MBIs back Haigh Woods Campaign

Councillors joined campaigners on their March against 299 houses on Haigh Woods in West Ardsley

Councillors joined campaigners in West Ardsley on a march and rally against a controversial planning proposal for 299 house on a Greenfield site at Haigh Woods in West Ardsley on Sunday. The march – attended by around 100 people – walked from Hilltop Community Centre up to West Ardsley Reservoir where they joined residents on a litterpick of the area.

Cllr Robert Finnigan- who attended the march and the clean-up said “It was a pleasure to join residents on a beautiful day with their campaign against the loss of this valuable Greenfield site. Morley Town Council have lodged a formal objection to this application because of its impact on schools, health centres and local roads and many residents on the march were raising similar concerns.”

The march up Haigh Moor Road was supported by the local Neighbourhood Policing Team. At West Ardsley Reservoir campaigners joined residents already undertaking a litterpick of the area.

Cllr Robert Finnigan said “West Ardsley Action Group and local residents deserve all credit for arranging these two events. It was a brilliant turnout for both events and enough rubbish was collected to fill a large skip. I have contacted Yorkshire Water – who own the reservoir – about additional litterbins and they have agreed to meet to discuss this. The march and clean-up day has been achieved because residents have worked hard with other partners to make sure both events had the support of the local community.”

 

More Homes at affordable rents for Morley Families

More affordable Homes to rent coming to Morley

Morley Councillors are to meet with Housing Officers at Leeds City Council to discuss a proposal to increase the number of affordable homes for rent for low income families in the Morley area.

Cllr Bob Gettings said “The present planning policies allows for 15% of all new homes to be affordable homes. Presently this is split between homes to rent and reduction in the prices new purchasers can buy their homes for. We want to explore the options for more homes at affordable rents to take additional families off Morley’s long housing waiting  list.”

Morley housing waiting list has over 2,000 people on it. Affordable homes to rent can be provided by Councils or Housing Associations.

Cllr Judith Elliott said “We think it is a priority to offer more affordable family homes for rent to local families. We know housing need is extensive across Morley and changing housing and planning policies to increase the number of new affordable homes for this group needs to happen as quickly as possible.”

Council Officers have indicated that several of the new proposed developments in Morley – such as Laneside Farm in Churwell and Pitty Close Farm in Drighlington – could be subject to the higher affordable homes obligation.

Backing residents in Tingley

Over 200 residents at a public meeting opposing the proposal for 299 houses on a Tingley Greenfield site

A public meeting to discuss a controversial housing development proposal on a Greenfield site in Tingley was attended by over 200 local residents last Wednesday. The meeting, organised by Independent Councillor Cllr Jack Dunn to coordinate the opposition campaign, heard from speakers including Morley Borough Independent and Conservative City Councillors, a representative from Andrea Jenkyns the local MPs office along with a retired planner and lawyer, about their support in opposing the housing development off Westerton Road in Tingley.

Cllr Robert Finnigan said “This was an excellent community meeting that was well organised and well supported. The meeting agreed to set up a steering group to coordinate the campaign opposing this unnecessary housing development."

The site was proposed for housing development by Labour controlled Leeds City Council at a meeting on 10th January 2018 with the full support of Ardsley and Robin Hood Ward Labour Councillors but Morley Borough Independent Councillors along with other political groups voted against the plan.

Questions were asked about the capacity of local roads, schools and health centres to cope with the development. Other residents raised concerns about land drainage, affordable homes and pollution levels.

Cllr Judith Elliott said “We are supporting residents with their campaign opposing this planning proposal. This is an unsustainable site and Planners should  refuse the application because of the negative impact it will have on local roads, schools and health centres.”

MBIs deliver Council Tax Freeze

Morley Town Council supports Morley Town Centre

Morley Town Council voted at its meeting last Wednesday to freeze the council tax precept delivering a nil increase on the amount Morley residents will pay to the Council for 2018.

Cllr Bob Gettings said “For the third year running we have frozen the Council Tax Morley residents pay to the Town Council. We appreciate that Council Tax payers have had significant increases in the Council Tax they have had to pay Leeds City Council and we believe a Council Tax freeze was the fairest way forward.”

The precept Morley residents pay supports additional services across the area including increased levels of Policing, additional gritting of roads, additional highways safety measures – such speed indication devices, support for Morley Town Centre as well as financial support for local community groups and increased enforcement services.

Cllr Robert Finnigan said “Although we have frozen the precept again, Morley residents are still getting additional services that Leeds City Council won’t provide. The precept amounts to less than 20p a week for a band D property and for that residents get more Police on local streets, more vigorous enforcement of issues such as anti-social parking and dog fouling, safer roads and more financial support for community groups.”

 

MBIs backing Fairtrade Campaign

Backing Fairtrade Tea and Coffee Producers

Morley Borough Independent Councillors are backing the campaign to bring Fairtrade Status to Morley and to make Morley a nationally recognised Fairtrade Town.

We have joined the working group who are developing a plan to meet the criteria for the award which includes traders, schools and local businesses recognising the Fairtrade movement and supporting it with their purchases and with what they serve in their shops and cafes.

As the present Mayor of Morley I am pleased the Town Council serves Fairtrade tea and coffee and has given a £500 grant to support the campaign. I also know many MBI councillors also make personal choices to financially support the Fairtrade movement.

The Fairtrade Movement has developed over many decades to give producers - often from developing countries - a fair deal for their produce. This sometimes includes paying a Fairtrade premium which goes to the producers in the country of origin who use the additional premium to improve health and educational opportunities for their families.

We are delighted to support the Fairtrade movement and will continue to work with others to promote the fine work the Fairtrade movement undertake.

Topcliffe Lane Parking Plan

Morley Town Councillors have welcomed the publishing of a traffic regulation order that begins a legal process to bring a new highways plan to Topcliffe Lane in Morley. The plan, which follows a long period of consultation with residents in the area, will now go out to formal consultation which is likely to lead to its implementation early in the New Year.

Cllr Judith Elliott said “Publication of the traffic regulation order – which is the start of the legal process to bring this plan to reality – is most welcome. This means that, barring legitimate legal challenges, the new proposal will be implemented in the New Year.”

The plan includes residents parking permit schemes on some of the cul-de-sacs along with limited waiting times for parking outside residents home and an extension of yellow lining preventing parking at any time.

Cllr Robert Finnigan said “Residents have raised their concerns for many years about parking problems on Topcliffe Lane. Residents report being abused by motorists parking cars on Topcliffe Lane who work on the adjacent industrial estate. The parking on Topcliffe Lane has been so severe on some occasions that buses and emergency vehicles could not move up and down the road. This plan will address most of these anti-social parking issues.”

The new plan should be implemented early in the New Year and a review will be undertaken 6 months after implementation to see if additional measures are required.

SIDS working

Morley Town Council financed SIDS (speed indication devices) are working well according to feedback from local residents. The devices, in place on Glen Road, Scotchman Lane and Glen Road, indicate the speed motorists are travelling at and are proven to slow down drivers.

Cllr Jim Aveyard, Chairman of the Town Councils Highway Committee said “We have financed SIDs across Morley and we were keen to get residents views on what impact the devices had had in their communities. The feedback from residents was generally positive with many believing it had slowed traffic down. Other residents believe more work needs to be done to slow traffic down. We have taken this on board and will explore further options.”

Other residents on Scatcherd Lane and Scotchman Lane have also welcomed the introduction of the devices.

Cllr Robert Finnigan said “The devices do two things. They give instant feedback to drivers and this often leads to a reduction is the speed they are travelling at. The devices also monitor on, a long term basis, the speed of motorists and this data can be used it evidence the need for further action – such as permanent safety cameras.”

Morley Town Council are looking to roll out the SID programme to other locations including Magpie Lane, Westwoodside in Churwell and Rein Road.