Friday 18 November 2011

Chidswell Rally



My colleagues Cllr Judith Elliott and Tom Leadley joined me for the Chidswell Rally held last Saturday just over the Kirklees Border in Dewsbury. As readers will be aware, this greenbelt land is a proposed site for 1500 homes and large scale industrial development backed by Labour controlled Kirklees Council. As you would expect many people are very unhappy with this and over 1200 locals - including residents from Tingley and Morley - joined together to campaign against these proposals.

Any wide scale development at this location would have significant implications for Morley's schools, health centres and other community facilities with congestion worsening on Dewsbury Road.

Cllr Elliott addressed the rally and was greeted with a positive response when she confirmed the Morley Borough Independents opposition to plan contained within Kirklees LDF proposals. She also confirmed she would be attending Kirklees Council next Wednesday to speak against the plan. A decision will be taken at the same meeting.

Of course local Leeds Labour Councillors could not be bothered to attend neither could Morley's illustrious MP who was also absent. But that is no real surprise as Morley Labour Party back their RSS figures of over 4,000 homes a year. This can only be delivered by digging up greenfield sites such as Chidswell.



We will continue to battle against Labours LDF proposals. Opposition is growing and there is still everything to play for. We owe it to our communities to dig in for the long haul and defend all greenbelt land with all the vigour we can muster!

Thursday 10 November 2011

Siegen Close Crime Prevention Programme



Readers may remember that Siegen Close came under a major attack from metal thieves earlier in the year. Lead was stripped from canopies above many residents front doors and this led to much concern among local residents - many of whom are elderly.

The crime prevention programme was subject to a visit from Sir Norman Bettison - Chief Constable of West Yorkshire - who instigated a campaign to reduce metal thefts in the area.

Our job was to respond to the concerns raised by residents and to make the area safer by reducing the potential for crime. This included the impregnation of the replacement lead with a chemical which makes the metal worthless, additional Police patrols and the fitting of dawn to dusk security lights to the rear of some properties to light up darkened areas at night.

My colleagues Cllr Judith Elliott and Cllr Shirley Varley have worked closely with local residents to deliver these changes and are also supporting the formation of a residents group.

This has been a valuable community led process and we are grateful for the support we have received from local residents. We will be monitoring closely to make sure crime levels are further reduced in Siegen Close and across the rest of Morley.

Friday 4 November 2011

Why Chidswell matters to us!



Followers may well be aware of the proposal via Kirklees Councils LDF for 1500 houses and 35 Hectares of Industrial Units on Greenfield and Greenbelt land at Chidswell in Dewsbury. Some local residents may shrug their shoulders and say "so what - its doesn't impact on us." But it does!

The first problem is the lack of sustainability at the location. Dewsbury Road already gets horribly congested and having additional traffic - both residential and industrial - will increase congestion along with pollution levels. It will add traffic to Tingley Roundabout which is already one of the worst accident black spots in the area ( and one of the reasons for the recent refusal of the McDonald's Takeaway planning application)

Secondly it will put greater demand on local high school and primary school places with Woodkirk High and Hilltop and Westerton Primaries in the firing line. All such schools are presently full and the controversy would be horrendous if local Tingley and Morley children were displaced to accommodate kids from Dewsbury.

Thirdly we have large sections of local industrial estates, such as at Howley Park, half empty that can accommodate new industry without digging up a single blade of grass. It is absolutely bonkers to be proposing development of greenfield sites while other capacity exists.

Fourthly the housing allocation is based upon the barking proposition of targets agreed by the last Labour Government (including Ed Balls MP) and supported by the local Labour Party in Morley which inevitably means ripping up greenfield sites! Normal people recognise that brownfield sites need to be developed first and that we have enough brownfield land to accommodate housing growth at its present rate to last for over a decade.

And what about the Labour Party on this issue? Labour controlled Kirklees Council backs the proposal. The six Labour Councillors that cover the area in Leeds refused to turn up to a recent public meeting and their silence is deafening on the matter. Our very own Labour Councillor Neil Dawson backs the RSS targets so supports the proposals to rip up greenbelt land.

What can we do? This is not a done deal. Objections can still be lodged and MBI Councillors will be joining the rally against this proposal next Saturday on the 11th November. We have also asked to address the full Council Meeting at Kirklees where the final decision will be made.

It a question of keeping battling!