparsely populated area in
Kirklees. It has a relatively older population
which is more prevalent in Denby Dale.
Kirkburton has a young population between 15-24
and a slightly lower older population
Compared with Kirklees as a whole, the population
of Denby Dale Kirkburton is relatively older.
26.32 of persons living in Kirklees are 19 and
under compared to 24.6 of people living in the
locality. 32.41 living in Kirklees are over 50
years old compared to 36.6 of the localitys
population. Between the ages of 20-34 there is a
dip in the numbers of residents before peaking at
35.
The locality is sparsely populated. 7.8 of all
Kirklees residents live in this locality. The
numbers across the two wards in the locality are
relatively similar. Kirkburton has more 15-24
year olds than Denby Dale and Denby Dale has a
larger number over the age of 65.
Source 2007 Mid Year Estimates - ONS
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Men Women in the locality experience higher
life expectancy levels than the Kirklees average.
The locality has an ethnically non-diverse
population predominantly white population
groups with very small pockets of ethnic groups
The average life expectancy at birth for a person
living in Denby Dale Kirkburton is 79.9 years
for men and 82.1 years for women. This is
approximately 2 years more than the Kirklees
average for both genders. As these figures are
re-estimated at 65 and 75 the difference between
men and women narrows in terms of number of years.
Denby Dale Kirkburton has one of the most
ethnically non-diverse populations in Kirklees
with an average of 98 white population.
Kirkburton is slightly more diverse than the
Denby Dale ward although this is minimal. All
population groups within this locality do not
mirror the levels across the whole of Kirklees.
Source Census 2001
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There is no presence of severe deprivation across
the locality. Pockets of 20-40 worst deprived
areas exist within both wards although more
extensively within Kirkburton
Overall, the locality has low levels of
deprivation. The existing pockets are less
severe and fall within the worst 20-40
nationally deprived areas.
DENBY DALE The Denby Dale ward has little severe
deprivation. The only small area of less intense
deprivation is within Skelmanthorpe.
KIRKBURTON Kirkburton, Grange Moor and the
surrounding rural areas have low levels of
deprivation. The southern part of the ward does
not have deprivation levels within the national
top 40
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A small percentage of the population is within
the worst 20 to 40 levels of national
deprivation but the majority is within the least
deprived. As a result, there are no young or old
people living in the top 20 deprived areas
Source IMD, 2007
Within the locality is a high concentration of
population in the worst 20 of deprivation. The
levels are significantly higher than Kirklees
overall. The percentage of young people and
older people who are living in the top 20
nationally deprived areas in Kirklees is high
within Dewsbury Mirfield locality.
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As a whole, the locality is fairly healthy with
low premature death rates and low rates of heart
disease, diabetes and pain problems. Cancers and
heart attack prevalence however are areas for
concern. Excessive alcohol consumption is
prevalent in the locality and women of child
bearing age are drinking considerably high levels
coupled with a high incidence of smoking.
New cases of breast, prostate and melanoma
cancers were amongst the highest in Kirklees as a
whole, the latter being the highest in Kirklees.

Obesity rates were lower than the Kirklees
average, but half of all adults were either
overweight or obese. A third of all women of
child bearing age were either obese or
overweight, amongst the lowest rates in Kirklees
The locality had low rates of death aged under 75
from all causes, cancers and circulatory
diseases.
1 in 8 residents in the locality smoke and over 1
in 7 women of child bearing age smoke.
The locality experiences the lowest rates in
Kirklees for heart disease (1 in 25), diabetes (1
in 18), backace and pain problems in women.
Men in the locality drink over the sensible
limits of units of alcohol per week, and this had
increased since 2005 to 23 units in the past week.
Heart attack admissions in those aged over 65
were the highest rate in Kirklees (6.6)
Women of child bearing age had the highest mean
consumption of alcohol per week of all the
localities (15 units) sensible limit is 14
units.
Under 1 in 6 people suffered depression, anxiety
or other nervous illness, the lowest rate in
Kirklees and lower than 2005.
Under 1 in 4 people suffered pain (including
arthritis), the lowest in Kirklees
The rates of binge drinking in both men and women
were also higher than the Kirklees average.
Source CLIK 2008 JSNA 2009
9
Young people are feeling miserable, angry and
frequently experience mood changes. Their
support networks however, seem quite strong and
there is a sense of being happy at school. They
are drinking alcohol regularly, earlier on in
life and on their own. Smoking remains low
although these young people are happy to
continue. Diets and activity rates are positive
in the locality. Despite a high number reporting
having had sex, teenage conception rates are low.

Smoking A low number of young people in the
locality smoke 94 per 1,000 14 year olds
compared to 130 in Kirklees. Those w ho are
starting to smoke aged 10 or less is similar to
the Kirklees average. Those who are smoking and
want help to quit is on of the lowest across
Kirklees 75 per 1,000 14 year olds compared with
123 in Kirklees
Emotional Well-being The number of young people
reporting feeling miserable was the highest in
Kirklees (28). Many also felt angry and had
sudden changes of mood, worse than all other
localities. They also reported feeling lonely,
the second highest rate after Holme Valley.
However, young people seemed to get on with
others, were happy at school and bullying rates
were relatively low.
The locality has the lowest rate of teenage
conceptions across Kirklees 24.2 per 1,000
girls aged 15-17 43.0
HEALTH STATUS
Alcohol Nearly a quarter of young people who
drank in the locality started drinking alcohol
early (under 10 years old) and a high proportion
drank alone, 1 in 6. Since 2005, there has been
an increase in alcohol consumption although this
remains lower than the Kirklees average
The locality reflected higher levels of physical
activity 380 per 1,000 14 year olds compared
with 327 in Kirklees and dental health 1.2
decayed, missing or filled teeth compared with
2.3 in Kirklees.
PERSONAL BEHAVIOURS
Sexual Health The locality had the highest
number of young people across the whole of
Kirklees reporting having had sex aged 14 - 23
(Kirklees 17)
The locality has the lowest proportion of babies
born with a low birth weight in Kirklees 53 per
1,000 births compared with 92 for Kirklees.
Source YPS 2007 JSNA 2009
10
Communities in the locality feel non-isolated
although fairly static, Kirkburton predicts
greater mobility in the future. Residents are
mainly home owners and feel their housing is
adequate although repairs, size, cost of
heating and public transport accessibility are
considered reasons for inadequacy
Locality residents feel that their accommodation
is more adequate than Kirklees residents overall.
Problems with adequacy are around repairs, the
property being too small, the cost of heating,
public transport and expensive rents/mortgages.
The level of owner occupation is higher than
average especially in Denby Dale.
Kirkburton 6.7
Moving to another country in the next 5 years
Denby Dale 2.4
Overall, the locality experiences lower than
average levels of isolation this is
particularly the case in Denby Dale.
In 5 years time, 64.4 of residents in the
locality think they will be living in the same
house. 19.2 think they will move to somewhere
else in the area. Residents in Kirkburton seem
more transient and are more likely to indicate
they would move to another country.
Kirkburton 15.3
Moving to another part of the UK in the next 5
years
Denby Dale 8.3
Source CLIK 2008
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The prevalence of crime and the fear of crime in
the locality are both low. Residents feel police
are proactive in seeking issues and reacting to
the information. Improvement in the activities
for teenagers is a fundamental priority for
residents although provision shouldnt be
associated with combating teenagers from hanging
around the streets.
Police and other authorities are seeking
residents issues on ASB/crime 20 19 and
reacting to this information is higher than the
Kirklees average 25 20
21 of residents in Denby Dale and Kirkburton
feel that levels of crime needs to improve in
their local area, compared to 41 of Kirklees
residents overall. The highest proportion feeling
that levels of crime need to improve by locality
are in Huddersfield South (52).
14 of residents in Denby Dale and Kirkburton
feel unsafe after dark, compared to 39 of
Kirklees residents overall.
Source West Yorkshire Police 08/09
The locality has a below average rate of crime at
42.8 crimes per thousand. This locality average
is built up by a slightly higher rate in
Kirkburton than Denby Dale both however, are
still lower than average.
Criminal damage, other theft and non-dwelling
burglary account for a higher proportion of
criminal activity in the locality. Criminal
damage in the Kirkburton ward is almost double
the amount for Denby Dale.
Has the lowest proportion of residents feeling
that anti-social behaviour is a problem in the
local area. e.g. 9 of residents in Denby Dale
and Kirkburton feel that teenagers hanging around
on the streets is a very big problem in the local
area, compared to 20 of Kirklees residents
overall. Has the highest proportion of residents
feeling that activities for teenagers need to
improve in the local area. 58 of residents in
Denby Dale and Kirkburton feel that activities
for teenagers needs to improve in their local
area, compared to 51 of Kirklees residents
overall.
Source Place Survey 2008/9
Source West Yorkshire Police 08/09
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Domestic violence levels in the locality are
relatively low with little variation across
wards. Coupled with this, child protection
referrals and numbers of young people with a
child protection plan are relatively low too.
Child protection referrals are relatively low
compared with the average. Within Kirklees, only
1.3 of children with a Child Protection plan are
from the Denby Dale Kirkburton Locality School
attendance levels are higher than Kirkless and
the percentage of students with Statement of
Educational Needs is lower than average.
In the locality, recorded Domestic Violence
figures are just below 4 of all recorded crime.
This is lower than the Kirklees level and
contains little variation across wards.
13
Communities in the locality are unified. There
is a sense of belonging to the area and people
feel involved in the decisions about their area
especially local services and young peoples
services however, there is a lack of
willingness to become more involved in decision
making.
Fairly high participation rates in being a member
of a group making decisions on local services for
young people and making decisions on services in
the local community
25 of residents in Denby Dale and Kirkburton
feel that they can influence local decision
making, compared to 25 of Kirklees residents
overall. This compares with 27.8 of
Huddersfield South respondents believing they can
influence decisions. The willingness to be more
involved in an area is comparatively very low
within this area 20 compared with the average
of 28.
Of those asked, just over a third of residents in
the locality didnt believe parents were taking
responsibility for their childrens behaviour,
one of Kirklees best perceptions.
75 of residents in Denby Dale and Kirkburton
feel that people from different backgrounds get
on well together. This was higher than 65 of
Kirklees residents overall.
When looking at residents perceptions, only 16
of the locality believe people in the area DO NOT
treat one another with respect and consideration
The most positive response from all of the
localities and better than the Kirklees average
of 37.
Awareness of civil protection arrangements in the
local area is similarly low across all
localities. In Denby Dale Kirkburton locality,
this is slightly higher than the Kirklees average
(13 compared with 12 across Kirklees)
When asked if local residents felt they belonged
to their neighbourhood Denby Dale Kirkburton
were higher than the Kirklees average of 59.1 -
74 of respondents feeling they belong to their
neighbourhood.
Source Place Survey 2008/9
14
Denby Dale Kirkburton locality exceeds in
educational attainment at GCSE level. Attainment
is increasing despite a dip in 2007. There is a
distinct gender gap girls achieving
considerably more highly than boys at GCSE and at
A-Level
Students in the locality perform better than
Kirklees levels. Children in Kirkburton are
leaving school with 5 or more A-C level GCSEs
over 15 higher than the Kirklees average this
pattern remains similar with 20 over the average
attaining English and Maths within their 5 GCSEs.
Nearly all students in the locality are leaving
with 1 or more GCSE A-G. Attainment at GCSE in
the locality has increased over the past 3 years.
The fastest rate of growth is in students
attaining at 5 A-C including English and Maths.
Within 2007, the attainment levels took a dip
before rising in 2008 to higher levels than in
2006.
Within the locality, there is a distinct
difference between gender attainment. Overall,
girls are attaining higher across Kirklees but
the difference is very stretched between genders
in the locality.
A-level attainment in the locality is higher than
the whole of Kirklees. Both boys and girls
out-perform the average however, girls achieve
significantly higher than the average and boys.
15
Within the locality, there are areas of slightly
lower attainment than the rest of the locality.
These areas mirror the deprivation areas fairly
accurately.
There are distinct areas within the locality that
are experiencing slightly higher levels of low
attainment at GCSE. The areas of low attainment
are present within the areas of most deprivation
in the locality. Kirkburton, Grange Moor and
parts of Skelmanthorpe all have lower levels over
the three years. Looking at attainment over a
span of 3 years tries to eliminate the presence
of small numbers and the potential distortion one
year can present
2006 to 2008 Year 11 pupils achieving less than
5 A-C GCSEs Super Output Areas, Localities
16
The locality has a relatively small proportion of
people with no qualifications and a high
proportion with high level skills. Employers
would like to increase skill levels over the next
3 years in areas of skills for innovation and
challenge support to access additional skills
appears to be lacking. Young people who are not
in employment, education training isnt a
problem in the area.
33 38 of residents find it easy to access
support to gain new skills and qualifications
Employers feel that IT user skills (96),
management skills, both leadership/ strategic
and supervisory/ operational (both 77) will need
developing over the next 3 years
The education of working age people in the
locality is particularly high the level of no
qualifications is significantly lower than the
Kirklees average although slightly higher in the
Denby Dale ward. Attainment to Level 4/5 is much
higher than the average with more of Denby Dale
residents attaining at this level than
Kirkburton. The locality also has the lowest
rate of young people not in employment, education
or training NEET.
Other areas of skill development requirements are
in product development skills (66), technical,
practical and job specific skills (67) and
problem solving skills (65).
Source Kirklees Employer Survey 2008, North
Kirklees Business Survey 2008, LAA Tracker 2007
17
The locality has fairly average levels of
service, manufacturing and constructions
industries for its employment. Income levels are
higher than average but the wards in which
service industries are more prevalent, the income
is higher. Self-employment is consistent across
wards and
Source CACI 2009
The localitys average income is higher than the
Kirklees level of household income. There is
quite a large difference between the two wards
that make up the locality. Denby Dales average
is approximately 10 lower than the Kirkburton
level.
The Service sector is a sector providing a high
amount of employment for the locality
Kirkburton sees higher than average levels of
employment in this area. Construction is higher
in this locality than in Kirklees overall with
Manufacturing about average. There are
differences in how this is distributed - Denby
Dale still retains Manufacturing and Construction
sector work and consequently lower service sector
work.
Self employment is equally distributed across
both Denby Dale and Kirkburton wards. As with
all other wards, the male self-employment rate is
much higher than the female rate
18
The emotional and physical health of residents
doesnt appear to restrict the level, type and
accuracy of their working activity. The
residents are also taking fewer days off work
because of sickness or injury accessing health
services proves relatively easy compared to the
average
The average number of sick days per resident in
the locality is 0.14 days. The least for all
localities and lower than the Kirklees average
0.25 days
192 83 find it easy to access GP services and
89 84 find it easy to access community
pharmacies.
Residents find it relatively easy to access
support to stop smoking 57 56, alcohol 28
35, more active 58 47 eating healthily
67 53
Emotional health isnt a problem for residents in
the locality. 14.3 19.2 of residents have
had to cut down on the time spent on work or
other activities because of an emotional
condition
23.2 27.3 had difficulty performing their
work or other activities because of their
physical health
1,2 Source LAA Tracker 2007
23.5 28.4 of residents have accomplished less
than they would have liked because of their
physical health
21.2 26.6 of residents have accomplished less
than they would have liked because of their
emotional health
EMOTIONAL HEALTH
PHYSICAL HEALTH
Physical health doesnt prove a problem for
residents in the locality. 15.7 20.8 of
residents have had to cut down on the time spent
on work or other activities because of a physical
condition
21.6 27.1 of residents are limited in the
kind of work or activities they were able to do
due to their physical health
14.4 20.8 of residents feel they didnt do
work or other activities as carefully as usual
because of their emotional health
Source CLIK 2008
19
The locality has lower than Kirklees average
rates of benefit claimants. There are no
distinct variations between wards but, there are
pockets within wards that are strongly populated
by higher claimant numbers
Total Claimants August 2008
Job Seeker Claimants August 2008
Total claimant rate in the locality is half the
average Kirklees level. There is little
variation between the different wards Denby
Dales rate is slightly above that of Kirkburton.
The localitys level of claimants over 3 years
has remained reasonably static in line with the
Kirklees trend. Within the wards, there are
also distinct variations in the level of
claimants where there are pockets of concentrated
claiming neighbouring pockets of low claiming.
Concentrations of benefit claimants are within
Grange Moor, Flockton, Kirkburton, Skelmanthorpe,
Clayton West, Emley Denby Dale.
20
Job seeker claimant numbers in the locality are
lower than the Kirklees average and are pocketed
within the locality Kirkburton, Skelmanthorpe
Grange Moor. There has been an increase in the
claimant rate in the past year and this has been
the most severe across all localities in Kirklees.
Overall Job Seekers Allowance Claimant Count
April 2009
Variations exist across all the localitys wards.
Kirkburton, parts of Skelmanthorpe Grange Moor
have the greatest concentration of JSA claimants.
The average claimant count for the locality has
been below the Kirklees average for the past 3
years. Between 2008 and 2009 there has been a
sharp increase overall in job seekers claimants
this locality has followed this pattern. Denby
Dales increase is only very slightly above the
rate of Kirkburton.
Although the locality has a below average Job
Seeker claimant rate, the rate of claimant
increase as a proportion of the existing
claimant rate has been highest within this
locality.
21
Only 5 of all incapacity benefits in Kirklees
are within the Denby Dale Kirkburton locality.
Over three years, the claimant rate has remained
fairly static and pockets of intense claimants
can be found within the northern part of the
locality and some more dispersed parts in the
South of the locality. Income Support is fairly
static and replicates the geographical pattern
associated with incapacity benefit.
Source Work Pensions Longitudinal Study
November 2008
22
Over three years, disability living allowance in
the locality has increased minimally in both
wards. Concentrations exist within the northern
and central part of the locality. The
geographical coverage of high spots in pension
credit claimants covers a less extensive area
over the locality particular pockets in Grange
Moor and Skelmanthorpe. Pension credit claimants
are remaining reasonably static.
Pension Credit November 2008
Source Work Pensions Longitudinal Study
November 2008
23
Council Tax benefit claimants are low within the
locality Kirkburton has a slightly lower rate
than Denby Dale. Band A properties are low in
number compared with Kirklees the of
registered properties within band D or above is
twice the average of Kirklees further indicating
high property prices
45 of registered properties in Kirklees fall
into Band A council tax. Within the locality
this decreases to 24.7 of all registered
properties 27.7 in Denby Dale and 21.6 in
Kirkburton. The of all properties in Band D or
above for the locality is 40 compared with 19
across the whole of Kirklees.
Key 10 Denby Dale 19 Kirkburton
There is little prevalence of Council Tax benefit
recipients in the Locality. Just over 11 of all
registered properties in the locality receive
council tax benefit compared to just over a fifth
of all properties in Kirklees. Kirkburton has a
lower concentration of council tax benefit
properties at just under 10.
24
The locality has above average house prices. The
prices have increased in the locality contrary to
Kirklees and National trends however, there is
some variation in this trend at ward level.
Denby Dale has seen a decrease in house prices
contrary to Kirkburton which has seen a continued
rise. Incomes within Kirkburton are able to keep
pace with the heightened prices compared with
Denby Dale where house prices still remain
relatively higher than incomes
Overall house prices in the locality are higher
than Kirklees average. There has also been an
upward trend in price over the last year
contrary to the Kirklees National averages.
For a household in the locality with the average
income, they would have to borrow 5 times their
incomes to afford to buy a home this varies
across wards
The localitys wards both have higher than
average house prices. Denby Dale has seen a dip
in price consistent with the national trend
between 2007 2008. It is a ward where the
house prices are higher than household income by
5 times. Contrary to Denby Dale, Kirkburtons
prices have continued to rise and because incomes
are higher the house price to income ratio is
slightly less.
x5
X4.7
X5.2
Multiplier of income to match house price
25
Employers are fairly satisfied with the locality
as a place to trade and those who are unhappy
attribute this to low incomes, poor customer
bases and lack of business within the area.
Present company turnover is below average and
future growth and profitability remain possible
downfall areas accessibility and connectivity
are key areas for improvement for businesses in
the locality.
Employers in Denby Dale Kirkburton dont seem
to have particularly high concerns over factors
that may affect their business. However,
accessibility and connectivity are possible areas
of improvement lack of parking, poor transport
connections and poor access to transport are all
cited above the Kirklees level.
The status of Denby Dale Kirkburtons company
turnover over the last 3 years is much more
static than the Kirklees average. Consequently,
the future turnover grows but at a lower rate
than Kirklees. Static profits have been made
for the locality with less than a third of
companies growing. Decline in profit however has
remained lower than the Kirklees level.
67 of business respondents in Denby Dale
Kirkburton (54) rate their local area as good or
excellent as a place in which to conduct
business. This is more than the average across
Kirklees.
The main benefits of the Locality for businesses
are the quality of the local environment and the
overall attractiveness of the Locality (both
74).
Three in five of those rating the Locality as a
poor place to conduct business mentioned a poor
customer base/low income Locality/lack of
business.
9 8 of employers say they have surplus land
and 18 16 say they will require surplus land
in the future
Source Kirklees Employer Survey 2008
26
The use of public services in the locality is
relatively low and are delivered fairly to
residents satisfaction. The problem is that
residents are less likely to think public
services act on the concerns of local residents
however, there are few residents who want to get
more involved in making decisions for the local
area. Crime, health and education is of key
importance but improvement needs to be made to
street repairs, young person activities and
public transport
21 36 in locality say public services do not
treat all types of people fairly. Residents are
less likely to think that public services act on
the concerns of local residents 63 Kirklees
62
High satisfaction with GP services 91 83.
Satisfaction with Dentist, Fire and Hospital
services are lower than k/lees average

• Most need improving
• Road pavement repairs
• Activities for young people
• Public Transport

Satisfaction with place to live 91 highest
locality satisfaction
Low use of public services provided by Kirklees
Council although the use of local tips and
household waste recycling units is higher than
Kirklees -64.5 47
Previous surveys highlight the high levels of
satisfaction with the cleanliness levels within
the locality.
Making Somewhere a good place to live 1.
Crime 2. Health 3. Education
Being informed about public services is above
average across the locality 40 35
Residents are happy with the way they can
influence decisions affecting their local area
25 25 although they dont feel that they
would like to become more involved in the
decisions 20 28 the lowest across all
localities
Dissatisfaction with services Public land and
clearance of litter, local bus services and
sport/leisure facilities
33 of people believe Kirklees council provides
value for money 31 satisfaction with the way
the council runs things is high 45 41
Source Place Survey 2008/9