Cllr Peter McBride outlines Housing Delivery under the Local Plan

The Local Plan approved 11 months ago gave us the authority and momentum to build 31,000 houses in the next 15 years. It also laid down policies to achieve a number of associated objectives e.g. that at least 20% of the total are affordable and that we would aim to deliver extra care provision throughout the borough. We stated even greater expectations for large sites and on land that we owned including master planning by local councillors and communities. We stated our expectation of delivering 10,000 in the first 5 years of the plan  and we sought to provide a significant number of houses using prefabricated manufactured units that would minimise energy usage. The report updates on the strategy to achieve those objectives and on early reports of delivery.

It shows how we have used our own land, worked with voluntary and private sector to speed up delivery using some smaller council owned sites, brought in grants from Homes England and from the City Region Local Growth Fund to ensure viability on the more difficult sites.

The report shows exactly what we have planned for all our major sites and gives us an update on success so far.

The evidence is strong that the momentum of the Plan and the delivery programme of the council are quickly coming to fruition. In December at one meeting of Strategic Planning, approval was given for 600 additional housing units. This plan shows how the Council is bringing its power and influence to bear to ensure those approvals turn into deliveries and to ensure our other social ambitions are realised in the execution of our planning strategy.

Kirklees Council Leader Cllr Shabir Pandor and Deputy Leader Cllr Peter McBride outline the Council's Climate Emergency Plan

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said:

"I'm really proud to say that we now have a plan to tackle climate change in Kirklees and to make the borough carbon neutral by 2038. This will be a top priority for us when we set our Budget for the next financial year.

As a council we take climate change and our responsibility for tackling it, incredibly seriously. This is much bigger than politics, it's the most important issue of our time and the right way forward for Kirklees is for us all to work together. 

That's why we set up the cross party working group to produce this ambitious plan and I'd like to thank them for all of their hard work and input in putting this ambitious plan together.

Climate change is finally where it belongs, at the top of the agenda. We owe thanks to a young person from Sweden, Greta Thunberg, for making this happen. She has inspired the world and has given young people a voice. As local leaders, we will continue to listen to the voices of our residents as we move forward.

Climate change is no longer just an agenda for activists and that is something we need to celebrate. A key part of our plans will be to ensure they benefit and work for everyone. We are investing in significantly more green council vehicles and public charging points for electric vehicles. However, we don't want to leave people in, what I would call, green poverty.

Electric cars will help us lower emissions but they are not the answer for everyone. We have to also put some focus on more affordable forms of green travel so everyone can come with us on this exciting journey and our most vulnerable are not left behind.

Residents want to get involved and we will provide the leadership needed locally on this issue, whilst making sure that our hard working families  and vulnerable individuals are not adversely affected and we need to poverty proof everything we do.

The work does not stop here, in fact it has just begun. What we now have is a foundation to build on and to make real change to the whole of society to act on and we must become activists and make changes to our everyday lives to make a positive impact. So I urge everyone to get behind this plan so we can truly make a difference to the world."

Cllr Peter McBride, Deputy Leader of Kirklees Council stated:-

"The Council's concern about climate change  and carbon footprint is not new. Kirklees has a proud record of investing in the environment. Kirklees created the first environment unit in Britain in the 1990's. We massively invested in energy efficient housing stock 25 years ago.The fact that we have reached 32% of a 40% target to reduce carbon from 2005/6 to 2020 tells a story of systematic action over a long period. Clearly that is insufficient and we need to raise the bar.

That is why all our major road schemes A629, Leeds Road and Southern Gateways have at their heart greening features and involve enhancing cycling and walking opportunities. The Leeds Road scheme alone will add a hectare of green space.

We have the most advanced traffic lights in West Yorkshire which eases traffic flows as do all the initiatives themselves.

Our responses to serious air pollution hot spots has been to have 2 downscaled, no longer air quality management areas.

Additionally all future major West Yorkshire Highway schemes will be subject to environmental impact assessment  and existing schemes already approved will be retrospectively assessed.

Still there is much more to do. The Council can bring its influence to bear on the school run.

The investment by ourselves in West Yorkshire in our bus station the most used in West Yorkshire, and our train station together with Network Rail will massively expand the passenger usage of the station. Within a year, the 800 seats on Transpennine will become 2000 and when the upgrade is completed it will be 3,000. 

Massive investment in public transport will be the major means of changing behaviour to encourage the public to transfer from the car to public transport.

We are on the journey recognising the distance to go.

Peter McBride Deputy Leader updates on his area of responsibility in Council Meeting on 16th October 2019.

I have strategic responsibilities for Planning, Transportation, Housing and Regeneration.  I share the brief for Regeneration with Cllr Mather and the implementation aspects of Planning Transport and Housing are fulfilled by other cabinet colleagues.

The region is key as the major source of investment with regard to these functions and the local plan is the basis of the Council’s strategy.

The approval of the Plan in February was the culmination of a decade of seeking approval by the Region, the council and the Government of a framework for developing Kirklees for the next 15 years.  It sealed our intention of providing the land for housing, industry and commerce and the basis for infrastructural support.  It stated our policies and objectives determining planning criteria and priorities.

The most prominent feature of the Plan was to build 31,000 houses, providing the necessary variety of tenures and affordability across the Borough.  At the same time it provided additional green space in the urban area and although expanding into the greenbelt, it ensured that 69% remained greenbelt, unthreatened by uncontrolled development.  It provided sufficient, and in the short term to meet industrial needs, spelled out the transport framework to support the Plan.  It took account of employment needs in the borough and enabled sustainable movement for employment and other activities within the region.

As supplements to the Plan we are currently devising Area Action Plans for our two major towns, plus additional supplementary guidance, for example on residential design.  The CIL mechanism to determine charges regarding all major applications with reference to infrastructure contributions is currently with the Inspector. Most recently we have strengthened our enforcement team and revised strategies for compliance. Now the focus is on delivery and without swamping Council with information I will give an update in the areas of transport, housing and town centre regeneration.

With regard to Transport there are a range of schemes in the pipeline providing strategic connections to and within our major towns and townships.

They include key gateways:-

From the south of Huddersfield to the town centre unlocking congestion points at Lockwood Bar and Longroyd Bridge, the A629 Halifax Road, and Leeds Road gateway from the north.

In North Kirklees, major improvements are agreed for the A644 Mirfield to Dewsbury.  Chidswell to the M62 and longer term the North Kirklees orbital route will open access to M1 and M62 for the whole of north Kirklees.

The Cooper Bridge scheme now modified to disperse traffic at Kirklees’ most congested pinch point, will also service proposals for housing at Bradley, ease pressure on the A644 and minimise congestion at the confluence of A644 and A62.

Additionally a major feature of all of these schemes is enhancement of cycling and walking as well as greenery additions to absorb and counteract the impact of dense traffic.

All of these projects are in and approved at different stages of development as part of the W Yorkshire Transport Fund and will be delivered in the next 5 years.

Within the 2 major towns improvements are proposed for pedestrians at Northgate Dewsbury and on the route Station – Pioneer House to the Market.  In Huddersfield we have already announced major schemes for New Street and Cross Church Street, the main thoroughfares.

Meanwhile we have bids in for improvements to Holmfirth and to improve pedestrian movements between Huddersfield’s bus and train stations, a refurbishment of Dewsbury bus station and a £10m multi-modal linked improvement from Bradford to Dewsbury mainly impacting on Cleckheaton and Heckmondwyke.  These are Kirklees proposals as part of the W Yorkshire bid on the Transforming Cities fund.

On the housing front, annual delivery is at 1550 units pa and growing. 

With regard to our large sites, Ravensthorpe, Chidswell, Soothill and Bradley, we have planning approvals at Soothill, Ravensthorpe, part of Bradley and one underway for Chidswell.  6 extra care homes are planned throughout the Borough including all the large sites.

On our large sites particularly where we own the land we are working with developers to ensure local people led by councillors, shape the features of what will be future villages.  They will ensure we have a balance between affordable and other houses, and between different tenures and will also be able to respond to community demands for schools, community centres, sports facilities and so on.

We are clearly in the early stages of delivering this programme but we are also planning modular build with much higher energy efficiency standards and are also aiming at construction in and with associated training in Kirklees.

There is much more still to be determined so this is but a taste of the overall programme.  More details will be forthcoming from my housing cabinet colleague at a subsequent meeting.

I will conclude on the Blueprint for Huddersfield launch last June and the Masterplan for Dewsbury which will be rolled out in February.

In both towns we have based strategic revival around key themes i.e. footfall, attractions to the town and connectivity.

                                                Dewsbury Master plan 

In Dewsbury the anchor points will be a new Learning Centre and refurbished Pioneer House.  This is a massive investment in the future of Dewsbury youth creating its own additional footfall to promote trade.  Trade attraction and improvement are the reasons for an additional refurbishment of the market.  To these anchor points we have improved the entrance to the station.  We have also developed schemes to enhance and improve pedestrian access for the rail station to the market via Pioneer House.  We are using Heritage funds to improve other key buildings such as the Black Bull.  We are also working with business and private sector to bring Field House and the major arcades back into use.

This is all supported with public realm improvements to street furniture, the creation of green spaces which give the place an ambience which will attract additional visitors and further investment.  The Transpennine upgrade will make the town even more attractive providing regular access to Leeds in less than 10 minutes.

The Blueprint for Huddersfield was launched last June, a £250m investment plan  over 10 years to refocus and refurbish the town against a backcloth of towns nationally declining as a result of competition from both internet and out of town shopping.

In Huddersfield we are targeting our main investment in the centre of the town.

It is intended to create a central cultural attraction based around a refurbished library, art gallery, museum and a new music centre all within the Piazza.  It opens up that area and provides a link between the town’s other great assets, the University and train station.  It will create a cultural focus to attract visitors and at the same time uplift the main thoroughfares within the town.

The initial evidence of this will be the Council’s investments in New Street and Cross Church Street currently out for public consultation.

The main features of these investments will be to provide a greener more attractive footway and carriageway which will be adaptive to street pop up markets, fairs and other activities,.  We are also investing in more living in the town which will add vibrancy and further footfall.  The council has worked with a developer to bring the Co-op Building back into use for housing.  It has also supplied loan facilities, for an upgrade of Kingsgate which will include a new cinema.

In the immediate future, the public will see a major upgrade of the Piazza, breaking through what feels like a barrier between the town and university, linking to the Lawrence Batley Theatre, enabling us to provide a green back cloth to the main features of gallery, museum and music centre.

Although the shopping offering in the town will diminish the refocus of the town as a leisure attraction, it will change the character of shopping to the more bespoke, boutique and specialist offering not available online.

The other end of the town will see a refurbished open and closed market and a rail station transformed in part by Transpennine upgrade and in part by the council and West Yorkshire Investment, which will provide access to the back and also provide an alternative entrance.

In Huddersfield as in Dewsbury the fundamental transport upgrade makes both towns very attractive for housing and other development as our towns provide such easy access to the metropolises of Leeds and Manchester.  The council is thus putting its main investment in its major towns which have such exciting futures.

This is phase 1 in the move from austerity and the scope will widen next year to say more about investment in other towns and townships to provide the same impetus on a proportionate scale.  These plans at this stage are not advanced but we will discuss and work with councillors in other localities to plan improvements which will make all our areas more sustainable and attractive.

Cllr Peter McBride, Deputy Leader outlines the first instalment on Huddersfield Blueprint New Street

                 

Cabinet is asked to approve some initial expenditure to realise a major feature of the Town Blueprint Vision. In all £5.25 million in Town facelift.It is focused on New Street and includes measures for greenery improving the pedestrian landscape, ensuring this main route way is a safe environment. It will include major improvements to street furniture, examples of which are shown in the appendices.There will be further consultation on the detail, but it will be implemented in two stages, next and the following year. It is immediate evidence that the Huddersfield Blueprint is being delivered. We intend to re-open the shop on the Piazza to encourage public discussion of the plan.

The public can be assured the vision £250m is becoming a reality bit by bit.

In the next few years there will be a gradual transformation of Huddersfield:

• In the main thoroughfares.

• In the main spatial features of the town.

• In street design.

We are trying to plan a green, pleasant environment which is safe, dementia friendly, conscious of the special needs of our residents, including the blind, the infirm and children.We aim for our open spaces to be open and accessible, for pop up events which allow for extended markets, food and drink fares and one off events.

The aim is to bring back vibrancy to our town which will encourage footfall and improved trade. We will take this approach to all our regeneration programmes.

Joint statement Cllr Shabir Pandor (Leader) & Cllr Peter McBride (Deputy Leader)

Council staff rarely get credit for the functions they fulfil. This week has seen two major examples of the Council and its staff quickly protecting and serving the public.

On Sunday last, the Food and Drink Festival in St George's Square came to an end. This was a massive success with 145 stalls and huge footfall estimated at 160,000. We congratulate "Huddersfield Live" who organised the event. In the background, Council staff arranged for the necessary safety measures, applied the cleaning undertaken and a general support system was put in place.

Then on Tuesday we learned of the threat to residents regarding the cladding on flats in Manchester Road. Quickly Council emergency measures were put in place to evacuate and provide shelter for residents.
Such services we tend to take for granted only because the relevant staff go about their business quickly and effectively so that we can be assured that they will cover any emergency.

Annual Report 2016-2017: Cllr Peter McBride

Attendance Duties and Activities:  Cabinet Member for Transportation Planning Regeneration and Skills

·         Full Council every 6 weeks

·         Cabinet fortnightly       

·         Scrutiny Regeneration Panel 5 meetings Transport Committee

·         West Yorkshire Combined Authority – 6 meetings

·         Investment Committee WYCA- 6 meetings  

·         Planning Committee WYCA- 6 Meetings

·         Huddersfield Area Committee- 5 meetings  

In The Dalton Ward:  

·         Rawthorpe Community Association Meetings

·         Yetton Together Kirkheaton 7meetings,

·         Meetings of HDI Town Ave 4

·         Chaired Dalton Ward Communities 5 meetings

As Cabinet Member: Personal briefing meeting weekly jointly every other week. Leadership Management Team twice weekly. Other meetings Asset Board, Personnel Committee. Substitute for Leader at WYCA Leaders meeting twice

Activities in Council:

My Cabinet post involves regular meetings Of the Combined Authority West Yorkshire as member of a number of committees. It involves decision making with regard to strategic investments across the City Region. WYCA is currently managing a £1billion Growth Fund which is the source of all regional support for Business and Infrastructure. Within Kirklees I am responsible for Strategic Investment and Planning and representing Kirklees Stake in this at Regional level. Members of Cabinet are conjointly responsible for all key decision made by Council other than a few limited solely to full Council eg the budget and Local Plan and here Cabinet proposes to Council.

My particular concerns are development of the Local Plan, The Skills Strategy and Major road and rail planning and funding. Plus town Centre regeneration.

 With regard to the above I can report that we as a Council have retained all essential Services Despite cuts in government funding of £200 million with a proportionate cut in staffing.

With regard to long term   capital expenditure we are almost entirely dependent on government allocation which comes via City Region. In Kirklees its most immediate manifestation will be work starting soon on the A629 part of the £ 175million to be spent in Kirklees in the next 10 years 

Our Local Plan has progressed to the Examination in public stage. Future special priorities re housing, industry, commerce green areas and infrastructure linkages are all in the plan. We expect the prolonged process of approval to be completed within the next year.

Our Skills Strategy is being developed with City Region partners and major providers within Kirklees particularly The College And University .we are proud in the part we have played in ensuring the magnificent new facilities enjoyed by the college in Huddersfield and those almost complete in Dewsbury, meanwhile the University  is adding significantly to its courses and services not least the architectural contribution to the town landscape. The development of the learning village in Dewsbury is having a transformational impact on the town’s economy whilst ensuring that all our communities get the opportunities for development and employment

 At the Local Ward Level we 3 Councillors provide a mobile advice surgery every Saturday morning by knocking on 200 doors to see if people have problems with which we might help. Additionally we publish the Dalton Rose to keep residents aware of Council and ward activities which they might find useful.

A big part of this activity relates to provision and services provided by community groups which we encourage and support. Thus we work along with Yetton in Kirkheaton HD1 at Town Avenue and support Rawthorpe Community Association in their activities. We try to coordinate the work of all groups via the Dalton ward Committee to encourage exchange of views and inter group activities. Thus there is joint raffle and planning a number of joint activities. Dalton Ward now has a community plan, details of what is going on currently and what we hope to put in place. Our groups now include United Reform Church, Greenfield Family Centre, Christ the King at Moldgreen. We also include the activities at the DRAM Centre, we spend a good deal of time trying to revive and activities in the former Children’s Centre to keep its activities alive. The Yetton Group is thriving with an amazing group of volunteers but other groups are struggling to make ends meet and retain services, vital to local communities. Together via the Dalton Ward and the uniquely generous support of Syngenta, all are kept afloat.

I can go on but this hopefully gives a flavour of my activities and priorities this year.

Watch the Labour Group speeches made at the February 2017 Budget Council



Watch the Labour Group speeches made at the February 2017 Budget Council

 

Kirklees Council Leadership and Cabinet

At the Full Council meeting of 29 June 2016, Cllr David Sheard was elected Leader of Kirklees Council, and appointed Cllr Shabir Pandor as Deputy Leader.

Together they will take up the challenge of leading the Council through the tough times it faces, and along with their Cabinet, drive forward the corporate plan to get the best out of services with the resources available.

The severe cuts that have been imposed on the Council budgets by Government, means this will be no easy task. The Leadership and Cabinet will together oversee a vast range of work, but work which invites input not just from other Labour councillors, but from leaders and members across all political groups.

These are unprecedented times for Kirklees, times in which we can only achieve positive outcomes by building positive relationships, politically and with our richly diverse communities.

The Cabinet portfolios will be lead by the following councillors:

Cllr David Sheard (Leader) and Cllr Shabir Pandor (Deputy Leader): Strategy and Strategic Resources, New Council and Regional issues.

Cllr Masood Ahmed: Community Cohesion and Schools

Cllr Erin Hill: Family Support & Child Protection
(Statutory Responsibility for Children)

Cllr Viv Kendrick: Adults, Health & Activity to Improve Health
(Statutory Responsibility of Adults & Public Health)

Cllr Musarrat Khan: Highways and Neighbourhoods

Cllr Naheed Mather: Housing and Enforcement Management

Cllr Peter McBride: Economy, Skills, Transportation and Planning

Cllr Graham Turner: Asset Strategy, Resources & Creative Kirklees (Arts)



 

Talking Housing Policy - Kirklees Cabinet and John Healey MP

Cllr Steve Hall, Cllr Cathy Scott, John Healey MP,
Cllr Graham Turner, and Leader of Kirklees Council
Cllr David Sheard (not pictured, Cllrs McBride and Kendrick)

Member of the Labour Cabinet met recently with John Healey MP, the shadow housing Minister, to discuss the housing crisis.

Over a 2 hour meeting many ideas where discussed on how the current housing crisis in Kirklees could be addressed. 

John took on board the comments from the Cabinet, and is to feed this back to his team. These will contribute to developing policies to help address the current Government's abject failure to ensure a decent home for all. 

Ensuring everyone in Kirklees has access to a decent home is a priority of the Cabinet, and they will look at all the possible options to achieve this. 




 

Transpennine Electrification - Good News for Kirklees

Photo: rail.co.uk

The decision to continue the electrification of Transpennine is perhaps the most important thing that
 could happen for Kirklees and particularly its two main towns, Huddersfield and Dewsbury.

Our two largest towns grew and thrived because of their geographical position and connectivity. Dewsbury because of its centrality within West Yorkshire; Huddersfield because of its position in a gap across the Pennines. The M62 is the main road artery connecting all the northern towns and cities. The key rail link joining Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York Hull, Middlesbrough and Newcastle is Transpennine enabling 18,000 Kirklees citizens to work in Leeds and 12,000 to work in Manchester.

The fact that all trains taking this route stop in Huddersfield and half in Dewsbury, gives extraordinarily good access to the heart of the Northern economy; what Osborne refers to as the Northern Powerhouse.

When Government stopped the electrification programme there was serious danger that this main route might be transferred to the Calder Valley line, bypassing Kirklees completely or that a new line connecting Leeds and Manchester would be built with fast trains not stopping between the two main cities.

This decision will give confidence to future investors that our towns are uniquely situated to access the major markets of Greater Manchester, the Leeds City Region and ports on both sides of the country.

We must now exploit the opportunity. It makes the likelihood of Platform 9 Huddersfield and opening up the Railway Warehouse more likely within Network Rails plans, which will reshape Huddersfield Town Centre and gives investors really good reason and confidence in investing in Dewsbury the literal centre point of West Yorkshire.

Trains will speed up, which means 6 trains an hour from Huddersfield to Leeds in a time of 15 minutes, Dewsbury to Leeds in 10 minutes, Huddersfield to Manchester in 25 minutes and Dewsbury to Manchester in 30 minutes.

We will now press the Combined Authority to exploit the benefits of Platform 9 and open up Huddersfield Station with access both sides and to relocate the bus station in Dewsbury nearer to the station.

The opportunity is truly transformational.

Annual Report 2014-2015: Cllr Peter McBride

Council Work

Meetings I have attended

• Full Council Meetings - 10
• Fortnightly meetings of Cabinet
• Local Issues (Sub-committee Cabinet) - 4
• Personnel Committee (Sub-committee Cabinet) - 3
• Policy Committee - 5
• Huddersfield District Committee - 4
• Weekly Cabinet Briefing
• Weekly individual portfolio briefing

Representing Council on outside bodies

• West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee – 7
• West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee – 7
• West Yorkshire Transport Fund Advisory Fund – 7
• West Yorkshire Combined Authority Leaders Meeting – 2
• Leeds City Region Joint Planning Meeting – 5
• Meetings regarding HS2 – 2
• Kirklees Stadium Company every 6-8 weeks

Work in Ward

• For 9 months every Saturday, I knock on 100 doors within the ward to check on potential constituent problems.
• Meetings of Dalton Area Housing Forum
• Rawthorpe Community Association and tenants group
• Dalton Ward Meeting – I chair every 6 weeks
• Meetings with local industry – Syngenta, the Stadium, various businesses on Leeds Road
• Meetings with Yetton Group in Kirkheaton
• Weekly meetings with fellow councillors in the ward to discuss ward and constituent problems

Ward Achievements in the Year

I have worked with Rawthorpe Community Group resulting in their taking over the premises and continuing a range of sustainable activities e.g. Luncheon Club, bingo, youth centre activities.

I worked with the DRAM Centre to enable it to continue. The building is now more used by the rugby and football clubs, and as a major venue for events, dance classes, major lettings for birthday parties, funerals, weddings. The field is now being used by the Giants Academy.

I also worked with the Yetton Group who will soon take over the lease for the Community Centre and thus keep open the Library and continue with the nursery provision. The building is now used for a range of events and classes for the community in Kirkheaton.

I chair the Children’s Centre Advisory Group in Dalton/Rawthorpe. Lea and her team have worked wonders resulting in a highly complementary Ofsted Report, families in the area being the main beneficiaries. 
Children’s performance in school has significantly improved. The Library and its IT facilities are well used. However, the building and its services are still under threat from the cuts to services and buildings which is currently taking place.

The 3 ward councillors are doing their best with some limited financial support and are heavily lobbying to retain what we can of buildings and services.

Money available for road and pavement improvements has been limited this year but we welcome the pavement improvements on Long Lane, St John’s Road Kirkheaton, Kirkstone Avenue and some improvements in Standiforth Road and Stead Lane, Kirkheaton. However we are acutely aware of the backlog and the limited resources we have to respond.

Cabinet

I am Cabinet member for Regeneration, Transportation and Regional Matters.

The road improvements in Huddersfield centre are taking place in Kirkgate, Railway Street and Station Street. 

We have continued with the Living Over the Shop policy in Huddersfield and Dewsbury.

160 new units of accommodation have been provided in the last year, which helps the footfall for trade and shops in towns and helps by usage to keep our wonderful buildings in a reasonable state of repair.

3 of our major industries have received significant Regeneration Growth Fund grants.

The first major transport schemes have been completed as part of our £1 billion investment in West Yorkshire Strategic Transport.

The City Region planning portfolios have secured agreement regarding the ‘Duty to Cooperate’ which has been the last great impediment to bringing in a Local Plan.

The Local Plan will go out for consultation September which will enable Kirklees to control indiscriminate development in the green belt.

Finally, I have dealt with more than 160 individual enquiries from constituents regarding the following: School placements, road and pavement repairs, care for the elderly, care for young people, various crimes, parking offences, permit parking, accidents, school matters, housing issues and bus services.

Annual Report 2013-2014: Cllr Peter McBride

Activity.  Formal Meetings: (a) In Council; (b) In community; (c) Combined Authority/City Region.
(a)       Cabinet every fortnight
            Cabinet Briefing every fortnight
            Place Briefing every fortnight
            Personal Briefing every week
            Full Council every 6 weeks
            Personnel Committee 6 times annually
            Huddersfield Area Committee every 8 weeks
            Group meeting every fortnight

(b)        Ward Committee every 6 weeks

            Various Community Meetings: normally monthly

            Yetton Together
            Rawthorpe Tenants & Residents Association
            Longfield & Ridgway Tenants & Residents Association
            Community Area Forum Housing every 8 weeks
            Dalton Children’s Centre Advisory Committee every 8 weeks
            The Lakes Community Association
            Mobile Surgery every Saturday morning
            Visit 100 houses to check on constituency ward problems
            Case load average about 6 per week – involving phone/visit/e-mail/arrange
            Meeting with Council Officers

(c)        Meetings of Combined Authority West Yorkshire and York and Leeds City Region often substitute for Leader.

            Meetings West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee
            Meetings West Yorkshire Combined Authority transport Committee
            Meetings West Yorkshire Transport Fund
            Meetings City Region Portfolio Holders – Planning

This has been another year of austerity given government cuts of £150 million year on year.  We are desperately trying to protect facilities and Services.

We are using Area Committee money to help Rawthorpe Centre and Kirkheaton Community Centre.  These are buildings under threat but more importantly services they provide.  Rawthorpe for the Luncheon Clubs, youth clubs and centre for socials.  Kirkheaton for its Library and the activities promoted by Yetton.

We were, however, able to prioritise road improvements at Fields Rise and Fields Way Kirkheaton and Kirstone in the Lakes.  Long Lane pavements have been greatly improved for most of its length.  The rest will be completed this coming year.

The biggest achievements have been at City Region and West Yorkshire level.  Here Government has agreed to devolve over £3/4 billion for investment in Road Rail improvement in West Yorkshire over the next 24 years.  Plus significant sums for investment in skills, training and support to businesses and industry.  £1 billion in total.

If we are to get investment into industry and jobs it will only come from this source.  We have major transport schemes lined up to benefit from this investment and already our Kirklees firms have benefitted to the tune of £35 million.

In the coming year more services will be reduced and buildings closed.  We 3 Councillors cannot stop this but we will try to protect the most vulnerable people and the most essential services.

Official opening of Harold Wilson Court

Before and After

The transformation of a Huddersfield landmark was celebrated today, with the official opening of the newly refurbished Harold Wilson Court on Leeds Road.

To mark the milestone, tenants, senior councillors and representatives from each of the organisations involved took part in a brief ceremony and enjoyed a tour of the new-look flats.

The year-long renovation of the former Richmond Flats was carried out by Clugston Construction Ltd and designed by Watson Batty architects, working with Kirklees Council and Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (KNH). It has involved the complete remodelling of the individual flats as well as major changes to the structure of the 11-storey tower block.

The new homes are currently being let to people on the Kirklees housing register and offer the latest in affordable, energy efficient, secure and comfortable living. The project has been funded from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account, which is made up of tenants’ rent payments, with a contribution from the Yorkshire & Humber European Regional Development Fund for some of the energy efficiency measures. This was part of the BIG Energy Upgrade programme - a new approach to energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in 14 of the most deprived communities within Yorkshire and the Humber. 

As part of the renovations, bedsits have been converted into one bedroom flats and all have been decorated throughout. Kitchens and bathrooms have been replaced to bring them up to the national ‘decent homes’ standard and also include integrated appliances. 

Floor coverings and sound insulation will reduce the amount of noise between the flats, while new CCTV and video access control will provide residents with the latest security measures. 

As well as making the flats welcoming, safe and comfortable, tackling fuel poverty by improving the flats’ energy efficiency was also a fundamental part of the renovation. Energy efficient boilers and panel heaters have been installed, and heat exchangers will recover up to 95% of what would normally be wasted heat from each flat. Combined with LED lighting, triple glazed windows and thermal insulation across the whole building, these measures will mean lower energy bills for tenants. Solar panels on the roof will also provide electricity for communal lighting and lifts. 

To help make sure there is a stable and successful community, new tenants have all attended a pre-tenancy workshop so they fully understand the responsibilities of living in a flat, and get to know their neighbours and what services are available locally. A local lettings plan that gives priority to people in work or training is also helping make sure there’s a balanced mix of residents.

Harold Wilson Court is also the Council’s first block of flats to have WiFi installed, which is free to tenants, thanks to an arrangement between KNH and providers Montal Solutions and Community UK. Accessed through a new Kirklees community portal, the free WiFi service is hoped to be rolled out to other properties managed by KNH in the coming months.

As part of the construction process, Clugsons provided an opportunity for a local tenant to work on the refurbishment of the flats, which has now led to other work.

Speaking about the project, Leader of Kirklees Council, Cllr Mehboob Khan said: “The aim of the renovation project was to provide a welcoming, safe environment, which is energy efficient and where people will feel proud to live. 

“There’s no doubt that we’ve achieved that – this has been a fantastic project that’s going to make a real difference to the new residents.”

And the tenants themselves are thrilled with their new homes, commenting on the great new facilities and the welcoming atmosphere, with one new resident saying, “It’s beautiful, it really is - it absolutely is!”

Cabinet member for Place and local ward councillor, Peter McBride, said: “Along with my ward colleagues, I’ve been involved in this project since the very beginning. It’s been a long time in the planning but the end results are well worth it. The physical improvements and the way the flats are being let make this a very desirable place to live, and I hope all the current and future residents will be very happy in their new homes."