Annual Report 2018-19 Cllr Manisha Kaushik, Crosland Moor and Netherton

I continue to meet as many people as possible in the ward with weekly door knocking walkabouts and via community groups and street surgeries. This allows me to meet residents and engage with them directly. A lot of my casework is received this way. I find I get much more information from residents about the issues they face and so address their concerns more efficiently. I have dealt with a variety of different case work:

·                     Bin collections

·                     Planning applications

·                     Street cleaning

·                     Pot holes –repairs

·                     Overgrown bushes 

·                     Immigration issues

·                     Fly tipping

·                     Anti-social behaviour

·                     School admission issues

·                     Parking

·                     Funding for community groups

I regularly attend community centres, school events and community event forums. I am in touch with organisations throughout the ward. I regularly work with West Yorkshire Police and the Highway’s department to address residents’ concerns related to speeding, anti-social behaviour and road safety. Some of the community groups and organisations I have supported are:

·         Netherton Football Club

·         Huddersfield RUFC

·         Thornton Lodge Community Centre

·         Netherton Community Centre Luncheon Club

·         Natures Footprints Forest Play & Education Community Project

·         Be Moor Outdoors

·         Summer Clubs

I have been in touch with doctors and nurses campaigning to protect our NHS services and I continue to support the Hands Off HRI campaign, attending both their meetings and rallies to lend my support.

I am an advocate of increasing funding for Social Care particularly for families with an elderly person suffering from Dementia. It is ridiculous that patients should have to spend their life savings and sometimes lose their homes to pay for care despite, contributing throughout their working lives and in their hour of need receive little help. I hear from my ward residents how family members are having to stop working in order to look after relatives as they are unable to afford to pay for care workers.

In my capacity as Deputy Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, I have advocated for the improvement of both bus and rail services, which have suffered from lack of funding and resultant cuts to services in the past. I have supported measures to reduce the impact on climate change and the environment with the introduction of more cycle lanes in our towns and the installation of free to use (for 2 years) electric vehicle charging points in our region. This electric vehicle rapid-charging network will have chargepoint sites with dedicated bays for both private hire vehicles and another for other users.

I am pushing for faster road repairs as the damage done by years of austerity has left a huge backlog of repairs requiring attention. New repair methods introduced by Highways have helped and I managed to get many pending repairs expedited in the ward. 

I have successfully gained funding to help our young people participate in more sports in our ward. I will continue to support groups and organisations involved in projects in youth work.

Huddersfield is due to be one of the most digitally connected towns in the country, transformed by a fast fibre network by 2021 with many areas connected by the end of this year. I have attended meetings with providers and advocated for affordable connections being available to people and community organisations in our ward.

Due to the ineptitude of the government’s handling of Brexit, many challenges lie ahead such as the real danger to our NHS being the target of big US pharmaceutical companies. I am campaigning to protect our services both locally and nationally to impress upon lawmakers our opposition to such policies.

Attendance of Local Community groups and organisation

·                     Netherton Community Centre

·                     Thornton Lodge Community Centre

·                     Friends of Beaumont Park 

·                     Crosland Moor and Netherton Ward Labour Party Branch meetings         

·                     Colne Valley Constituent CLP

·                     Huddersfield CLP 

·                     Greenhead Branch Labour Party meetings

·                     Moorend Academy Awards Ceremony

·                     Mount Pleasant Primary School Open Day event

Full Council and Committees meetings – attendance

·                     Council meetings  

·                     Labour Group meetings

·                     Huddersfield District committee 

·                     Licensing and Safety committee 

·                     Fostering Panel

Training and Development sessions – attendance

·                     Planning Committee Training

·                     Licensing and Safety Training

·                     LG Development Seminar

·                     LG Democracy Commission Seminar

·                     LG Development Forum

·                     Early Intervention & Prevention Session

·                     Transport Committee Workshop

·                     LGA Leadership Academy

Committee appointments

·                     Annual Council

·                     Appeals Panel

·                     Council

·                     Licensing and Safety Committee (Reserve)

·                     Licensing Panel

·                     Huddersfield Planning Sub-committee 

Appointments to outside bodies

·                     West Yorkshire Combined Authority – Kirklees District

           Consultation Sub-Committee (Chair until May 2019)

·                     West Yorkshire Combined Authority – Transport Committee (Deputy Chair)

·                     Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Substitute)

·                     Transport for the North

·                     West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Walking and Cycling Committee (Chair)

·                     C & K Careers Ltd (Board of Directors)

  

    

Annual Report 2016-2017: Cllr Mohammad Sarwar

I am pleased to continue to serve the residents across the boundaries of Crosland Moor and Netherton Ward and meet individuals and groups in all areas from Lockwood, Thornton Lodge, Walpole, Beaumont Park, Balmoral, Park Road and Crosland Moor.

 

Last year when our most respectable and long serving councillor Molly Walton retired after 26 years serving the local community, my ward branch Labour Party selected Manisha Kaushik to stand for the Crosland Moor and Netherton Ward. I alongside my colleagues Cllr Erin Hill, Molly Walton and Labour Party members worked hard to make sure Manisha was successful in the election.

 

Cllr Manisha Kaushik won the local election with a big increased majority and carried on with good work done by Cllr Molly Walton.

 

Also this year, in the June 8th 2017 General Elections I have campaigned with my colleagues in the Colne Valley Constituency for our candidate Thelma Walker and helped her win the seat from the Tories.

 

I have dealt with numerous cases of individual enquiries such as immigration cases and writing letters of support. I have signed several passport applications and driving and license applications during this year.

 

I also assisted my Ward Colleagues in dealing with casework where language may be an issue.

 

I run a small business which many locals use as an office as a way of contacting me and I have a room set aside in my shop for this purpose. Many residents bring planning applications, passport or taxi license applications for me to assist with, which I am happy to do.

 

Other issues I have been called upon to help with this year include:

• Domestic disputes
• Road repairs – potholes
• Housing issues
• Fly tipping
• Street cleaning - dog fouling
• School admissions and appeals
• Parking issues
• Visa applications

Under the Central Government budget cuts we are facing challenges in our ward

• School admissions are oversubscribed but we are lucky to get a new primary school at the fields of Moor End Academy College.
• We are lacking leisure activities for young people in our Ward. I will work hard to get these facilities in our Ward.

Health and Wellbeing of Local communities

Due to high levels of diabetes and heart disease particularly within the Asian communities in Lockwood and Thornton Lodge there is a need to raise awareness and provide guidance and signposting to access health and wellbeing opportunities. 

 

Full Council and Committee Meetings

I have served and attended the following meetings:

• Labour Group
• Full Council
• Huddersfield District Committee
• Huddersfield Planning Sub Committee

Training and Learning Sessions

Planning Committee training

Annual Report 2016-2017: Cllr Manisha Kaushik

I was elected for the first time as a Labour Councillor, in May 2016, representing the Crosland Moor and Netherton Ward which includes the areas of Netherton, Crosland Moor, Beaumont Park, Thornton Lodge, Park Road, Park Road West and Lockwood. The Ward has a population of 18,723.

 

Before I talk about my own work, I would like to express my gratitude to Ex Councillor Molly Walton who retired in May 2016. Molly was my election agent and worked tirelessly to help ensure that I was successful in the election. I am grateful for having the opportunity to carry on with the work she has done for over 26 years in her Ward. She is a source of encouragement and continues to provide guidance when needed. Thank you Molly.

 

I would also like to single out Alan Shepherd for praise. Alan was indefatigable during the election campaign, and afterwards, due to Molly’s ill health, served as secretary of the branch in all but name. Generous to a fault, he championed my cause and without his kind advice and guidance I would not have been able to succeed. His decency and compassion and ability to inspire remain undiminished. His humour and wit keep me grounded and on my toes. I am proud to call him my friend and mentor. 

 

Thanks also to my excellent Ward colleagues, Councillors Mohammad Sarwar and Erin Hill and to the other councillors from different wards from Huddersfield and Colne Valley Constituencies, as well as Labour Party Branch members, for all their support and assistance.

 

Thank you too, to all the Ward residents who elected me with a large increased majority. I am honoured to be able to represent them and promise to continue to work hard and advocate on their behalf.

Case Work

 

Since my election last year I have dealt with numerous cases of individual enquiries. I have made many site visits, including Saturdays and Sundays, to resolve issues such as:

• Missed bin collections
• Dog fouling
• Planning applications
• Street cleaning
• Pot holes – road repair
• Damaged pavements, overgrown bushes 
• Immigration issues
• Several passport, driving and licensing applications
• Fly tipping – and its prompt removal 
• Noise and anti-social behaviour

I have been working throughout the CM & N Ward, door knocking and attending community events. This allows me to get to know people and raise their concerns. 

 

With the prospect of HRI’s closure on the horizon I have been actively supporting the campaigns to keep this essential facility open in our town.

 

 

 

 

 

I also attended events to support the City Connect consultation event to improve the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Crosland Moor Community Centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As part of last year’s Huddersfield District Committee I supported the funding for the Crosland Moor Community Centre.

With Deputy Leader, Tom Watson

Despite big budget cuts, my fellow ward councillors, Erin Hill and Mohammad Sarwar, and I was successful in enabling the traffic flow to be improved at Thornton Lodge: a junction on the busy Manchester Road which was a great cause of concern amongst both drivers and pedestrians in the area. The installation of a budget friendly road side detector working with the current Pelican Crossing should make it much safer for drivers to emerge onto the main road.

 

In this year’s June snap General Election I have campaigned with my colleagues in the Colne Valley and Huddersfield Constituencies and helped the successful campaigns of Thelma Walker, Barry Sheerman and Paula Sherriff respectively.

 

  Challenges Ahead

 

The drastic budget cuts being implemented by the Tories has affected Kirklees badly with the resulting challenges being faced by our Ward. 

 

One area that is being hit hard is education. School Admissions are oversubscribed and parents are increasingly worried about getting their children into decent schools. To address this problem in our ward, a new Primary School at the fields of Moorend Academy School is under construction and will be ready to take in children by the end of 2018 or early 2019.

 

Antisocial behaviour is high and there have been some drug related issues in my Ward but I am working very closely with multi agencies and local people to make sure that our community is safe. 

 

There is lack of accessible leisure activities mainly in Thornton Lodge and Walpole areas which needs addressing.

 

 

There is a pressing need for consideration of the health and wellbeing issues faced by these local communities. They affect everyone in the Ward but these two areas have particular health issues with very high rates of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

 

To help these local communities it is important to get out targeted information, raise awareness and have access to leisure/sport facilities which are lacking.

 

Pressures resulting from budget constraints make it difficult to obtain funding for community projects, business growth initiatives and environmental issues. However, along with my two ward colleagues I will continue to work hard to secure services in the Ward and address the concerns of all our residents.

 

I try to meet as many people as possible in the ward and, in addition to regular door knocking, I attend community events and groups throughout the ward. Some of these are listed below, along with the training and development sessions I have attended. Finally, here are my Kirklees Council Committee appointments and outside bodies.

 

Attendance of Local Community groups and organisation

• Thornton Lodge Community Centre
• Walpole Community Centre
• Friends of Beaumont Park 
• Crosland Moor and Netherton Ward Labour Party Branch meetings and Community Centre.
• Colne Valley Constituent CLP
• Huddersfield CLP 
• Greenhead Branch Labour Party meetings
• Moorend Academy Awards Ceremony
• Netherton Community Centre

 

Full Council and Committees meetings –attendance

• Council meetings  
• Labour Group meetings
• Huddersfield District committee 
• Huddersfield Planning Sub-committee 
• Licensing and Safety committee 

 

Training and Development sessions - attendance

• New councillors training
• Planning Committee Training
• Licensing and safety Training
• LG Development Seminar
• LG Democracy Commission Seminar
• LG Development Form
• Early Intervention & Prevention Session
• Transport Committee Workshop

 

Committee appointments

• Annual Council
• Appeals Panel
• Council
• Extraordinary Council
• Licensing and Safety Committee (Reserve)
• Licensing Panel

 

Appointments to outside bodies

• West Yorkshire Combined Authority – Kirklees District
• Consultation Sub-Committee
• West Yorkshire Combined Authority – Transport Committee

 

  

 

 

Cllr Mohammad Sarwar: Annual Report 2015-2016

I would like first of all to mention Cllr Molly Walton, who has retired this year. It has been an honour to work with Molly since I was elected in 1999, and she will be missed in the community and on council. I wish her all the best in her retirement.

During the 2015/16 year, I have served on the following committees:

• Labour Group
• Full Council
• Huddersfield District Committee
• Huddersfield Planning Sub-Committee

Whilst my two ward colleagues receive numerous queries from our Asian population, I tend to get the most – particularly from the older residents who often find it easier to communicate in our common language. I also assist my ward colleagues in dealing with casework where language may be an issue.

I run a small business which many locals use as an office as a way of contacting me, and I have a room set aside in my shop for this purpose. Many residents bring planning applications, passport or taxi license applications for me to assist with which I am happy to do.

Other issues I have been called upon to help with this year include:

• Domestic disputes
• Road repairs and potholes
• Housing issues
• Fly tipping
• Street lighting
• Cleanliness of local parks
• Bus services
• Dog fouling
• School appeals
• Benefit queries
• Parking issues
• Visa applications and immigration issues

Local councils are under a lot of pressure at the moment with severe cuts by central government to much of our budget, and we are seeing lots of problems get worse – from roads which don’t get repaired as quickly, to increases in poverty and deprivation. But Labour is committed to helping vulnerable people wherever we can and we will always put residents’ needs first.

Cllr Erin Hill: Annual Report 2015-2016

I am now at the beginning of my third year as a councillor, and the learning curve continues!

Before I talk about my own work, however, I would like to pay tribute to my ward colleague, Cllr Molly Walton, who retired in May this year.

I have known Molly since joining the Labour Party when I was fifteen. She has given me immeasurable support since becoming a councillor, but was also one of the main people in the party who first encouraged my interest in politics and supported me. She was phenomenally hard working, politically astute, but more importantly she was kind to people who needed help and had nowhere else to turn. 

Everyone in the community knows her and speaks highly of her, and the fact that she has received such heartfelt tributes - from colleagues across the political spectrum - is a credit to her. I know she plans to continue involvement in community work, but she will be greatly missed in Kirklees Labour Group and beyond.

I am pleased however that we returned Cllr Manisha Kaushik in the May elections to take over from Molly - she was a hardworking candidate and I’m sure she will make a good councillor.

It’s not an easy time for local government at the moment, but I hope that over the last year I have done my part to support residents, groups, communities and the council to get through this difficult period.

My casework continues to be very varied: the typical missed bin collections and dog fouling right through to domestic violence, mental health issues, harassment and other personal issues.

I support as many local groups as I can, and am looking forward to working with volunteers locally for another year. There are some fantastic innovations in the pipeline so all I can say is watch this space.

There have been difficult times for Crosland Moor and Netherton this year. The news that a suicide bomber in Iraq was reportedly from our area shocked the community. We also experienced two knife-related incidents within a short space of time. I want to work closely with local people to make sure that our community is safe, that victims are supported, but also to ensure that we work to prevent people from turning to crime.

From a council perspective, I have enjoyed the last year on Cabinet with responsibility for Family Support and Child Protection. It has not been without its challenges, but we have achieved some great things too and I would like to pay tribute to the strong leadership shown by Cllr David Sheard, who has taken the council through some of the most difficult times in its history.

I am looking forward to another year on council - there will be some tough decisions to make, but we have a responsibility to the people who elect us to steer Kirklees through a very difficult budget.

Annual Report 2014-2015: Cllr Molly Walton

The largest part of my time in terms of council meetings has been spent on three Health, committees which involves scrutinising the changes proposed by Calderdale and Hudds Trust, plus further changes proposed by the CCGs for Care Closer to Home, the intention of which is to keep people out of hospital by treating them in their own home or in a community setting. In addition I am involved in reviewing the Ambulance Service which is facing immense pressure. 

I am also Deputy Chair of Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing where I have been a Director and Deputy Chair since its inception. We are currently involved with the appointment of a new Chief Executive due to the retirement of Simon Rogers who had also been with the company since its inception. 

I am also a member of the Huddersfield Planning Committee on which I have served for 24 years. It is one of the busiest Planning Authorities in the country. 

I am also on the the Neighbourhood Management Group and the District Committee. 

In terms of working locally with residents in my ward, I am extremely busy and currently dealing with concerns raised by 57 individual residents. Some such problems are solved quite quickly whilst others can take a few weeks, Changes to the bin collection rounds have been an issue but staff have almost caught up with the backlog. Kirklees empties 44.000 bins every week and this figure is rising when new houses are built, so a mammoth task. Other issues are planning enquiries, benefit queries, overgrown shrubbery and trees, help for those with a disability, dog fouling, -you name it and local Councillors are usually dealing with it. 

I am involved with our Community Shop which I helped set up as a millennium project and is still going strong after 15 years. I am secretary and we have 12 volunteers and our small profits are distributed in the form of grants to local groups. In the last few weeks we have given the IT Learning Centre , Friends of Beaumont Park, and Crosland Moor Bowling Club £1000 each, and have helped with costs for local scouts to attend the world Jamboree in Japan. 

Our IT Learning Centre, of which zi am Company Secretary and helped set up attracts new learners who are seeking new skills, updating their skills or who are absolute beginners. We run Drop-in sessions each week which are well attended , plus a weekly Job Club which has been very successful in getting dozens of locals into full time work. We are also about to do outreach training sessions at Beaumont Park.

Along with my colleague Erin Hill we are in the process of setting up a Community Hub which will bring together Church, Chapel, Mosque, Tenants Groups, Environment Groups, local schools, Sportsand Community groups. We are hoping to have an official launch in the next few weeks. 

A local issue raised by the Civic Society was the Clock Tower at Mount Pleasant school which is about to be demolished and rebuilt. The design has been chosen by the government , not the council, and they will not agree to incorporate the tower in the new school and the Conversation team say it has no architectural value which prevents it being listed so other avenues are now being explored by the Civic Society.

Annual Report 2014-2015: Cllr Mohammad Sarwar

I was honoured to be re-elected in the May 2015 local elections and would like to thank all those who helped campaign for me, and especially those who voted for me – it is a privilege to be a local councillor and I will always do my best for local residents, even in these difficult times of cuts and austerity.

During the 2014/15 year, I continued to serve on the following committees:

• Labour Group
• Full Council
• Huddersfield District Committee
• Huddersfield Planning Sub-Committee

Crosland Moor & Netherton is a very diverse ward, from rural farming areas to more deprived inner urban communities, so our work as councillors is really varied.

Whilst my two ward colleagues receive numerous queries from our Asian population, I tend to get the most – particularly from the older residents who often find it easier to communicate in our common language. I also assist my ward colleagues in dealing with casework where language may be an issue by acting as an interpreter.

 

I run a small business which many locals use as an office as a way of contacting me, and I have a room set aside in my shop for this purpose. Many residents bring planning applications, passport or taxi license applications for me to assist with which I am happy to do.

Other issues I have been called upon to help with this year include:

• Domestic disputes
• Road repairs and potholes
• Housing issues
• Fly tipping
• Street lighting
• Cleanliness of local parks
• Bus services
• Dog fouling
• School appeals
• Benefit queries
• Parking issues
• Visa applications and immigration issues

I would encourage residents with any issues to contact myself or either of my ward colleagues and we will do our best to help. Many of you may know that last year I suffered two slipped discs and was physically unable to attend many meetings and events, or carry out visits. Although I still suffer with pain occasionally, I am now well on the road to recovery and have been much more active this year, visiting many residents in their homes.

Local councils are under a lot of pressure at the moment with severe cuts by central government to much of our budget, and we are seeing lots of problems get worse – from roads which don’t get repaired as quickly, to increases in poverty and deprivation. But Labour is committed to helping vulnerable people wherever we can and we will always put residents’ needs first.