The number of years men and women in Calderdale might expect to live in good health has fallen, according to new data.
But councillors clashed over what might be the cause.
In a questions session at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council, Coun Dan Wood raised the issue using new Office for National Statistics figures, also published by the council on its website in September.
Coun Wood (Green, Northowram and Shelf) said: “In common with many other parts of the country, the latest healthy life expectancy figures for Calderdale make grim reading.”
He said 2024 statistics showed a fall over one year in female healthy life expectancy from 63.2 years to 60.9 years, while for Calderdale men it had also slipped and was now 60.2 years.
“This means that it’s likely that a majority of people are suffering from significant ill-health well before they reach retirement age,” said Coun Wood.
He asked Cabinet members what steps they would take to avoid further deterioration in the situation against a three month backdrop where the Reform UK administration, which took control of the council at May’s elections, were backing away from active travel and cycle lane schemes aimed at improving health.
Other issues included planning approval for fast food outlets near schools – a new McDonalds at Shelf – and lack of provision of cool spaces in the summer heatwave, he said.
But Leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Dan Sutherland, strongly disagreed on causes.
“The biggest issue when it comes to life expectancy is wealth inequality – the top priority we’ve got is trying to deal with value for money, Council Tax is a regressive tax that hits the poorest hardest,” he said.
Coun Sutherland (Reform UK, Illingworth and Mixenden) went on: “If we think that cycle lanes is the answer to improving life expectancy, it is really disconnected and the equivalent of the rich saying to the poor ‘if you want to live longer, get on your bike’,” he said.
According to the statistics, for 2022-24 Healthy life expectancy at birth in Calderdale males was 60.2 years, which is not significantly different to Yorkshire and Humber (58.2 years) or England (60.9 years).
Healthy life expectancy in for 2022-24 Calderdale females was 60.9 years which is not significantly different to the Yorkshire and Humber figure (58.6 years) or England figure (61.3 years).
In terms of life expectancy, males in Calderdale are expected to live just over one year less than males in England (78.2 compared to 79.5 in England) and this difference is statistically significant, says the council.
Males in Yorkshire and Humber are expected to live to 78.3 which is not significantly different to Calderdale.
Life expectancy for men in Calderdale fell between 2017-19 and 2020-22, though now appears to have stabilised, says the council.
The data shows females living in Calderdale are expected to live one year less than those in England. (82.5 years compared to 83.3) and this difference is statistically significant.
Life expectancy for females in Yorkshire and Humber is 82.3 and is similar to the Calderdale figure.
However, life expectancy for women has shown small improvements between 2019-21 and 2022-24, according to the data.
Where you live in Calderdale also plays a part.
For men, the average life expectancy is 79.5 in Calder and Ryburn, but 77 in central Halifax and only 75.5 in north Halifax – it is 78.7 in the upper Calder Valley and the longest-lived on average are in the lower Calder Valley at 80.3, together giving a Calderdale average of 78.2 years.
For women, the average life expectancy is 82.5 in Calder and Ryburn, but 82.2 in central Halifax and only 80.6 in north Halifax – it is 83.8 in the upper Calder Valley and the the lower Calder Valley, together giving a Calderdale average of 82.6 years, according to the new data.