Tick-start for town hall clock

The Spenborough Town Hall clock has stood still for years, but, after an area committee grant was secured for its repair, its hands are now expected to be moving by today.

Cleckheaton councillor John Lawson said: “We are very happy that work has now begun on the clock. After the demolition of Serpentine Mills, many more people are now able to see it, and they can now tell the time too.”

It was hoped that the work, done by clockmakers Smiths of Derby, would be finished by Thursday evening.

The clock, which has stood still at 12 o’ clock since last summer, received £3,900 from the Spen Valley Area Committee for the work last December. This was a share of an £5,874 grant, with the rest to go towards fixing both Heckmondwike’s town centre clock

Cleckheaton councillor Kath Pinnock said at the time the funding was agreed that it was a bittersweet moment for Cleckheaton’s town hall.

“I am really pleased Cleckheaton’s town hall clock will be repaired,” she said. “But it is a bit of a poor do when Kirklees Council just leave funding it to the Area Committee.”

The clock caused controversy last year when Kirklees Council refused to grant the money for the clock, but gave £5,000 to pay for a decorative gold leaf on Dewsbury Town Hall’s clock.

Smiths of Derby has helped maintain clocks for other iconic British landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral in London