TOM KOWALSKI for CLECKHEATON 2018

 

TOM KOWALSKI

 

 

Cleckheaton Candidate - Tom Kowalski

Jo Cox Parliamentery Question Sure Start

Jo Cox ;  Labour, Batley and Spen

Cuts to council funding—the abolition of a series of grants and credits by the coalition—mean that Sure Start centres in my constituency are providing more basic services than ever before. I am hearing now of children in Kirklees coming to centres on a Monday morning having not had a hot meal since the previous Friday, yet Sure Start budgets in the north of England have been cut by 39%. Does the Minister share my assessment, and that of the London School of Economics and the Centre for Analysis for Social Exclusion, that even the most dedicated of Sure Start children’s centres will not be able to withstand further cuts?

You can view the answer (for what its worth) here

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-06-15a.14.8&s=speaker%3A25394#g15.5

List of Planning Applications Decided, by Planning Sub-Committee (Heavy Woolen Area) Compiled on 18 December

List of Planning Applications Decided, by Planning Sub-Committee (Heavy Woolen Area) Compiled on 18 December 2014

Land off, Meadowbank, Dewsbury Moor,Dewsbury, WF13 3SJ

Erection of 20 dwellings, formation of

access and private pumping station

CONDITIONAL FULL APPROVAL 

on 18 December

 

19, Heather Court, Birstall, Batley, WF17 9BD

Erection of 2 detached dwellings and 1

detached double garage

DEFERRED on 18 December 2014

Heaton Avenue First And Nursery School,Westcliffe Road, Cleckheaton, BD19 3EP

Outline application for demolition of existing

school building and erection of residential

development

 GRANTED 18 December 2014

Dewsbury Arts Centre Site, Upper Road,Batley, WF17 7LT
 

Outline application for demolition of existing

derelict arts centre building and erection of

residential development and car parking

GRANTED18 December 201

 

2, Thornton Road, Thornhill Lees,Dewsbury, WF12 9HR

Alterations to convert first floor to nonresidential

institution mosque and

madrassa (D1) and external alterations

DEFERRED on 18 December 2014
 

 

1, Carr Street, Liversedge, WF15 6EE

 

Change of use from tile and bathroom shop to hairdresses and beauty salon

CONDITIONAL FULL PERMISSION on 18 December 14

 

Heckmondwike Bus Station

Heckmondwike Bus Hub

After a long long fight the decision to start on Heckmondwike Bus Station was agreed by the Kirklees Cabinet yesterday. The fight has been a long one and compromises had to be made along the way, the Heckmondwike Councillors took the decision that the Bus Station was a high priority and should not be held up waiting for the funding to move the Library was in place (we have a Library at the moment, we don't have a bus station).

We have to give our thanks to Eric Firth who is the Labour Member for Kirklees at Metro, he worked hard to convince Metro to keep faith with the project, when they were looking for schemes to cut.

The design approved by the local labour councillors looks to creating another events space to compliment the Green, hoping to bring more events and trade into the town. It is intended to start work this summer and to open next spring, but we will be looking for any opportunity to speed up the work. 

Lib-Dem's and a Tory vote against creating jobs locally

Kirklees Labour's Steve Hall, councillor for Heckmondwike, offered up some worthy insight into the Lib-Dem and Conservative approach to job creation recently.

At Kirklees Council's Heavy Woollen Planning meeting of 13 March, an application was made by Arriva for demolition of a building and erection of additional coach and bus parking area. It also included planting and a change in access arrangements at the Arriva Lodge Garage on Whitehall Road West.

The application did get voted through by the planning sub committee, but was voted against by 2 local Lib-Dem ward members and one Conservative.

Arriva already employ more than 50 staff with a few more jobs to come due to the application going through.

Cllr Hall stated, "Lib-Dem and Conservative councillors who voted against this application was essentially them voting against the creation of jobs, yet one of their main political claims locally and nationally is about how many jobs their coalition Government is creating.

"The question is, with actions like this, can you trust your local Lib-Dem councillors to do the right thing for local people?"








 

Mike Wood MP - standing down, not winding down

Mike Wood was first elected for the West Yorkshire constituency at the 1997 election.

In 2010, he retained the seat for Labour with a majority of 4,406 over the Conservative candidate.

Mr Wood said it had been a difficult decision but after 18 years as an MP he believed the "time was right".

The Labour MP for Batley and Spen has confirmed he will not stand for Parliament at the next General Election.

You can read Mike's comments in the full BBC article.
 

Nasty Conservative Budget Amendment

A particularly mean cut proposed by the Tories is to cut the funding to voluntary groups putting on events this year. These groups have already committed themselves to the events for which funding has been agreed. 

The events effected are;

·         Holmfirth Festival of Folk

·         Holmfirth Arts Festival

·         Shepley Spring Festival

·         Cleckheaton Folk Festival

·         Crown of Lights Music Festival, Heckmondwike

·         HOST – Huddersfield Open Studios Trail – across Kirklees

·         Marsden Jazz Festival

·         Moonraking Festival, Slaithwaite

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.

Travel Agency in Heckmondwike to remain open

Great news that the Travel Agency is to stay open in Heckmondwike Town Centre. It was threatened with closure, but Cllr Steve Hall started a petition to try to save it from closure.

Steve said at the time “We are regular users off the agency. We prefer the service they give us to the internet or phone and hope that we can keep it open.”

Now that is has been announced that the manager is keeping the business going Steve said “Great news that it is to stay open. I hope local people will support the business, I am sure that once they have tried it they will realise how good the personal touch is. Like all local businesses they depend on local customers, if we want to keep our town centre, we have to use it”.
Links: Spenbourough Guardian article