Annual Report 2014-2015: Cllr Simon Alvy

Although there have been some difficult decisions to make this year I am very pleased to continue to serve the people of Liversedge and Gomersal. Whether it is through getting paths and roads maintained, supporting local groups and events, encouraging young campaigners or helping vulnerable people to stay in their homes, I feel I have listened to people's needs and concerns and tried to act. 

I have continued my support for campaigns to save the NHS and Dewsbury hospital attending numerous rallies and marches. As well as supporting the local food bank. 

Last year I was lucky enough to Chair the Birstall, Birkenshaw and Spen Valley District Committee through its transitional period.  

I have also engaged with constituents through weekly letters, social media and street surgeries. 

Local Community Group and Organisations I work with:
Gomersal Centre
Windybank TRA
Tenants and Residents Association
Ward Meetings- with Highways/StreetScene, Community workers to decide on how to progress issues in the ward.
Neighbourhood Management Group
Spen Civic Society

Council Meetings and Committees I attend:
SACRE
Adult Learning
Birstall, Birkenshaw and Spen Valley District Committee (chair)
Children’s Centres advisory board.
Full Council Meetings
TRC meetings

Outside Bodies I work with:
Millbridge School Governors
Highbank School Governors
Save our Local Hospital Services Group
Heckmondwike and Liversedge and Gomersal Labour Party meetings
Batley & Spen Labour Party

 

"Budget pledge to save Spen Pool made good" - Cllr Alvy

I’d like to welcome the budget line which makes good the pledge that was made in my by election campaign to save Spen Pool.

The Pool is ailing and in serious need of replacement. It is an oversubscribed facility and is used by 29 schools as well as the general public. This budget secures its rebuilding and expansion by the addition of 2 lanes.

Not only will we see a brilliant new pool for the whole of the Spen Valley but there will also be a new fitness suite and a new sports hall, to compliment the one being built at Whitcliffe, and it also shows our ongoing commitment to the Princess Mary Athletics Stadium.

This development brings fully inclusive and accessible sports facilities right into the middle of the Spen Valley. Its location is within walking distance of a number of schools and town centres, several large estates; it’s on main bus routes and is within minutes of major arterial roads and motorways.

The area around the pool itself has a large and socially diverse population, who will benefit from the health and wellbeing outcomes the Sports Centre will provide. This redevelopment will give both young and old an excellent sports and leisure facility for years to come, right in the heart of their community. 

Cllr Simon Alvy, Labour
Liversedge and Gomersal

Annual Report 2013/2014: Cllr Simon Alvy

In the passed year I have been working hard supporting Tenants and Residents Associations and I have been particularly involved with maintaining committees on Windybank and developing community facilities at Millbridge School for Firthcliffe.  I have worked closely with KFTRA on a number of projects and have been involved with the Community Outreach team and the ‘It’s up to you’ project.

I am very pleased that since my election we have been able to move forward plans for Spen Pool and Kirklees Active Leisure officers are now actively looking at plans.

 

The Liversedge and Gomersal Labour branch have been campaigning for better road safety at 6 Lane Ends and along the A62. I have represented people’s views on planning (most recently the White Horse pub) and have been helping with a number of school appeals.

 

I have held Surgeries at Windybank and Millbridge Community rooms and send out letters weekly inviting people to contact me directly and offering home visits.

 

With cuts to the Council Budget it is important that I listen to my constituents and help them protect the services they need and value. 

 

I am hoping to engage further with the community and will always make myself available to residents. I attend as many events as possible and hope that people will approach me with their views.

 

Local Community Group and Organisations I work with:

• Gomersal Matters
• Gomersal Centre
• Windybank TRA
• Tenants and Residents Association 
• Ward Meetings- with Highways/StreetScene, Community workers to decide on how to progress issues in the ward.
• Neighbourhood Management Group

Council Meetings and Committees I attend

• SACRE
• Adult Learning
• Spen Valley Area Committee 
• Children’s Centres Advisory Board
• Children’s Centres Advisory Board Sub Committee 
• Full Council Meetings
• TRC meetings

Outside Bodies I work with

• Millbridge School Governors 
• Highbank School Governors
• Save our Local Hospital Services Group
• Heckmondwike and Liversedge and Gomersal Labour Party meetings
• Batley & Spen constituency meetings
• Meetings with the North Kirklees CCG

 

 

The Cost of Cameron: Calling all Liversedge & Gomersal Ward residents

Are you struggling to pay your mortgage, energy bills and food bills? Whether you live in Gomersal, Robertown, Hertshead, Windybank or Firthcliffe. Every walk of life is being attacked by the present Tory led coalition. 

Labour led Kirklees Council is working hard to limit the damage of Eric Pickles’ disproportionate attack on local councils. 

Labour will abolish the bedroom tax, freeze energy prices, increase child care provision and reverse the devastating attempts of the Tory led coalition to privatise the National Health Service.

All the Tory led coalition policies attack the most vulnerable but also the hardworking majority that are struggling with low wages and zero hours contracts.

If you want a voice come and meet your Labour team, Cllr Simon Alvy and Labour candidate Catherine Pinder, at the Bulls Head Gomersal on 4th March 2014 at 7pm.



 

Planning application from Sainsbury's: White Horse Pub, Gomersal

We have received an application for the grant of a premises licence at 298 Oxford Road (White Horse pub) from Sainsburys.

The application requests the sale of alcohol between the hours of 06:00 and 00:00, 7 days a week at this premise.

If you have any representations based on the licensing objectives not being met of this licence were granted then please let me have that before 5th February 2014.

If you would like to see the application or ask any questions relating to it please feel free to contact Victoria Thompson on 01484 456868 or on Victoria.Thompson@kirklees.gov.uk.




 

Cllr Simon Alvy: Campaigning to protect Dewsbury District Hospital

There have been a few letters in the Spen Guardian asking what Local Councillors have done to protect Dewsbury District Hospital. Local peoples concerns are understandable and I think it is important to let you all know I am actively campaigning, not just as a councillor, but as a member of the local community.

Prior to becoming a councillor in May this year I was already speaking out as part of MP Mike Wood's Save Our NHS group and took to the streets at both save our hospital marches in Dewsbury.

Since becoming a councillor I have lobbied the joint health scrutiny panel on behalf of my worried constituents and a local hospital campaign group, attended Clinical Commissioning Group meetings and questioned the chair Dr Kelly about their plans as well as responding via letter to Simon Reevel's bizarre request in the Huddersfield Examiner for the Dewsbury A&E to be closed.

I have done all this for several reasons; as a rugby player I was always lucky enough to have a high quality local A&E to call upon when injured, more recently we have used the services of a consultancy led maternity ward and having a young family draw comfort from having comprehensive hospital services within easy reach. Being able to use our local hospital means  not only having good local service but also the support of family close by which is so important particularly to children and older people.

During my election campaign many people raised the issue of the future of our hospital on the doorstep and no one I spoke to believed it was safe. This why I have and will continue to campaign to safeguard local services.

Related Articles
Dewsbury and District Hospital to lose 250 beds
Health bosses approve radical plans for Dewsbury and District Hospital

Sports in Our Valley: Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre

Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre is likely to close in 2016 as a result of a new school building. Labour Councillors in the Spen Valley see this as an opportunity to set out what we see as needed in the Spen Valley. Without looking at any details we would like to see a new sports complex in the middle of the Valley incorporating the swimming pool, running track and all the sports currently at Whitcliffe.

Cllr Simon Alvy, has already highlighted the need to replace the pool and Cllr Steve Hall is heading a working party of all Spen Councillors looking to formulate plans for the future of sport in the valley.

Cllr Steve Hall, commented, "When you look at the sports we have had in Britain over the last 18 months like the Olympic Games, the Rugby League World Cup the paraplegic games and next year the Commonwealth Games, I do think the government should do what it said it would after the Olympics and put more money into sport. Or was this just them getting carried away with the success?"


Related websites and articles:
Whitcliffe Mount Sports Centre
Kirklees Cabinet backs sports centre closure – but Lib Dem leader calls for quick action to find replacement

Spen Valley Area Committee: Tick–Tock

The Spen Valley area committee meets on Thursday in Cleckheaton Town Hall, to end the situation in the Spen Valley where time has been standing still. The committee will decide if they wish to spend the £5,874 needed to mend the Town Hall and Heckmondwike clocks.

Details of the area committee meeting can be found by following this link.

Cllr Alvy contemplates future of Red House Museum

I was lucky enough today to take my family to the upper barn of Red House Museum, to take part in a Christmas Craft event. It had been organised by the Friends of Red House society and was very well attended. But, as I sat there helping my daughter to stick jigsaw pieces to card, I gave some thought to the future of the museum.

Red House Museum is in my ward and there is little secret to it being "under threat" due to the Conservative and Lib-Dem Government imposed spending cuts. It's a great shame that we may potentially lose use of this building.

There has been a lot of coverage in the local press about falling visitor numbers at Kirklees Museums and there is always going to be the "use it or loose it" element surrounding all our services. However, with museums I always believe it is important that even though we are not visiting them each weekend that they are there for future use.

That said, I have not had many Liversedge and Gomersal residents beating a path to my door to ask for the museum to be saved.  I am very curious to know how many in the ward would miss Red House if it were to be bought by a private owner. The only people who have contacted me expressing their concern have been from outside of the ward and branch members of the local Labour Party.

The suggestions that have come from them do not see the museum being run in its present form. Many seem to like the wedding venue plan and some even think it should be run as a cafe. All seem to think that preservation of the museums future is, at least in part, as a commercial concern. There does seem to be an understanding that in these hard times, there needs to be new thinking around how our museums are run. Or is the future based in the volunteer sector?

Maybe the real test of the publics love for these buildings is if they are willing to run them themselves.

Welcome and Congratulations: Cllr Simon Alvy

(This article originally appeared on Mehboob Khan's blog, in June 2013)

On 19 June, on behalf of the Kirklees Labour Group, I was proud to welcome newly elected councillor Simon Alvy to the office, where he was to legally swear in, signing his Declaration of Acceptance under the watchful eye of our senior Legal officer.

Simon, won an honest and hard fought victory in the Liversedge and Gomersal Ward by-election. The congratulations I offer along with those of the Kirklees Labour Group, are much deserved.

Just before heading inside to sign the
Declaration of Acceptance of Office