Annual Report 2017-2018: Cllr Hilary Richards

2017-18 has been another busy year for me as many people have contacted me about their concerns which I always try to answer fully and honestly.

This year I am delighted to introduce my new ward colleague, Cllr Richard Murgatroyd. 

I am hopeful our diverse backgrounds, interests and skills will result in us offering the people living in the Golcar ward a wealth of possible outcomes to their concerns.  

I am delighted that the Friends of Golcar Library Group continues to flourish, electing me Chair for the current year.  The group are maintaining their level of backing with over 20 people trained and supporting the single paid member of staff during opening hours. 

This last year, after a few hiccups, the Friends of Golcar Library offered a free term of learning to play the Ukulele with the teacher being supplied by Musica Kirklees.   This year the group’s Events Organiser has been expanding on non-lending activities and the Ukulele restarts the first week in September 2018.

If you are interested, get a form from the library to sign up for the autumn term.

We organised a lovely teddy bear’s sleepover last October.

Teddy bears were delivered by their owners and collected the following morning,  however the resulting photos caught them climbing all over the library and its equipment and doing very little sleeping!

During the year I have also

• Supported, local groups Cowlersley, Golcar, Longwood and Golcar as well as the Colne Valley Business Network, and the Hands Off HRI demonstrations
• Tenants and Residents associations in these areas,
• The Golcar Lily Day committee and their Environment Group
• I am delighted the Colne Valley Museum now opens each weekend after its Heritage Lottery funded renovations.  Unfortunately I was on holiday when the Lord Lieutenant formal re-opening the revitalised building!
• I am glad residents are pleased with the new fencing at Bridgecroft.
• I am delighted Milnsbridge’s Market Street parking was extended to allow vehicles park for up to 3 hours at a time and have had confirmation of a small amount of disabled parking being installed when the next Traffic Order is applied for.

One of the biggest challenges I am facing, along with most other councillors, is working within reduced budgets and with reductions in the levels of service the authority can provide due to these budget cuts.  This has led to cutting back on services and the need for common sense in making spending decisions rather than the pursuit of projects based on need not day dreams.

Kirklees Council: what I am involved in

I regularly attend Council Meetings and I am actively involved in:
Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair)

I am a member of the Corporate Scrutiny Panel
School Appeals Committee
Colne Valley Area Forum of Kirklees Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations and various Golcar Ward Tenants and Residents Association meetings – all of which are likely to be affected by budget cuts.
I also attend Labour Group meetings and annual training updating and other training.

Participation on Outside Bodies
I am an active member of:
C & K Careers Ltd
Kirklees School of Music, now called Musica

West Yorkshire Pension Fund Advisory Group 

Other interests:
Colne Valley Museum
Golcar Together
Golcar Lily Day
MEG (Milnsbridge Enhancement Group)
School governor St John's School in Golcar and Crow Lane School, Milnsbridge.

I have also made several visits to Royds Hall High School which now caters for children of 5-16 years old. I was very impressed when I was taken round the new school a short while ago to see the school in action.

I not hold regular surgeries as, throughout the whole of the time I did hold them, I had only one person come to see me. However I regularly attend coffee mornings, and can be contacted by telephone, email or Facebook and can arrange to meet you at suitable times.

How to contact me:
Telephone: 01484 652922
Email: hilary.richards@kirklees.gov.uk 
Twitter: @Hilary_Richards
Facebook: Cllr Hilary Richards

Annual Report 2016-2017: Cllr Hilary Richards

March 2017 Friend of Golcar Library AGM

2016-17 has been another busy year for me as many people have contacted me about their concerns which I always try to answer honestly. 

I am delighted that the Friends of Golcar Library Group continues to flourish and elected me Chair for the current year. The group are maintaining their level of backing with over 20 people trained and supporting the single paid member of staff during opening hours. This year the group’s Events Organiser has been expanding on non-lending activities with a Ukulele band due to start in September 2017. 

During the year I have also:

Supporting the fight against the closure of
Huddersfield’s Accident and Emergency Department

• Supported, local groups Cowlersley, Golcar, Longwood and Golcar as well as the Colne Valley Business Network, and the Hands Off HRI demonstrations
• Tenants and Residents associations in these areas,
• The Golcar Lily Day committee and their Environment Group
• I am delighted the Colne Valley Museum opens each weekend after its Heritage Lottery funded renovations and look forward to its formal re-opening by the Lord Lieutenant. 
• I am glad residents are pleased with the new fencing at Bridgecroft. 
• I am delighted Milnsbridge’s Market Street parking was extended to allow vehicles park for up to 3 hours at a time and have had confirmation of a small amount of disabled parking being installed when the next Traffic Order is applied for.

One of the biggest challenges I am facing, along with most other councillors, is working within reduced budgets and with reductions in the levels of service the authority can provide due to these budget cuts. This has led to cutting back on services and the need for common sense in making spending decisions rather than the pursuit of projects based on need not day dreams.

 

Kirklees Council: what I am involved in

I regularly attend Council Meetings and I am actively involved in:

• Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair) 
• I am a member of the Corporate Scrutiny Panel
• School Appeals Committee
• Colne Valley Area Forum of Kirklees Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations and various Golcar Ward Tenants and Residents Association meetings – all of which are likely to be affected by budget cuts.
• I also attend Labour Group meetings and annual training updating and other training.

Participation on Outside Bodies

I am an active member of:

• C & K Careers Ltd
• Kirklees School of Music, now called Musica
• West Yorkshire Pension Fund Advisory Group

Other interests:

• Colne Valley Museum
• Golcar Together
• Golcar Lily Day
• MEG (Milnsbridge Enhancement Group)
• School governor St John's School in Golcar and Crow Lane School, Milnsbridge

I have also made several visits to Royds Hall High School which now caters for children of 5-16 years old.

 

 

I was very impressed when I was taken round the new school a short while ago to see the school in action.

 

 

Finally, as the Chair of Friends of Golcar Library I have been involved in visiting school assemblies to explain about this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

 

 

Here we see Karen Armitage, the group’s Volunteer Co-ordinator on the first day of registration for the 2017 Reading Challenge.

 

 

I not hold regular surgeries as, throughout the whole of the time I did hold them, I had only one person come to see me. However I regularly attend coffee mornings, and can be contacted by telephone, email or Facebook and can arrange to meet you at suitable times.

 

 

How to contact me:

Telephone: 01484 652922

Email: hilary.richards@kirklees.gov.uk

Twitter: @Hilary_Richards

Facebook: Cllr Hilary Richards

Cllr Hilary Richards: Annual Report 2015-2016

2015-16 has been another busy year for me as many people have contacted me about their concerns which I always try to answer.  

I am delighted that the Friends of Golcar Library Group continues to flourish and elected me Chair for the current year.  The group now have over 20 people trained and supporting the single paid member of staff during opening hours.  Additionally this year the group now has an Events Organiser who takes responsibility for non-lending activities from coffee mornings to theatre presentations.

A Lego Club has started to meet.  These are the results of their first meeting.

During the year I have also

• Supported local groups in Cowersley, Golcar and Longwood as well as the Colne Valley Business Network
• Tenants and Residents associations in these areas,
• The Golcar Lily Day committee and their Environment Group
• I am looking forward to the re-opening of Colne Valley Museum after its Heritage Lottery funded
• As well as giving help and support to residents,
• I am delighted to have led the way in having a part of Milnsbridge’s Market Street parking extended to allow vehicles park for up to 3 hours.

One of the biggest challenges I am facing, along with most other councillors, is working within reduced budgets and with reductions in the levels of service the authority can provide due to these budget cuts.  This has led to cutting back on services and the need for common sense in making spending decisions rather than the pursuit of projects based on need not day dreams.

Kirklees Council: what I am involved in

• I regularly attend Council Meetings and I am actively involved in:
• Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair)
• The Rural District Committee
• The Licensing and Regulatory Panel
• School Appeals Committee
• Colne Valley Area Forum of Kirklees Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations and various Golcar Ward Tenants and Residents Association meetings
• I also attend Labour Group meetings and annual updating and other training.

Participation on Outside Bodies

• I am an active member of:
• C & K Careers Ltd
• Kirklees School of Music
• Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation
• West Yorkshire Pension Fund Advisory Group
• West Yorkshire Combined Authority Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair)

Other interests:

• Colne Valley Museum
• Golcar Together
• Golcar Lily Day
• MEG (Milnsbridge Enhancement Group)
• School governor St John's School in Golcar and Crow Lane School, Milnsbridge

I have also made several visits to Royds Hall High School which now caters for children of 5-16 years old.
This picture is of when the children officially started the building work for the infant’s school on the site.

 

I not hold regular surgeries as, throughout the whole of the time I did hold them, I had only one person come to see me. However I regularly attend coffee mornings, and can be contacted by telephone, email or Facebook and can arrange to meet you at suitable times.

 

How to contact me:

 

Telephone: 01484 652922

Email: hilary.richards@kirklees.gov.uk 

Twitter: @Hilary_Richards

Facebook: Cllr Hilary Richards

Annual Report 2014-2015: Cllr Hilary Richards

May I start this report by saying a big thank you for all the support people in Golcar Ward have given me over the last year, and for re-electing me for a further four year term in May of this year.  

2014-15 has been a busy year for me as lots of people have contacted me about their concerns which I always try to answer.

I am absolutely delighted, having taken the initiative in calling a meeting that has resulted in the formation of a Friends of Golcar Library Group and honoured to become chair of this group. At the first meeting I was honest in explaining that if we did not take the initiative, Golcar would lose its precious library. This meeting resulted in volunteers who are now in training to ensure the library stays open and a Management Committee that is working on long-term strategies; to become a registered charity and eventually take over ownership of the building through an asset transfer from Kirklees Council.

 

A really enjoyable task earlier this last year was to formally open the climbing boulder in Crow Lane Rec.

Having ensured this public facility is fully health and safety compliant, the boulder has now been gifted by Milnsbridge Enhancement Group to Kirklees Council so everyone can enjoy using it.

 

While I encouraged the Colne Valley Area Committee to give £20k towards the cost, the group raised the same amount again to be able to fund the full cost of the boulder.

 

The other week I was delighted at about just before 4pm to see children climbing all over the boulder. A fantastic asset for Milnsbridge!

 

Along with many other actions, during this year I have:

• Supported the installation of a multisport facility for teenagers in Cowlersley.
  
• Supported, local groups such as the Milnsbridge Business Association; Milnsbridge Village Hall and the Colne Valley Business Network to name but three.
• Seen the Speed InDicators starting to collect information from sites throughout the ward. This will
  
  provide traffic information on which to base future road decisions
• Championed alterations to parking time limitations for shoppers in Milnsbridge, which are now moving toward public consultation.

Given help, support and advice to people with many and varied concerns.

 

Kirklees Council: what I am involved in

I regularly attend Council Meetings and I am actively involved in:

Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair)

The Rural District Committee

The Licensing and Regulatory Panel

School Transport Appeals Committee

Colne Valley Area Forum of Kirklees Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations and various Golcar Ward Tenants and Residents Association meetings

I also attend Labour Group meetings and attend annual updating and other training.

 

Participation on Outside Bodies: I am an active member of

C & K Careers Ltd

Golcar Ward Community First

Kirklees School of Music

Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation

West Yorkshire Pension Fund Advisory Group

West Yorkshire Combined Authority Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair) 

 

Other interests:

Colne Valley Museum

Golcar Together

Golcar Lily Day

MEG (Milnsbridge Enhancement Group)

School governor St John's School in Golcar and Crow Lane School, Milnsbridge

 

I do not hold regular surgeries as, throughout the whole of the time I did hold them, I had only one person come to see me. However I regularly attend coffee mornings, and can be contacted by telephone, email or Facebook and can arrange to meet you at suitable times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Milnsbridge Enhancement Group: a fantastic example of what local people can do for their community

On Saturday the Milnsbridge Enhancement Group (MEG) officially opened the latest addition to the village, a full-size Climbing Boulder off Crow Lane.

The official opening was greeted by live music and speeches from Dr Polly McGrail, Chair of MEG and Alex Thompson who designed the climbs. . Dr McGrail thanked the project funders including the SITA trust and the local Area Committee as well as several smaller donators and the many people involved in the project and the local businesses and schools who supported the group.

I had the pleasure of cutting the ribbon and have to say that the Milnsbridge Enhancement Group is a fantastic example of what local people can do for their community. For a while I have been looking for things for young people to do and this is a brilliant asset to the area. I am so proud to have supported this project as a local councillor for the area and was delighted to be asked to officially open this excellent facility.

Jane East, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Colne Valley who was also present and conquered the boulder (pictured, top centre) at the opening event, commented, “I just want to say a massive well done and thank you to all involved in getting this off the ground. Milnsbridge Enhancement Group does an amazing thing for the local community from lighting up the centre at Christmas to painting its railings and cleaning up the riverside path. This is just one of their many projects and it shows that community spirit is alive and kicking in Milnsbridge.”

The Rising Sun and Tesco

I have been approached by quite a few people who are concerned about what is happening to the Rising Sun in Leymoor Road.

Lots of rumours have been circulating so I have started emailing people who have contacted me to tell them what is happening.  I will keep updating this information as information comes in and will keep this as factual as possible.

What has happened so far?

Well people started ringing me with concerns that they had heard.  I was told there were going to be double yellow lines down both sides of Leymoor Road and then I was told the whole deal was off and no-one needed to worry.

The first thing I did was to contact Kirklees’ Planning Department.  They told me that Planning had ‘not received any enquiries with respect to a possible conversion of the Rising Sun to a convenience Store/small supermarket’.

They also told me that the Rising Sun is a Grade II listed building and would require sensitive alterations as did the Grey Horse Public House in Birchencliffe (planning application 2013/91257).  Other departments such as Highways will need to report on the effect of this as a development.

After this I was in touch one of Tesco’s Property Managers who confirmed Tesco are looking at transforming the Rising Sun into a small Tesco Store.  The manager told me he will be writing to what he called neighbours in the near future and said he was looking at holding a meeting after this letter.

Planning permission for the Rising Sun has now been requested that is asking for Tesco to be allowed to build an extension at the back of the existing building.

The erection of a single storey side and rear extension on this Grade 2 listed building is planning application 2014/93164’.

I have already emailed the Tesco Property Manager I had spoken to asking for details of when he will be communicating with local residents and reminding him of my request for a public meeting with Tesco and their property agents.

I have also emailed the Planning Department requesting that this planning application is looked at by the Huddersfield Planning Sub-committee.

Please let friends know what is happening and I will keep you informed about further developments I am made aware of.

Annual Report 2013-2014: Cllr Hilary Richards

Thank you for all the support the residents of the whole of Golcar ward have given me over the last year. 

This year has been both busy and sad. Busy in providing support to you and keeping my promise to reply to people who contact me, even if you do not like the honest answer I have to communicate. However I do find people would rather have an honest answer than none at all.

It has also been a sad year as my colleague, Paul Salveson, realised his workload was too heavy for him to manage, resigning in September 2013. It had been really supportive to have a local colleague to exchange ideas with and gain support from.

My largest sadness this year has been that I failed to gain enough support from my fellow ward councillors for a feasibility study to be commissioned to see if a second bridge in Milnsbridge is the best solution to our traffic flow problems. I have long argued that I do not know if a second bridge would make any difference to Milnsbridge or if a second bridge would be best sited in Milnsbridge. However, without money for a feasibility study we will not find out what is best for the area. Although enough money to commission such a study will not be readily available in the foreseeable future, I will continue to try to find the finance needed to answer these questions.

Along with many other actions, during this year however I have:

Supported the installation of benches at Townend in Golcar.
Campaigned and got Speed InDicators installed at sites throughout the ward over the next two years.
Supported, whenever asked, the Milnsbridge Business Association
Championed the installation of a multi-sport facility in Cowlersley which is now in use
Moved forward alterations to parking for shoppers in Milnsbridge, championing increased in three hour parking as all ladies know, 45 minutes is too short to have you to have your hair done.

I have participated in Council Meetings as well as the following

Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair)
Cone alley Area Committee
The Licensing and Regulatory Panel
School Transport Appeals Committee
Colne Valley Area Forum of Kirklees Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations and various Golcar Ward Tenants and Residents Association meetings
I also attend Labour Group meetings and attend updating training annually

Participation on Outside Bodies 
I am an active member of these Outside Bodies:

C & K Careers Ltd
Golcar Ward Community First
Kirklees School of Music
West Yorkshire Pension Fund Advisory Group
West Yorkshire Combined Authority Corporate and Governance Committee (Chair)

I am also involved in:
Colne Valley Museum
Golcar Together
Golcar Lily Day
MEG (Milnsbridge Enhancement Group)
School governor St John's School in Golcar and Crow Lane School, Milnsbridge

I not hold regular surgeries as throughout the whole of the time I did hold them, I had only one person come to see me. However I regularly attend coffee mornings and I am able to come and see you when asked. 

I can be contacted directly

Telephone: 01484 652922
Email: hilary.richards@kirklees.gov.uk
Twitter: @Hilary_Richards
Facebook: Cllr Hilary Richards 

Golcar: Planning Round-up

Two conservation area planning request have been received this week. St John’s church are asking to be allowed to put two new noticeboards up which will be a great improvement on the very elderly noticeboard that is outside their main gate at present. Also the owners of 94 Knowl Road are asking permission to have some work done on the trees in their garden. Officers have agreed to both these requests.

Still to be decided by officers is a request to alter, extend and convert stables into a new dwelling. This request includes new access to the new house and relates to Upper Snow Lea Farm on Lamb Hall Road. It is planning application 2014/90298.

Planning application 2014/90802is a request to erect a single story extension at the back on 22 Dunsmore Drive in Salendine Nook. This is another case being handled by officers.

Finally this week we have planning applications 2014/90431 and 201490432. Both of these relate to building a garage but both applications have been withdrawn.

You can search for planning applications on the Kirklees Council website.

Golcar Ward: Planning Round-up

There is little happening in Golcar Ward this week.  

Telecommunication equipment will be installed at Golcar Conservative Club, which is in a conservation area, with the approval of the planning officers.

However, the request for a certificate of lawfulness for the café that already exists at the Piggeries, Longwood Edge Road, Longwood, has been refused by officers.

You can visit the Kirklees Council website to search for more planning applications.

Golcar Ward: Planning Round-up

This week there are only two planning applications. The Co-op at Golcar are asking to install both illuminated and non-illuminated signs and the owners of 22 Dunsmore Drive would like to build an extension at the back of their property.

 

Golcar: Planning Round-up

There are three planning applications for Golcar Ward this week.

Royds Hall have asked for a slight alteration to the planning permission that has already been granted relating to a new roof they are installing and an existing one that is being repaired.

On Knowl Road a request has been received for some work to be carried out on existing trees. This allows our tree conservation officers to ensure such work is done property.

Finally, Jitterbugs Day Nursery on Royd Street has asked for permission to replace an existing modular building with a similar structure.

All these applications have been submitted because the work people want to do is within conservation areas and this allows officers to make sure what is being suggested conserves the area’s existing features. The decisions to approve or not will be taken by officers unless objections are received.

Search planning applications on the Kirklees Council website.

Golcar: Planning Update, 3 February 2014

There are four planning applications received that are in Golcar Ward on this week.

St John’s Church would like to erect two noticeboards and there is a request to undertake some work on trees at Richmond Court in Cowlersley. An application has been received for installing raised decking in the rear garden of a house in Greenhill Road and the café at the Piggeries, Longwood has asked for a certificate of lawfulness to be issued.
You can use this link to find other planning applications on the Kirklees Council website.

Cllr Hilary Richards' passion for Colne Valley Museum

Image from Wikipedia

Over 40 years ago Golcar Branch of the Colne Valley Constituency Labour Party moved out of its old club on Cliff Ash at Golcar and gave their old building to the newly formed Colne Valley Museum (CVM).  This was the start of a slow expansion from one weaver’s cottage to three and finally, into the old fish ‘ole.  All this has been done with volunteer labour only supplemented by paid tradesmen when members did not have the specialist skills needed.

Today, Colne Valley Museum has around 300 members which include individuals, couples and families.  Over 100 members are  active volunteers.  

The museum opens each Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday to give a glimpse of life in the 1850s.  On the top floor members demonstrate how wool processes from the preparation the fleece for spinning to weaving the resultant yarn into cloth on period looms  There is a kitchen that demonstrates how people lived in this era as well as a working kitchen where bread, Christmas puddings and other delicious traditional items are prepared and baked for sale some weekends. 

Exhibitions that usually change every 4-6 weeks have included the work of members of art societies, photographic collections and have been on bee keeping.  There is a wide variety of new things to see each time you visit the museum. 

During a visit you will see many volunteers, dressed in period costume, demonstrating and helping visitors as well as providing coffee and cakes in the new café which opens in January in what was the old fish and chip shop.

There are speciality weekends, most recently a Victorian Christmas Fair with traditional games and the chance to meet Father Christmas. 

Many of you reading this may have visited CVM while at school as a Victoria experience is provided for several schools most weeks of the school term and can be tailored for older audiences when requested.  Children from other authorities as well as Kirklees come for the day.  They arrive in costume ready to step back into 1850 to meeting the lady of the house when they enter her kitchen before helping to prepare their own lunch, polish the brasses, do hand washing and crafts.  After eating their lunch the children are allowed into the small shop where they can buy traditional sweets before returning to the 21^st centuary.  We have many adult visitors who tell us how they remember their day with us many years before.

CVM is in the process of bidding for a substantial award from the Heritage Lottery Fund.  They have already awarded the museum money to enable a full feasibility study to be undertaken prior to the submission of the final lottery bid in February 2014.  Once the bid is in, we will all be holding our breath …….. 

The museum has come a long way in the last 40 or so years and may be making a vast leap forward in the future if their bid is successful …. and all this has been done without a single paid employee in sight. 

I believe the reason why CVM has survived and thrived with only volunteer support has been the long term commitment people, often from the local community, make to the museum; and the marvellous friendships and support members give to each other as they work together.

Dates and times of all elements of the museum can be found at www.colnevalleymuseum.org.uk

 

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