A campaign group has called on councillors of all parties to “stop playing politics” and deliver on their promises.

Ahead of Thursday’s meeting to elect a new leader of Kirklees Council, campaigners from Kirklees Stop the Cuts want the new-look council to start work on reversing a “decade of decline and austerity.”

The group is calling on the council to scrap the privatisation of dementia care homes in Newsome and Heckmondwike; re-open Dewsbury Sports Centre and Deighton Sports Centre; and take closer scrutiny of residents’ fears over the potential health risks caused by work on a housing development in Cleckheaton.

A press release from the group says: “On Thursday 28th May, the council faces a second chance to form another administration.

“This meeting is not about who understands the standing orders or constitution, it is about the future of our town and our services.

“We expect and look forward to the new council committing to reverse the decade of decline and austerity ushered in by Labour.

“Labour was rightly punished on 7th May for presiding over the cruellest of cuts and closures. They were resisted by determined community campaigns which came together to try and protect our public services.

“Now we expect all the parties to stop playing politics, and carry out their promises.”

The group wants to see the dementia care homes Castle Grange in Newsome and Claremont House in Heckmondwike continue under council control.

Though the council intended to transfer both homes to a private operator, Mulberry Care Homes, contracts have not yet been exchanged, according to the group.

Shortly after Mulberry was announced as the council’s preferred partner, a Care Quality Commission report was published which found that one of Mulberry’s existing care homes – White Rose House in Thongsbridge – had been rated as ‘requires improvement.’

Campaigners said the council had pledged all along to only hand over the homes to a “quality” provider and this was now undermined by the latest CQC report.

The Labour administration refused to back down saying there was “wider evidence” to suggest Mulberry operated care homes “safely and effectively.”

The press release adds: “Kirklees Stop the Cuts was formed four years ago. We stopped the closure of several sports centres, the dementia care homes and some libraries.

“We are now demanding the new council commit to saving our services.”