By Christopher Young, local democracy reporter

A discussion on West Yorkshire’s proposed tram system turned tense when a councillor described what was being said in public about the plans as “dishonest.”

Mayor Tracy Brabin had been discussing the future of the mass transit system, which will include a line running through West Leeds to connect Bradford and Leeds, at a meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority on Thursday.

She spoke about the Government’s continued support for the proposal, despite an announcement before Christmas that trams are not likely to be running until the late 2030s.

But Wetherby Councillor Alan Lamb (Cons) claimed what was being said by the Mayor and in a public document that went before the Authority was very different from the contents of a confidential document that had been given to members.

Addressing Ms Brabin, He said: “I would go as far as saying it was dishonest, some of the things that you said.”

Ms Brabin said she was “outraged” by the comment.

Shortly before Christmas WYCA revealed that following a peer review of the Mass Transit plans, the first trams would now not likely be running until the late 2030s, rather than the mid 2030s as originally planned.

This was said to be down to the Government questioning WYCA’s decision to develop both the business case and planning for the routes at the same time, and the fear this was too “high risk.”

It suggested a sequential approach should instead be adopted.

The agenda for the meeting included a public update the mass transit scheme, as well as a confidential document that contained the full details of the peer review.

The public report said: “Over recent months the relationship with Central Government has been strengthened to further enhance the delivery of Mass Transit in West Yorkshire.

“This was made evident during an announcement on 18 December 2025 where Government reaffirmed its commitment to Mass Transit in West Yorkshire,

“In the exchange of letters (Transport Minister) Lord Hendy committed the Government’s backing for West Yorkshire Mass Transit and pledged to look into ways to accelerate the programme in the coming years.

“A commitment was also made to consider adding Mass Transit onto the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio, further bolstering the schemes’ standing as an important infrastructure priority.

“An independent peer review was commissioned for the Mass Transit programme, which is part of the usual process for projects of this size and scale.

“As a result, an updated sequential timeline has been developed which aims to reduce risks and ensure that the project is put firmly on the path for successful delivery.”

Discussing the report at the meeting, Ms Brabin said: “This project is central to economic growth. Our partnership with central government remains strong and secure.

“My commitment to spades in the ground by 2028 remains and Government has granted funding beyond 2032.”

She went on to speak positively about the future of mass transit, pointing out that Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently announced on live television that it would indeed be in the form of a tram system.

The meeting was then due to be adjourned so members could discuss the confidential documents.

Before that happened, Cllr Lamb said he wanted to say something in the public section of the meeting. He said: “The paper and the presentation you have just given bear no correlation to the independent peer review – I would go as far as to say it was dishonest, some of the things you have just said.

“I think people need to see and understand what is in this paper and what the implications are, because mass transit is in peril.”

Ms Brabin interrupted and said: “Councillor, I cannot allow you to continue if you are challenging me about honesty. I am absolutely outraged – outraged, that you have challenged my honesty.”

The Authority’s city solicitor Nikki Manpreet Kaur Deol told members that the exempt report was a peer review that involved the Authority and numerous Government bodies. She said: “When you undertake a peer review it is really important that candid information can be expressed honestly in order for projects to progress and for changes to be made.”

She said the report included commercial and financial matters, and it was her legal opinion that the report be except from publication.

Mr Brabin said they were giving as many facts as were possible to give to the public.

She said: “If I could ask the councillor to retract your assumption about my honesty, I’ll give you a moment to do that.”

Cllr Lamb said: “There is a fundamental disconnect between the tone and nature of the public paper, and what is in the private paper, to the point of being dishonest.”

Ms Brabin said: “It was personal about my honesty.”

Cllr Lamb replied: “I didn’t say you were dishonest Mayor, I don’t believe you’re dishonest, I believe what is presented in the paper – many members of the public would perceive as being dishonest, and I stand by that.”

Asked to make a statement to clarify what he meant, with Mrs Manpreet Kaur Deol saying: “That clarity is quite important for the purposes of this public meeting.”

Cllr Lamb said: “I’m happy to confirm that that was the intent (to say the report, and not Ms Brabin, was dishonest) if any other intent was implied that wasn’t my intention.”

Ms Brabin said: “I’d encourage all members not to use this meeting ahead of local elections for electioneering.”

Ben Still, Chief Executive, said: “The officers that drafted this paper don’t believe there has been any breach of honesty or integrity. Councillor, you are entitled to your opinion, but it is just that – we believe we’ve acted in the fairest way possible.”

A report considered in public by councillors said it had been hoped to announce preferred routes and mode of the mass transit system.

No date was given, but the report stated that the government would now need to approve both the strategic and outline business cases beforehand: “The timeline for consulting on the preferred toute and submitting the required Transport and Works Act Order will be later than anticipated.”

The meeting then went into a closed session while the confidential papers were discussed.

The agenda and reports can be read here.

Mayor Tracy Brabin

West Yorkshire Combined Authority budget signed off

West Yorkshire leaders have approved a landmark budget of over a billion pounds to boost growth through delivering a better-connected, better-skilled and better-built region.

As the region prepares to take control of its first-ever ‘integrated settlement’ from April, the leaders of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield have today (Thursday, 22 January) met with Mayor Tracy Brabin to sign-off on over £1.2bn of spending.

Reiterating her pledge to “deliver, deliver, deliver”, Mayor Brabin said the budget would give the region greater flexibility than ever before, with power and money put directly into the hands of local leaders. This is a huge step forward in West Yorkshire’s devolution journey.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “This historic budget is all about three things – delivery, delivery, and delivery.

“By investing in the high‑quality homes people want, the skills and employment support people need, and the quick and reliable transport links people deserve, we will transform the economy and society of West Yorkshire for generations to come. 

“For our communities, this will mean better buses, the next steps towards mass transit, warmer and more affordable homes, and faster and simpler routes into good jobs.

“This is how we’ll boost business growth and put more money in people’s pockets.”

The budget, which received unanimous support from all five corners of West Yorkshire, focuses on delivering economic growth and prosperity through:

  • Building a better-connected West Yorkshire, with immediate investment in transport services and stations alongside new funding to smooth the path to bus franchising and mass transit, so that residents and commuters can get around quickly, cheaply and reliably
  • Creating a region of learning and creativity, so that every working-age resident can get the skills and the employment support they need to secure a well-paid job, put food on the table, and lead a happy and fulfilling life
  • Investing in new and better housing so that more families can have a secure, affordable and energy-efficient roof over their head, and live in a safe and vibrant community which they can be proud to call home

Discussing the proposed revenue budget of £487 million, alongside an ambitious programme of capital investment worth £767 million, leaders agreed on the need to deliver immediate benefits for communities and businesses, while also laying the groundwork for transformational changes to the region’s housing and infrastructure.

The budget promises to usher West Yorkshire from a period of planning to an era of delivery, taking advantage of the certainty and the flexibility afforded by the integrated settlement to better align investment across transport, skills, housing and support for businesses.

It is expected that this new coordination of funds will enable the region to maximise the benefits of the investment it receives from the government, empowering local leaders to deliver on the region’s ambitious Local Growth Plan.

Transport remains the backbone of Combined Authority investment. The transport revenue budget of £251 million over the next financial year will fund concessionary travel, tendered bus services and the Mayor’s Fares scheme to keep fares low, alongside the transition to bus franchising and the operation of stations and interchanges.

To support this, the transport levy on the five districts is set to rise by 2% to £99.9 million, with no general Mayoral precept proposed for a second-term running, to keep costs as low as possible for working families.

One‑off use of the £13.5 million of Combined Authority reserves will help to manage the costs of managing and maintaining the transport network in the final year of the transition to bus franchising, with future detailed models set to be finalised ahead of phase one going live in Leeds and Kirklees from April 2027.

The programme of capital spending will see investments of £326 million through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), £126 million through the West Yorkshire Transport Fund, and £125 million through the Transforming Cities Fund. Collectively, this investment will drive major improvements to bus, rail and active travel links, and prepare the physical assets needed for a fully-franchised bus network.

Funding is earmarked for early‑stage work on mass transit and the integration of the future Weaver Network, alongside major schemes to improve bus, rail and active travel connectivity.

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