Leeds data centre plan backed by West Yorkshire Mayor

The Mayor of West Yorkshire has backed plans to build a data centre on the outskirts of Leeds.

Technology giant Microsoft has been granted permission by Leeds City Council to create the facility at the former Skelton Grange power station site in Stourton - but there is opposition to the plan.

Brabin has been answering questions as part of Message the Mayor on BBC Radio Leeds. She also talked about a proposed "tourist tax", a trade trip to India and the latest efforts to tackle domestic violence.

Read our takeaways from the interview below or listen to the full interview here .

'Big tech' will not have a blank cheque in West Yorkshire

The mayor was asked about environmental concerns around the new data centre. About 250 people gathered to protest against it in on Saturday.

"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.

Trade trip to India is a huge opportunity

"We are selling the brand of Yorkshire. Yorkshire is five million people."

In October, Brabin will join mayors from North and South Yorkshire, and senior business leaders, on a north of England trade mission to India.

Brabin confirmed her fare will be paid for using public money and was asked whether she would fly in 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 explained she would be weighing-up whether it would be more or less cost effective to fly early in economy and spend more nights in hotels.

Elland railway station is closer to being built

"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 to get a railway station, which is expected to cost £49m - more than double the original estimate of £20.3m.

A caller asked the mayor why it had taken more than 20 years to get the project started.

West Yorkshire should be the safest place to be a woman or a girl

"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."

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