Leeds data centre plan defended by mayor
Tracy Brabin talks to BBC Radio Leeds about data centres, tourist tax plans and a trip to India.
**Leeds data centre plan defended by mayor**
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has backed plans for a data centre in Leeds
The Mayor of West Yorkshire has supported proposals to build a data centre on the edge of Leeds.
Technology giant Microsoft has been given permission by Leeds City Council to develop the site at the former Skelton Grange power station in Stourton, although the plan has faced opposition.
Brabin has been taking questions as part of Message the Mayor on BBC Radio Leeds. She also discussed a proposed "tourist tax", a trade trip to India and the latest work to address domestic violence.
The mayor was questioned about environmental worries surrounding the new data centre. Around 250 people gathered on Saturday to protest against it.
"I will take each individual case as it stands - but the economic case for Skelton Grange is really powerful.
"It's about £4bn of investment in our communities; a thousand jobs.
"But 'big tech' will not have a blank cheque here in West Yorkshire. I've been very clear about that."
Microsoft says it is committed to being "carbon negative [and] water positive" by 2030.
"We will make sure that you don't pay more if you're in a lower cost hotel than in the higher-end five stars - and that families won't be impacted unnecessarily.
"But this comes on the back of the understanding that the whole of the Western world works like this.
"You go to Europe - you go to Barcelona, or Malaga, or wherever - you will pay a small amount on your room because that money then stays 'in region' and benefits the local community as well as tourists."
Mayors are being given the power to introduce an uncapped overnight visitor levy - but Brabin and other Labour mayors have agreed to set a 5% cap.
"We are selling the brand of Yorkshire. Yorkshire is five million people."
In October, Brabin will join mayors from North and South Yorkshire, along with senior business leaders, on a trade mission to India in the north of England.
Brabin confirmed her travel will be funded with public money and was asked whether she would fly economy.
"Some businesses that are coming with us, they have potentially booked themselves into business [class], or some people might want to travel [in] first.
"I don't know whether I will go business or economy. Let me see."
Brabin said she would consider whether it would be more or less cost effective to fly early in economy and spend more nights in hotels.
"The good news is that Elland is underway and the highway and access programme has been approved, so we go to full business case.
"But yes, it's taken far too long. It's about partnership working with Network Rail and others.
"If I had a magic wand, I'd get all our stations built imminently."
Elland is finally set to get a railway station, which is expected to cost £49m - more than twice the original estimate of £20.3m.
A caller asked the mayor why it had taken more than 20 years for the project to get started.
"When I first became the mayor, violence against women and girls was our central strategy in my police and crime plan.
"We are just launching our serious violence strategy and, of course, violence against women and girls sits at the heart of it.
"Myself and our deputy mayor for policing and crime, Baroness Alison Lowe - both of us have lived experience of sexual violence.
"So we made it, obviously, a priority to get a change in our community."