McDonalds Refused for a fifth time!!!



Cllr Judith Elliott with residents at the site visit

 We are celebrating a decision by Leeds City Councils Plans Panel last Thursday to refuse planning permission for a McDonalds Fast Food Take-away at the White Bear site in Tingley for a fifth time. The refusal decision follows on from four previous refused applications and a further refusal decision by a Planning Inspector on appeal.


My colleague Cllr Judith Elliott commented “We are delighted that Councillors have again refused this planning application We have consistently said this is the wrong location for a fast food take-away because of Highways safety issues and its proximity to Woodkirk High School.”

The application was refused following a site visit in the morning and a two hour debate on the afternoon where Councillors voted down the application.

Over 30 residents turned up at the site visit which was good humoured and gave Councillors a useful insight into the concerns residents had. Many of the same residents attended the Panel Meeting in the afternoon to listen to the debate.

Councillors refused planning permission for the application after listening to speakers from the local residents group and Woodkirk High School. Representatives from McDonalds spoke at the meeting but were not able to convince councillors to grant planning permission.

The application was refused because Councillors had concerns about Highway Safety and the impact on residential amenity for the homes adjacent to the site. We also refused planning permission because of the negative impact a McDonalds would have on the health and safety of children attending Woodkirk High School.

McDonalds appealed an earlier refusal decision which will be considered at a Public Inquiry in March and we will be there to continue to battle on behalf of residents.

Judgement Day for McDonalds

The controversial planning application for a McDonalds take-away at the White Bear site in Tingley will be considered next Thursday when a City Council Plans Panel will decide if the application should be refused for a fifth time. McDonald’s have previously lodged four earlier applications for their take-away in a residential location all of which have been rejected by Leeds City Council with an appeal against one of the refusal decisions upheld by a Planning Inspector.

It is decision day for this fifth McDonalds application. The Plans Panel will visit the site at 11.20am on Thursday morning and will debate the application on Thursday afternoon from 1.30pm at Leeds Civic Hall. I would urge residents to turn up to the site visit so that Plans Panel members are clear about the strength of opposition to this plan.

Campaigners have stated that the proposal for a McDonald’s drive through take-away at the location would reduce Highways Safety and that the development would increase anti-social behaviour and litter in a residential area.

My colleague Cllr Wyn Kidger, who lives close to the site, tells me “This is the wrong location for a McDonalds. Their take-aways should be in Town Centres not in residential areas. The local community has lodged thousands of objections over the years these proposals have been pursued and I hope the plans Panel will reject the application.”

Our Siegen Manor Campaign

Morley Councillors have come together to oppose proposals to close Siegen Manor, a Morley based Leeds City Council care home that cares for people with dementia. The unified campaign follows a meeting with the families of residents at Siegen Manor as well as senior Adult Social Care Officers at the home last Friday.

We are joining the families of residents at Siegen Manor with their campaign to oppose closure of Siegen Manor. The home must stay open until high quality extra care accommodation can be provided in Morley for these residents with them all moving together as a community.

We quizzed Council Officers about the options to keep Siegen Manor open while new extra care facilities were opened in the Morley area. Officers were also asked about the additional £5 million which could be generated from April 2016 with new proposals for a 2% Adult Social Care levy on Council Tax bills.

 We are unified with residents and their families to find a positive alternative to the closure of Siegen Manor. We are looking for a similar agreement to the one we reached concerning Knowle Manor which keeps the home open until new high quality extra care places become available in the Morley area. It is important to keep this community together and to campaign for the best deal possible for these vulnerable residents.

Adult Social Care Officers agreed to consider the proposals raised at the meeting. The formal consultation process finishes at the end of December and campaigners have pledged to take to the streets of Morley to get the support of Morley residents.

We will be working with our fellow councillors and the families of residents to keep Siegen Manor open until the extra care accommodation become available in Morley which can take them as a community. We believe the new additional funds we will be receiving from the Council Tax levy can support this approach and we call on Morley residents to back our campaign.



MBI Councillors campaigned with residents to save Knowle Manor

MBI Tax Credit Campaign taken to Leeds City Council

Our campaign to stop Working Tax Credit cuts led to a debate at last Wednesdays Full Council Meeting at Leeds City Council.

I started the debate with support from all parties to campaign together to scrap the Governments proposed Working Tax Credit proposals which, if introduced, would mean many Morley families losing out financially. This support follows a similar debate last week at Morley Town Council where Councillors united in their opposition to the changes.

Welfare Reform is essential but the proposed changes will mean that hard working Morley families would be a lot worse off from April 2016. These controversial changes should be reconsidered and other ways need to be explored to make the tax credit system easier to understand while providing the support required for working families on low incomes.

The debate had contributions from all political parties with agreement reached across the political spectrum that the City Council would campaign to try and persuade the Government to abandon its proposals.

We will find out at the end of the month about new proposals the Government is proposing on Tax Credits but there needs to be a clear commitment to avoid reducing the incomes of Morley’s hardworking low income families.

Bruntcliffe Cemetery Improvement Plan

We have welcomed improvements at Bruntcliffe Cemetery following work to improve the footways. The work was completed following a campaign by Councillors to find the finance needed to undertake the improvements after they received concerns from families using the cemetery.

My colleague Cllr Judith Elliott says “I am pleased we have found the money needed to improve the footpaths across the cemetery. It has been difficult to identify the funds needed but a grant from Outer South Area Panel has meant we could get the work completed.”

Morley Town Council is also exploring using finance to improve Bruntcliffe Cemetery further once new funds from the Community Infrastructure Levy, a levy imposed on new development, start to be received.

Bruntcliffe Cemetery still needs some additional improvements and we are working with Bereavement Services to see what other help can be given.

McDonalds Further Public Meeting

A public meeting to discuss the fifth planning application from McDonalds for a fast food take-away at Tingley will be held on Tuesday November 10th at 7.30pm at Tingley Working Men’s Club. The meeting, which will discuss the controversial move from McDonalds, will also receive a briefing about a Public Inquiry scheduled for next March which will look into a previously refused application at the same site.

My colleague local Town Councillor Wyn Kidger – who represents the area, says “We are having to gear up again to battle with McDonalds for a fifth time. Their proposal for a McDonalds on the site of the White Bear pub has been refused four times before with a Planning Inspector also refusing a further appeal. We are again asking people to object to the new application.”

A previous application was refused by a Planning Inspector because of the impact the fast food drive through take-away would have on residential amenity. Following their fourth refused application, McDonalds appealed and the matter will be considered at a Full Public Inquiry in March 2016. Local residents will be represented at the Inquiry by MBI Councillors who have been granted Rule 6 Party status which allows them to cross examine witnesses supporting McDonalds case.

My colleague Cllr Judith Elliott comments “We need residents to continue to back the campaign to prevent this McDonalds take-away in a residential area. There are many other locations where this development could take place – such as Morley Town Centre. Placing it in a residential area impacts on residents. The proposal brings additional traffic problems, litter and noise which are not appropriate for a residential location.”

Public Meeting Called

Hundreds of residents turned up to the last LDF meeting

We have called a public meeting to discuss Leeds City Councils controversial Site Allocations Plan which could lead to several Morley Greenfield sites being allocated for future housing development.

The meeting, which will be held on Tuesday 27th October in Morley Town Hall at 7pm, will give residents a briefing on the Site Allocations Plan and will give them an opportunity to lodge objections against the allocation of Greenfield sites for future housing development.

The target from Leeds City Council of 7,200 new housing units across the Greater Morley area can only be achieved by ripping up Morley Greenfield sites. This means previously developed brownfield sites, which need regenerating, get left behind and the houses we are presently being offered are Executive Style 4 bedroomed homes – not affordable homes for local residents.

Speakers opposing the plan include Morley Town Councillors along with Parish Councillors from Drighlington and Gildersome.

Gildersome is facing proposals on greenfield sites behind Street Lane and Highfield Drive. The village is presently struggling to cope with additional traffic especially that which will be generated by the Industrial Estate recently granted planning permission on Asquith Avenue. Both Greenfield sites are enjoyed by Gildersome residents and their loss and subsequent building development will place exceptional strain on roads, local schools and the health centre.

A previous meeting to discuss the Local Development plan attracted over 500 people with 75% of all objections to the Plan coming from the Morley area.

Important Greenfield sites such as Laneside Farm in Churwell and Spring Gardens in Drighlington are under threat. We need communities across Morley to come together to make sure their objections are recorded and we get Leeds City Council to reconsider these barmy proposals

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New Village Way Churwell update

Another Morley Greenfield under threat

Over 60 local residents attended a public meeting last week at a Churwell Community Centre to back a campaign opposing the planning application for 57 new houses on New Village Way in Churwell.

At a packed meeting residents raised their concerns about the impact the proposed development would have on the present road network. They were also concerned that local schools and health centres would not be able to cope with the increased numbers of residents generated by the proposed development as well as the impact the development would have on an already congested Churwell Hill.

Residents are clear in their opposition to this development and are working with us to do everything they can to have this application refused. This is a valuable Greenfield site and putting new houses on this site could mean another Morley Greenfield is lost while local infrastructure continues to struggle to cope.

Planners have concerns about the proposal because of the impact on noise, the layout of the houses and the reduction in available green space.

I understand a decision is likely to be made over the next 6 to 8 weeks and I would urge anyone who still has concerns about this proposal to lodge a formal objection as soon as they can.

LDF battle continues!

Morley Borough Independents are gearing up for a further Local Development Framework campaign following an announcement that the site specific proposals will go out to public consultation at the end of the month.

The new campaign, to include a public meeting, will involve local residents working with Councillors to put in objections to proposals to allocate Morley Greenfield sites for future housing development.

We are gearing up for another battle with Developers and we are calling on local residents to join us to defend Morley Greenfield sites which are under threat from these proposals.

Morley Greenfields that are under threat include Laneside Farm in Churwell, land to the rear of Highfield Drive in Gildersome, Spring Gardens in Drighlington as well as sites in Tingley.

The target for the Greater Morley area is 7,200 new housing units with a Leeds wide target of over 74,000. Much of this unrealistic and unsustainable proposal is on Greenfield Sites with little priority being given to previously developed brownfield land. It is clear that local schools, roads and health centres cannot cope with this level of overdevelopment. Our campaign will look towards saving these precious Greenfield sites from executive style housing development and focus on delivering affordable homes on previously developed brownfield sites.

The consultation period starts on 22nd September and continues for an 8 week period. A public meeting to discuss the plan will be held in October.

Bruntclife Road Bus Service Campaign

I have called for a meeting with Bus Chiefs to discuss residents’ concerns about bus services serving Bruntcliffe Road. The meeting follows a story in last week’s Morley Observer and Advertiser about the seven year wait residents have endured to improve bus services on the Bruntcliffe Road corridor.

I understand the frustrations of local residents who I have been working with for many years. Over the last few months I have been exploring ways that development money from the new Barratts housing site on Bruntcliffe Road might be used to improve this bus service. Officers from both Leeds City Council and Metro have been looking at the practicability of this approach.

I have met with residents and independent transport consultants over the last year to agree a plan to resolve the lack of bus services.

Presently we have buses covering Bruntcliffe Lane and Scotchman Lane but the bus service along Bruntcliffe Road is inadequate for the needs of the growing community of residents, many of them older or disabled, who live on Bruntcliffe Road. I am hoping this new and imaginative approach might resolve this problem.

Developers of new homes are obliged to provide development funds to improve public transport under legal agreements. Such funds can be used to improve bus stops and bus shelters but can also be used to directly improve bus services.

I have requested a meeting early in September to try and get this problem resolved. The previous bus operator has not delivered the service to an acceptable standard and I hope, with this additional funding, real progress can be made and residents won’t be waiting a further 7 years for the improvements they deserve!

Battling with Persimmons again!

Another Greenfield site under threat?

We are heading for a further battle with Persimmons the house builder following news of a new housing application from the developer proposed for New Village Way in Churwell. Persimmons was recently granted planning permission for a further 200 homes on a Greenfield site off Albert Drive in Morley.

We held a public meeting in April with residents and asked them to back our campaign to oppose development on this Churwell Greenfield site. We got overwhelming support from residents and we promised we would gear up the campaign to oppose this proposal if a formal application was made.

Persimmons have put in planning application for 55 houses on the Greenfield site with access off New Village Way – a road which already serves over 330 homes on the estate.

Leeds City Councils Planning rules say that a single road should not serve an estate of more than 300 houses. If this proposal goes ahead it will serve over 380 houses overloading the road and bringing serious highways and safety problems. As we all know – local schools are full and the local health centre can barely cope with the people presently registered in the area. Adding more strain to these services and bringing more traffic on to Churwell Hill is utter madness!

We have requested that the application is considered by Plans Panel and Churwells Town Councillors are also backing the campaign opposing development.

Dartmouth Park Playground to be improved

Morley Borough Independent Councillors have lined up a third playground to be refurbished following our successful campaigns to find the money to improve playgrounds at Churwell Park and Magpie Lane. The third playground, at Dartmouth Park, is to become part of the improvement plan and we are to meet Parks Officers at Leeds City Council to agree a delivery programme.

We have identified the money needed to improve the playground in Dartmouth Park. The children’s play area is now looking rather dated and we want to bring it up to date. We will be consulting widely with local residents – especially children and young people – to make sure we come up with a design that they want.

The finance for the scheme is to come from a developer contribution which is a legal obligation developers have to pay to improve local parks if they are building new homes in the area. The contribution for the improvement plan is coming from the Barratts development on Bruntcliffe Road.

It is an exciting time for playgrounds across the wider Morley area. Both Churwell Park and Magpie Lane playground improvement plans have gone out to consultation with the aim of delivering the improvements by the end of the year. It is the community that is driving forward with new ideas for our playgrounds and we are keen to adopt their proposals.

The Dartmouth Park Playground plan should go out to consultation over the next six weeks and we are hoping to see the work completed by Spring 2016.

Low Moor Farm - Labour betray Morley Folk again!

I have reacted angrily to Leeds City Councils recent planning decision to grant planning permission for 200 houses on Low Moor Farm in Morley which will leave Morley children receiving a second class education. This further Labour Betrayal - the Tories, Greens and MBIs voted against it - is exactly what we expect but on this occasion they entirely ignored their own comrade Neil Dawson who also opposed it. Shows you what influence he has on his own Party!

Children’s Service, who sort out places for local children at primary schools across Morley, have already confirmed that there are 30 children who cannot be guaranteed places at local primary schools next year. This planning decision, supported only by Labour councillors, will generate an additional 50 primary school children who cannot be offered a primary school place across Morley as all primary schools are full!

As schools are already full the only way of providing primary education is by craning in portacabins to accommodate the children generated by the development.

It is accepted by most educationalists that educating children in portacabins has a detrimental impact on the learning experience for children. This decision resigns Morley children to a second class education. Labour Leeds City Council allows developers to rip up more Morley Greenfield sites without having the infrastructure – schools, roads and health centres – to accommodate the additional residents these new housing estates bring.

7,200 new housing units target confirmed

The housing target for the Greater Morley area up to 2028 has been confirmed at 7,200 new housing units at Leeds City Councils Executive Board meeting last Wednesday. The new target, for the Outer South West Housing Market Characteristic area which includes Morley, was confirmed at 11% of the Leeds District Wide total.

This is a disappointing decision by Leeds City Council as this target can only be reached by ripping up Morley Greenfield sites such as Laneside Farm in Churwell and Low Moor Farm in Morley. Local residents are already aware that schools are full, roads are congested and health centres unable to cope with the patients they presently have registered with them. This additional burden of new housing will overwhelm local infrastructure.

The proposals from Leeds City Council Executive Board will now go out to consultation for local communities to comment. The Site Allocation Plan will then be considered at public hearings by a Planning Inspector later in the year who will have the final say on the proposals.

We will again be gearing up to attend the public hearings in the Autumn to put our case to save as many Morley Greenfield sites as possible which are under threat from this overwhelming housing target. Greenfield sites from Drighlington across to East Ardsley could be lost if we cannot persuade the Planning Inspector to reduce the impact of new housing across Morley.

We are supporting initiatives that bring affordable homes to Morley and are having discussions with Developers about how new bungalows can be brought to Morley for older and disabled residents,

We need more affordable homes for local people, especially families and older and disabled residents. This plan offers us unaffordable executive style housing which does nothing to resolve the housing crisis we have in our area. We will be doing all we can to get a housing plan for Morley which is sustainable and provides for the real housing needs of local people.

I have called for a review of road safety and speed limits following a further accident at an accident black spot in Drighlington. The black spot, at the junction of Moorlands Road and Station Road in Drighlington, has seen several serious road accidents over the last two years and residents are calling for action to be taken to make the roads and junction safer.

This is a location that we have had some concerns about for some time. We are already looking at the junction to see what improvements can be made but with this further accident over the weekend it is clear that a full review of the roads and junction needs to be undertaken to include speed limits around the village.

I am arranging a site visit with Highways Officers and Drighlington Parish Council to explore the options for changes to speed limits and junction markings.

We will be working closely with the Parish Council and local residents to explore every practical option available to use to make the roads in Drighlington safer.

Supporting Joseph Priestley College

Morley Town Councillors pledged their support to retain Joseph Priestley College courses in the town at last week’s Town Council Meeting. The support pledge follows a formal announcement that the Colleges’ Peel Street campus is to be closed down due to funding cuts.

The Town Council felt it was important we did everything we could to support the College to continue with providing courses in the Morley area and we are looking at local buildings to see if they can be used for this purpose.

I have met with College Staff at Morley Town Hall to see if any of the space within the Town Hall could be used to support the proposal.

The Town Hall is underused and we would welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with the College to see if they could make any use of the space within the building. The further education courses the College runs are essential for many of our local residents. We will do everything we can to work with the College to find a viable solution to the challenges they face with offering an educational presence in Morley.

Tingley McDonalds and a Public Inquiry





Residents and Councillors worked together to block Tingley McDonalds Take-away Plan

  Morley Borough Independent Councillors have pledged to continue to support the community campaign opposing the plan for a McDonalds take-away at Tingley. The pledge follows confirmation that the recent refusal of planning permission will be considered at a Public Inquiry.

Cllr Judith Elliott says this application will go to a full Public Inquiry which will consider the refusal decision. This will be similar to last year’s Public Inquiry that looked at Cottingley Springs and we will be adopting a similar approach.

At the Public Inquiry for Cottingley Springs we joined with residents as a Rule 6 party, a special designation agreed by the Planning Inspectorate. This gave the group the right to cross examine the proposers of the application and provide evidence directly to the Planning Inspector.

We will be meeting with the Tingley McDonalds Group and Tingley residents shortly to propose this approach as the way forward. It is important that we continue to be unified and we work closely together to defeat McDonalds at this appeal.

Cash back on Cottingley Springs?

I have lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, Tom Riordan, to try to get local residents and community groups a refund of the money they had to pay out following their successful campaign to prevent the expansion of Cottingley Springs Traveller site. The controversial application was refused by a Planning Inspector in March following a Public Inquiry.

Leeds City Council wasted over £70,000 of Taxpayers money with this ill-judged application to expand Cottingley Springs Travellers site. This application breached the Councils own planning policies and the Planning Inspector was unequivocal in rejecting Leeds City Councils claims that land it owned in East and South Leeds was not appropriate for smaller Traveller sites. Leeds City Council paid over £10,000 to employ a barrister to support this ill-founded application and residents and community groups had to raise their own funds to get legal advice before the Public Inquiry.Residents and local community groups had to raise over £4000 to get Legal Advice on the planning application.

It was very much a David and Goliath contest at the Public Inquiry with Leeds City Council employing an expensive barrister to try and bulldoze through their application. We worked closely with local residents and community groups and the campaign was successful despite the odds.

My complaint has been lodged with Leeds City Councils Chief Executive Tom Riordan. The complaint covers breach of council policy and the cost to compensate local residents who helped to finance the campaign.

I have little faith that the City Council will refund residents for this entirely inappropriate planning application. We need to go through the complaints process before the matter is passed to the Local Government Ombudsman. If the Ombudsman does agree with me that the Council is guilty of maladministration then a compensation award can be made. Perhaps then residents will be refunded their hard earned cash.

Churwell New Village Public Meeting

Churwell Greenfields again under threat

Local residents filled a public meeting at Stanhope Hall in Churwell last Wednesday to discuss controversial plans by Persimmon Homes to bring over 50 houses to a Greenfield site adjacent to Churwell New Village. The meeting, called by local MBI Councillors, agreed to support a campaign to oppose the application because of Highways and Infrastructure concerns.

It was clear from the residents who attended the meeting that they opposed this proposal from Persimmon. They have major concerns about the capacity of the single spine road that serves the estate to take an additional 50 plus homes and over 100 additional car movements. They are also concerned that local schools and health centres can’t cope with the present demand on them from residents already living in the area and with the impact additional traffic will have on Churwell Hill.

The proposal breaches present planning rules that state that a single spine road serving an estate should not exceed 300 homes. The proposal, if agreed, would mean the single road serving almost 400 homes.

Cllr Bob Gettings tells me “We were asked by residents to launch a campaign to oppose this application should a formal planning application materialise. These additional houses cannot form sustainable development and - along with other sustainability issues – means local councillors will be working with residents to prevent the loss of this valuable Greenfield site.”

Drighlington Meeting Hall Take-Over a step closer!

Drighlington Meeting Hall

A radical plan for the takeover of a local community centre is a step closer following a meeting between community campaigners and councillors last week.

The proposal could see Drighlington Rugby Club take over running the Meeting Hall in Drighlington and taking full control of the building from Leeds City Council later in the year.

This is a fabulous scheme which will deliver the future of the Meeting Hall which is under threat from Council cut backs. The Club have talked to local organisations including Drighlington Parish Council and Community Centre User Groups who all fully support this proposal.

The plan would see the building handed over to the local community group to run. The Group would look to extend the building and run it more efficiently than Leeds City Council.

My colleague Cllr Bob Gettings says the Rugby Club has a long record of supporting local young people. He also says this is an excellent proposal of theirs and will guarantee the long term sustainability of the Community Centre and encourage better community use of this underused building.

It has taken a long time to reach this point but this is a good news story.

The proposal is proposed to go to Leeds City Councils Executive Committee for a decision in June with the aim of the takeover being implemented by the end of the year.

White Rose Jobs Plan

I have welcomed the news that the planning application to bring an IMAX cinema to the White Rose Centre in Morley has been successful. The proposal – which was agreed at a Leeds City Councils Planning Committee – will bring a multi-screen cinema and additional restaurants to the popular shopping centre.

We supported this planning proposal as it will bring additional employment opportunities to Morley residents. We have worked well with the White Rose Centre before on earlier expansion proposals and they have signed up to legal agreements which offer training, apprenticeships and jobs to local residents. A similar agreement on this new planning application could mean hundreds of jobs coming the way of Morley residents.

Planning applications can contain a section 106 legal agreement where Developers agree to use local contractors to provide materials and services as well as guaranteeing that local residents will be offered the jobs generated by the development.

We gave our full support to this application and I am delighted it has been approved. We need to do all we can to offer jobs, apprenticeships and training to as many local residents as we can. This is an election pledge we have delivered on in the past and will continue to deliver on in the future!

Cottingley Springs - a failed political stitch up!

Cottingley Springs Expansion - a political stitch-up!

I have made a formal request to investigate the failure of Leeds City Council to get planning permission for their expansion of Cottingley Springs Travellers site and revelations that the failed venture has cost local taxpayers over £70,000.

I have also formally requested a full breakdown of the cost to local taxpayers of this failure by Leeds City Council to obtain planning permission for their expansion plan at Cottingley Springs and that Scrutiny Board fully investigates the circumstances around this failure as I believe that the whole application was an attempt to use the planning process and public funds to deliver a political stitch-up. This failure has cost local taxpayers dearly.

The Planning Inspector who examined the Planning Application at a Public Inquiry last year found that the council had failed on numerous planning grounds. The Inspector also criticised the Councils regeneration policies which had been used to prevent the provision of smaller family Traveller sites across large areas of Leeds City Council regeneration zone to the South and East of the City.

It was clear from the Planning Inspectors decision that she believed Leeds City Council has breached its own planning and regeneration policies and expanding Cottingley Springs would leave the Traveller community more isolated. Smaller family sites across Leeds are the answer to unauthorised Travellers encampments and the operation of a deliberate Traveller exclusion policy by Leeds City Council needs to be full investigated.

My view is that Labour Councillors on Leeds City Council were keen to avoid providing Travellers sites in their areas preferring to expand a site that had no Labour Councillors representing the area. It was nothing more than a political stich-up!

I made his requests at last Wednesday Full City Council Meeting and will be seeking advice on taking legal action against Leeds City Councils failings after the Easter break.

This waste of thousands of pounds of taxpayer’s money on a politicised planning application is unacceptable in these difficult financial times and the matter needs to be investigated thoroughly.

McDonalds appeal again - and we are still not lovin' it!

White Bear at Tingley

Multinational company McDonalds have been accused of attempting to bully local residents in Tingley following confirmation that they are to appeal against the refusal of planning permission on the White Bear Pub site for a second time. The claim comes from my colleague and local resident and Town Councillor Wyn Kidger.

Wyn says she is disappointed that yet again McDonalds have launched a further appeal against their planning application for a fast food take-away which was refused last September. It seems McDonalds are hoping to grind down local opposition and bully them into submission.

The controversial application has been refused by Leeds City Council on 4 separate occasions and an appeal against refusal was also rejected last year.

Wyn tells me residents are weary with having to continuously battle with this rich and powerful multi-national company to prevent this fast food take-away being opened on their doorsteps. The local community has done an excellent job but Councillors are prepared to step up and take on the campaigning role at appeal if that is what residents want. If the appeal goes to a public inquiry then we will represent residents as we did at the Cottingley Springs public inquiry which we won.

We are now waiting for more details on the nature of the Planning Appeal before we again have to battle this giant. But - as we saw at Cottingley Springs – David can slay the Goliath and we expect a victory for local people again!

Labour confused by ONS Housing Figures

We are calling for an early review of Leeds City Councils Local Development Plan following figures published by the Governments official statistics organisation the ONS. The recently published figures for projected new households across the Leeds City Council area during the life time of the plan show that the number of new homes needed across Leeds is substantially lower than the 74,000 confirmed in the LDF.

My colleague Cllr Wyn Kidger says the ONS figures project a smaller housing target of 44,500 up to 2028. This is a whopping 40% lower than those predicted by Leeds City Council. This means the target of 7,400 new homes for Morley is also wrong and an immediate review is essential.

Leeds City Councils higher target of 74,000 was agreed by a Planning Inspector last year although Morley Borough Independent Councillors proposed a lower target of 50,000 at the Planning Hearings.

My ward colleague Cllr Bob Gettings says the figures agreed by Labour controlled Leeds City Council are clearly excessive and their target does not fit at all with the ONS figures which are based on what is really happening with the housing market. This means Morley Greenfield sites, such as Daisy Hill, Bruntcliffe Road and Owlers Farm have been sacrificed to Developers when it was not necessary as the target that supported these developments was wrong!

We have one last full council meeting before the local elections to get all party agreement to a review of the Local Development Framework and reduce the target towards ONS predictions.

The MBIs have consistently argued the 7,400 housing target for Morley was unrealistic and would lead to overcrowded schools, congested roads and longer waiting times for visits to GPs surgeries. Our position has been vindicated.

Unless Labour Controlled Leeds City Council wants to pander to the demands of Developers, then there is no reasonable alternative than to review and reduce the housing target figure.

Bruntcliffe Cemetery Improvement Plan proposed

Bruntcliffe Cemetery could be in line for an improvement plan.

The cemetery, on Bruntcliffe Lane in Morley, has been the local burial centre for Morley for many years.

I visited the cemetery on a recent site visit and thought it was beginning to look a little run down. I have asked for an improvement plan to look at improving the look of the cemetery and also requested a change to working practises to bring in more council workers to work at the site.

The plan will look at improving some of the older graves which have often come under a state of disrepair. The plan is also aiming to cover improving and widening the pavements around the cemetery as well as providing a water supply for flowers.

My colleague Cllr Wyn Kidger - who has been working on the plan - says we have identified that Developer funds from the new Bruntcliffe Road housing development could be used to improve the cemetery and we are having a plan costed up to see if an improvement plan could be supported with these funds.

We are aiming to have a plan in place during the summer and are also aiming to set up a Friends of Bruntcliffe Cemetery group to support future improvements at the site.

Gildersome Youth Centre - public meeting report

I attended an excellent public meeting last night at Gildersome Youth Centre to discuss the future of the centre and a plan for the groups that presently use the centre if – as proposed by Labour Leeds City Council – it faces closure.

The work many groups at the Centre do is exceptionally important offering many opportunities for Gildersome Children and Young People. This includes the Scouting and Guiding movements, Youth Service and Child Care Groups. We value the work they all do and we have pledged to find them alternative accommodation within the village.

Our present proposal is an extended Meeting Hall on Town Street in Gildersome. There is room behind the Meeting Hall to extend and this would mean we have an improved facility with long term sustainability instead of running two centres which we will struggle to do with present financial challenges we face.

Many of the groups have an attachment to the Youth Centre on Street Lane but years of underinvestment by Leeds City Council have left it in a poor state and the money isn’t around to modernise it. Our plan would mean that money received form the sale of the Youth Centre would be used to improve the Meeting Hall with extensions where necessary and other improvements – such as an improved toilet block – being part of the plan.

Our plan goes to Executive Board for approval at the end of March with an early meeting in April with user groups to look at what their needs are and to come up with a plan for the building which will cover all those needs.

My colleague Cllr Bob Gettings opened this building over 40 years ago as a Gildersome Youth Worker and it has served the community well. We are giving up the Youth Centre with heavy hearts but the proposal we are working on will deliver an improved and sustainable community centre which should last for the next 40 years.

Scatcherd Park Bowling Club Pavillion - Improvement works begin

We have welcomed news that work to update Scatcherd Park Bowling Clubs pavilion is to start on Monday. The work is being partially funded by money from developers who are obliged to support the improvement of community facilities when new homes are build.

My colleague Cllr Judith Elliott says we have been working closely for many years with the bowling club to find the finance needed to update the pavilion which has been in a poor state of repair for some time. The new work will improve facilities for the bowling club and will encourage more local residents to get involved with the bowling community.

The £47,000 refurbish programme will be financed with a £37,000 grant from Sports England’s Inspired Facilities grant along with £10,000 from the section 106 Developer contribution fund.

My colleague Cllr Shirley Varley says we are delighted that we have been able to find the finance for this work to be completed. The bowling club is a thriving club and this will enable them to reach out to the community to get more people involved in the sport.

Perhaps the most interesting element of this story was the attempt by the Labour Party locally to muscle in on the project after all the work had been done to claim credit for it! It was a similar tale with Bruntcliffe Schools All Weather pitch. We spent months getting the finance sorted only to see a photo of Ed Balls and Neil Dawson - both of whom had done little to support the scheme and had avoided all the hard work - claiming it was something to do with them! It did rather blow up in their faces however as they were pictured with the previous Head of Bruntcliffe High School who was replaced following the schools failure to reach reasonable standards with its exam results. Cleary Labours touch is often the kiss of death for future success on many issues!

Magpie Lane playground to get improvement plan



We have welcomed the news that a playground off Magpie Lane in Morley is to be refurbished with money raised by a Developer contribution. The cash, which has to be used to improve local play facilities, will mean the playground, which is over 25 years old, brought up to date with an improvement programme.

We are delighted that the finance has been identified to improve this playground on Millbeck Approach off Magpie Lane. The playground is now showing its age and needs to be modernised. Local residents have been asking for this improvement for several years.

Residents and local primary schools will now be consulted on what improvements they want to see at the playground. A plan will then be drawn up with work on the refurbishment possible before the end of the year.

My colleague - Cllr Shirley Varley, who has spent several years on the refurbishment project, says “It has taken some time to find the finance to cover this improvement plan. It has been difficult in these challenging financial times to get the money together to undertake this much needed work. Now we have identified the funding it is important we get on with things as quickly as we can.”

Cottingley Springs Decision Day looms!

Cottingley Springs

We are waiting for the decision from the Secretary of State Eric Pickles MP on the planning application to extend Cottingley Springs Travellers site. The decision, which has to be made on or before 16th February, follows a controversial public inquiry into the application held last year.

My colleague - Cllr Bob Gettings - who attended the public inquiry with me last year is hopeful that the Secretary of State will back local communities and refuse the application to extend the site. Many of the Travellers on the site have backed the refusal campaign as they also believe that extending the site will mean it becomes too large and problems will therefor increase. The public inquiry received evidence from the City Council that 35 alternative sites were considered but rejected. A close analysis showed that these alternative locations were entirely suitable for smaller,  family based Travellers sites.

The Secretary of State Eric Pickles will receive a recommendation from a Planning Inspector about the expansion plan but will use his own powers to make a final decision. He has refused all similar applications over the last 8 months and many campaigners expect a similar decision over the next week.

My colleague - Cllr Wyn Kidger - who campaigned on the Valley Road Travellers site issue - says “It is accepted by many people, including many Travellers families, that alternative smaller family sites across the Leeds City council is what is required to reduce the problems of unauthorised Travellers sites. We hope that Eric Pickles will make a decision that reflects this view and refuses planning permission to extend Cottingley Springs travellers site.”

The Labour Council is likely to fail with this campaign of theirs to extend the Cottingley Springs site. It has little support within the Travelling Community and failed on most – if not all – relevant planning grounds. They will have wasted thousands of pounds of council tax payers money and probably lost a £1 million grant purely because they wanted to avoid using any of the 35 alternative site identified by the public inquiry because they were in wards represented by Labour Councillors. This will need to change and Eric Pickles is likely to send them that clear message over the next week.

Rooms Lane Closure Plan - what do you think?

Clearing up Fly tipping costs us thousands of pounds

We are to explore the closure of the Gelderd Road end of Rooms Lane in Morley following several incidents of fly tipping adjacent to the motorway bridge. We believe the closure would reduce the incidents of fly tipping which have cost the City Councils thousands of pounds to clear up.

My colleague Cllr Bob Gettings knows this has become a significant problem and clearing up is costing the Council money that could be spent on better things. It is clear that the Fly-tippers are coming along the far side of Rooms Lane from Gelderd Road to carry out this anti-social behaviour.

The closure will be delivered with a lockable gate at the end of the Rooms Lane track adjacent to the motorway bridge over the M621. The lane would still be open to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

Cllr Bob Gettings is asking residents what they think about this proposal before we develop it any further. We have proposed a similar plan previously but we need the support of local residents if we are to succeed with this project.

Residents can give their comments by ringing the MBI Office on 0113 2477538 or by emailing Cllr Bob Gettings directly on robert.gettings@leeds.gov.uk.

Churwell Park Improvement Plan confirmed!

The children’s play areas in Churwell Park are set for a major improvement plan following work by Morley Borough Independent Town and City Councillors. The improvement plan – which is supported by a fund of over £100,000 – will see the first major investment in the playground for over a decade.

My colleague Cllr Bob Gettings has been talking to Churwell residents who have raised their concerns about the fact that the playground is beginning to look tired and dated. We have identified funds from Developer contributions which will allow us to refurbish the playground and bring it right up to date.

The improvement plan is to go out to consultation next month and this will influence the final plan which will go out to tender later in the year.

This initiative has been led by Churwell Town Councillors who have campaigned relentlessly for this improvement plan. We need to have the support of local residents with any plan that is drawn up and this is why a full consultation programme is being undertaken.

The improvement plan should be finalised during Spring and we

hope the work will commence late summer and be completed before the end of the year.

Community Centre Summit - the way ahead.




Lewisham Park Centre

 I met with local community centre users and Morley Borough Independent Councillor colleagues to explore plans to prevent the threatened closure of two community centres in the Morley area proposed by Labour Leeds City Council. Community Centre Groups, who use the threatened centres at Lewisham Park and Gildersome Youth Centre, agreed a way ahead with us to look at delivering a sustainable future for both centres.

My colleague Cllr Wyn Kidger confirmed that the Lewisham Park Centre does excellent work with children, young people and the disabled and it is essential we find a way to keep the centre open. Our discussions explored the option of the local groups taking over the centre. This would provide a positive solution as the Centre would be better used and more revenue brought in to support it.

Lewisham Park Centre users will now meet with Leeds City Council officers to explore the options for a community take-over of the building which will cut costs as well as increase usage at the Centre.

My ward colleague Cllr Bob Gettings confirmed that the Groups using the Youth Centre in Gildersome were keen to explore the options of transferring to Gildersome Community Centre on Town Street but that would probably require an extension to accommodate all groups.

It was agreed that Gildersome Community Groups would form a plan of what accommodation they need and to explore the potential for extending the Meeting Hall with planners and Outer South Area Committee staff.

We are looking for a commitment from Labour Leeds City Council that funds which might be generated from the sale of the Youth Centre would be used to improve and extend the Meeting Hall. This would provide the savings Labour Leeds City Council are looking for and all the groups presently using the Youth Centre would be accommodated in an extended Meeting Hall.

We will be meeting senior Council staff over the next two to three weeks to explore the options of delivering long term future plans for both centres. We must do all we can to prevent Labour Leeds City Council closing these important centres that support such great work across all our communities.

Save Low Moor Farm Campaign

Another Morley Greenfield site under threat

We have started a campaign to save a Greenfield site from development following a housing planning application from house builders Persimmons. The site, at Low Moor Farm off Wide Lane in Morley, is subject to an application for over 200 houses with access off Albert Drive.

Our Campaign co-ordinator Wyn Kidger – who led the campaign to stop development at Church Fields in East Ardsley, says “We have launched a similar campaign to protect Low Moor Farm and we are adopting the same approach. We will be delivering a flyer to all residents affected by this housing proposal encouraging hundreds of objection letters. We aim to have the same success here as we had at Church Fields.”

The Greenfield site is presently used for grazing horses and provides a green corridor between residents on the Newlands and Rydal Estates and Dewsbury Road.

Wyn says this is a controversial application not least because the access is off Albert Drive at the end of the Rydal’s and Newlands housing Estates. Anyone who knows the estate is aware that there are already too many cars using the estate and giving planning permission for a further 200 houses – that’s a further 400 car movements – will just gridlock the area. Everyone knows that local schools are already full and health centres overwhelmed. As Leeds City Council has granted planning permission for a further 400 plus houses on other Greenfield sites across Morley is it essential residents back our campaign to retain this important Morley Greenfield site.

Labour Leeds City Council voted to adopt a housing target of 74,000 new homes by 2028 at its meeting last November although this target was opposed by Morley MBI Councillors.

Labours LDF has not done any favours for the residents of Morley. We need to defend our Greenfield sites as we successfully did at Church Fields. This campaign will get the community involved again with the aim of saving this valuable Greenfield site.