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West Leeds planning application: 5 May 2024

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Each week we publish a list of the latest planning applications related to the six council wards in West Leeds.

The following applications were published on the Leeds City Council website in the past seven days:

Armley Ward

  • None submitted.

Bramley & Stanningley Ward

Calverley & Farsley Ward

Farnley & Wortley Ward

  • None submitted.

Kirkstall Ward

Pudsey Ward

Decided applications

Here are the planning applications decided by Leeds City Council this week:

Armley Ward

Bramley & Stanningley Ward

  • None decided.

Calverley & Farsley Ward

Farnley & Wortley Ward

Kirkstall Ward

Pudsey Ward

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Labour’s Tracy Brabin re-elected as West Yorkshire Mayor

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Mayor Tracy Brabin

Tracy Brabin has today been re-elected as Mayor of West Yorkshire.

The Labour candidate, who became the region’s first-ever mayor in 2021, was re-elected after being declared the winner following the counts which took place today at the John Charles Centre for Sport in Middleton and venues across West Yorkshire.

Votes were cast on Thursday in Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield, with an overall turnout figure of 32.71 per cent. Ms Brabin secured victory over second-placed Arnold Craven (Conservative) by 275,430 votes to 82,757 votes.

The total number of votes cast for each candidate were as follows:

  • Tracy Brabin (Labour) – 275,430
  • Bob Buxton (Yorkshire Party) – 47,937
  • Andrew Cooper (Green) – 66,648
  • Arnold Craven (Conservative) – 82,757
  • Stewart Golton (Lib Dem) – 27,501
  • Jonathan Tilt (Independent) – 46,443

The turnout figure was 32.71 per cent. A full breakdown of results from the mayoral election can be found here.

Pudsey councillor Trish Smith quits Conservative party

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Cllr Trish Smith

By John Baron

Pudsey councillor Trish Smith has resigned from the Conservative party and will continue as an independent councillor.

Cllr Smith, who has been a Pudsey councillor for five years, announced her resignation from the party last night, just hours after the Leeds City Council local election count.

In a statement on social media, Cllr Smith said: “I’m absolutely delighted for, and extremely proud of, colleagues at the local elections today. Sticking your head above the parapet is never easy, regardless of the party.

“Today the Conservative Party lost three amazing councillors – Amanda [Carter, Calverley & Farsley], Paul [Alderson, Guiseley & Rawdon] and Mike [Foster, Ardsley & Robin Hood]. All very hard working and great friends, a sad day indeed.

“That said, I have taken the very difficult decision to resign from the Conservative Party. I feel I have no option but to take this action. I will, for now at least, remain your local councillor.

“I have some key casework that I would like to see through, together with the major project to deliver Pudsey Town Hall back to the people of Pudsey. Something I’ve worked on now, despite being constantly thwarted, for almost four years. This is completely non-political and will be managed by the CIC, but I have to be in post to finish what I started with the LCC administration.

“I hope you can all understand my position, still supporting me and my community work. Thank you all.”

Cllr Smith this morning told WLD she did not want to add to her statement.

Conservative councillor Dawn Seary yesterday retained her seat in Pudsey. Cllr Smith’s departure leaves the Conservatives with two councillors in Pudsey.

The overall political makeup of the council after yesterday’s count and Cllr Smith’s decision is:

  • Labour: 61 seats (unchanged)
  • Conservative: 14 seats (down four)
  • Liberal Democrats: 6 seats (unchanged)
  • Green: 5 seats (up two)
  • Morley Borough Independents: 4 seats (unchanged)
  • Garforth and Swillington Independents Party: 3 seats (unchanged)
  • Social Democratic Party: 3 seats (up one)
  • Independents: 3 seats (up one).

In photos: Kirkstall Brewery’s beer festival

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Ross Clarke, founder/owner of Amity Brew Co, Farsley. Offering Spinning Mill, another beer 11% ABV. This one a stout. Photo: Ivor Hughes

Kirkstall Brewery’s second beer festival, at their brewery at 100 Kirkstall Road, has the appearance of being a much longer established event. Perhaps because they and their exhibitors have a long tradition at exhibiting at others. Or perhaps because many beer festivals are held in community centres and not inside traditional breweries. Ivor Hughes attended Friday’s opening.

All 20-plus exhibitors are there by invitation and not just tagging along to take advantage of the inevitable marketing opportunities. Between them they are exhibiting 80 beers, including numerous class prize winners.

Eleven classes of award are to be won at the event itself plus, of course, Overall Champion. Competition is tough.

The festival theme is traditional ales, though exhibitors include recent incarnations such as Farsley’s own Amity Brew Co.

The Saturday afternoon session is 12pm to 4.30pm, Saturday evening 6pm to 10.30am and Sunday afternoon 12pm to 4.30pm. Each has a variety of local on-stage entertainment. All sessions benefit from a wide range of catering.

Tickets for the Great Exhibition of Prize Ales can now be purchased here and are priced at £18 per session. Upon entry, ticket holders will receive a unique commemorative glass, a program, and their first beer token. Tokens for sale on the day are priced at £2.50 and can be exchanged for a 1/2 pint of beer under 7% ABV, or a 1/3 pint of beer 7% and above.

Five Points travelled from East London to show four beers, including this prize winning dark mild. Photo: Ivor Hughes
Mixing old and new. Anspach & Hobday (Bermondsey and Croydon) offers London Black, a nitro-gassed traditional porter. Photo: Ivor Hughes
Well staged – each session includes a variety of local entertainers. Photo: Ivor Hughes
All the regalia of a long established event. Photo: Ivor Hughes
Allsop’s Arctic Ale. A guest beer and prize winner on offer from Kirkstall Brewery’s own stand. One of the strongest at the event – 11% ABV. Photo: Ivor Hughes
Here three of the four beers on offer from Horsforth Brewery. Photo: Ivor Hughes
Only the best. The wide range of catering includes Mr D’s of Thorner. Here his national award winning speciality steak pie. Photo: Ivor Hughes

West Leeds election overview: Two Labour gains and a loss

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Elected: Cllr Kate Haigh (Labour)

By John Baron

Additional reporting: Don Mort, local democracy reporting service

It was a mixed day for Labour in West Leeds at the local election count this afternoon.

There was a notable gain in Calverley & Farsley, with Labour’s Craig Timmins taking the scalp of senior Tory Amanda Carter. Cllr Timmins received 3,514 votes, while Amanda Carter received 3,182.

And Labour also gained Farnley & Wortley, with Kate Haigh unseating Green Party stalwart David Blackburn, bringing his 26-year stint as a councillor to an end.

But it wasn’t all good news for Labour. The Green Party’s Lou Cunningham took Armley from Labour by 72 votes – the first time since 1990 that Labour have lost an election in the ward.

Elected: Cllr Lou Cunningham (Green)

Conservatives will also be pleased that Cllr Dawn Seary successfully held off the challenge of Labour’s Riaz Ahmed in Pudsey ward, albeit with a reduced majority.

Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew with Cllr Dawn and Simon Seary. Photo: John Baron

As expected, Bramley & Stanningley remained Labour, but welcomed a new councillor in Adele Rae. And Labour’s Fiona Venner comfortably retained the Kirkstall ward for Labour.

The results mean that Labour will also now take control the Outer West Community Committee from the Conservatives, with five of the nine councillors in Calverley & Farsley, Farnley & Wortley and Pudsey wards. The Inner West Community Committee has eight Labour councillors, and one Green.

Election: Leeds Civic Hall.

City-wide stats and reaction

The authority remains under the control of Labour, with the party’s share of seats unchanged at 61.

  • The Conservatives lost three councillors and now have 15 seats on the council.
  • The Liberal Democrats were unchanged on six seats following the election count today.
  • The Green Party now has five seats in Leeds following the vote, in which 33 wards were contested.
  • The Morley Borough Independents have four seats and the Garforth and Swillington Independents were also unchanged with three seats.
  • The Social Democratic Party gained a seat to reach three and there are still two independent city councillors.

Council leader James Lewis held his Kippax and Methley seat with 3,570 votes for Labour. Speaking earlier today, he said the results were a condemnation of the ruling Conservative government.

He said: “I think in many parts of Leeds today there’s been a real endorsement of our work as a Labour administration as a council.

“That’s down to the things we are doing to take the city forward. And it’s a real condemnation of 14 years of Tory austerity that they are struggling in many seats.

“I think today shows that the next general election is going to be bad news for the Conservatives, and we need to get on with that general election. And that will give people some hope there’s going to be some change coming in this country. It’s clear what people want. They want rid of the Conservatives.”

Leeds Conservative leader Alan Lamb was re-elected in Wetherby with 3,727 votes. He said: “It’s not been a great day nationally for the party. I’m very sad that in Leeds we’ve lost some fantastic colleagues through no fault of their own.”

But he added: “There were some good results for us, it was perhaps not quite as bad as many predicted and feared.”

The Green Party now has five council seats after winning in Armley, Headingley and Hyde Park and Gipton and Harehills.

The turnout figure for the city was 34.24 per cent.

Farnley & Wortley local election result 2024: Labour gain as Green’s David Blackburn loses seat

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Decision: Leeds Civic Hall.

Labour’s Kate Haigh won the Farnley & Wortley ward seat from incumbent David Blackburn at the 2024 Leeds City Council elections.

The result leaves Farnley & Wortley ward with three Labour councillors for the first time in 26 years.

Mr Blackburn was elected to Leeds City Council in 1998 to represent Wortley Ward, becoming the first ever Green Party councillor in Leeds and has represented the Farnley & Wortley area since that time. 

Elected: Cllr Kate Haigh (Labour)

Cllr Haigh said after the election count at the John Charles Centre for Sport this afternoon: “I feel so relieved and very very pleased with the result. It’s been really hard work, but we’ve been getting out into the community and getting the message out there that Labour really does stand with Farnley & Wortley.”

She paid tribute to the hard work of the Labour team and existing Labour councillors Mark Sewards and Adrian McCluskey, and the wider Labour branch for their support.”

Here are the results:

Peter Andrews – Liberal Democrats 229

David Blackburn – Green Party 1,717

Daisy George – Conservatives 613

Kate Haigh – Labour 2,222

Finley Taylor – SDP 76

Armley Ward local election result 2024: Green Party’s Lou Cunningham takes Armley from Labour

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Leeds Civic Hall.
Leeds Civic Hall. Photo: John Baron/westleedsdispatch.com

The Green Party’s Lou Cunningham won Armley ward from Labour by a narrow 72 votes at the 2024 Leeds local elections.

She beat Labour candidate Richard Banks and takes on a seat previously held by Labour’s Jim McKenna for 37 years. Armley has been a stonewall Labour ward since 1990.

Elected: Cllr Lou Cunningham

Cllr Cunningham, a former Labour councillor in Armley, said at the count this afternoon that she felt ‘amazing’. She added: “This success isn’t down to me, it’s a win for the community. I’m looking forward to getting back to Armley to carry on my community work.”

Cllr Cunningham thanked her family, the Green Party team and the community for their support. “I am here and back to carry on what I started,” she added.

Last year Andrew Parnham win the seat for Labour over Lou Cunningham with a 185 majority.

Here are the results:

Richard Banks – Labour 2,041

Warwick Bettney – SDP 41

Lou Cunningham – Green 2,113

Rachel Martins – Yorkshire Party 205

Dan Walker – Liberal Democrats 105

Adam Westwood – Conservative Party 321

Pudsey ward local election result 2024: Dawn Seary holds for Conservatives

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Leeds Civic Hall. Photo: WestLeedsDispatch.com

Conservative councillor Dawn Seary held Pudsey Ward at the Leeds local elections 2024.

Cllr Seary held off the challenge of Labour’s Ahmed Riaz, securing 3,349 votes to his 2,977.

Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew with Cllr Dawn and Simon Seary. Photo: John Baron

Cllr Seary was elected with a reduced 372 majority – at the 2021 election her majority was 2,042.

The result

Riaz Ahmed – Labour 2,977

Christine Glover – Liberal Democrats 242

Dawn Seary – Conservatives 3,349

Suzanne Ward – Green Party 436

Andrea Whitehead – Reform UK 431

Update: This article was edited to clarify that Cllr Seary was elected in 2021, not 2011 as first stated.

Kirkstall ward local election result 2024: Fiona Venner holds for Labour

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Leeds Civic Hall.

Councillor Fiona Venner comfortably held her seat for Labour in Kirkstall ward, with 3,451 votes. Green’s Victoria Smith came second with 1,137.

Result:

Lyall Ainscow – Conservative 321

Adam Belcher – Liberal Democrat 288

Stuart Long 204

Victoria Smith – Green 1,137

John Tival – TUSC 138

Fiona Venner – Labour 3,451

Calverley & Farsley Ward local election result 2024: Labour gain from Conservatives

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leeds civic hall
Leeds Civic Hall

Labour’s Craig Timmins has won Calverley & Farsley ward, unseating existing Tory councillor Amanda Carter.

Cllr Timmins received 3,514 votes, while Amanda Carter received 3,182.

In his victory speech, Cllr Timmins paid tribute to the work of Amanda Carter. He said: “Despite different politics, we both wanted the best for the community.

“Our campaign was fought on positive action in there community and I’m looking forward tor teaming up with my fellow Labour councillor Peter Carlill. This is my home and I am looking forward to grafting for it.”

Result:

Amanda Carter – Conservative: 3,182

Ellen Graham – Green 663

Stuart McLeod – Liberal Democrats 234

Craig Timmins – Labour 3,514.

Bramley & Stanningley Ward local election result 2024: Adele Rae holds for Labour

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Labour’s Adele Rae comfortably held Bramley & Stanningley ward for Leeds City Council at the Leeds local elections.

She takes on a seat previously occupied by Caroline Gruen, who has retired.

Cllr Rae received 2,685 votes and, with Conservative Adam Cook in second with 632.

At the election count at the John Charles Centre for Sport, Cllr Rae said she was ‘pleased and delighted’ with her win.

She thanked her family, election team, the counting staff, current councillors Tom Hinchcliffe and Kevin Ritchie, as well as retiring councillor Caroline Gruen for their support. In her maiden speech, she said she ‘really believed’ in the community and aimed to secure money to help people hit by central government cuts.

Results

Elizabeth Bee – Liberal Democrats 487

Adam Cook – Conservatives 632

Adele Rae – Labour 2,675

Richard Riley – SDP 82

Keith Whittaker – Green 521

New school joins growing Owlcotes Multi-Academy Trust

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West Leeds-based Owlcotes Multi-Academy Trust has officially welcomed its latest new member – Spring Bank Primary School in Headingley.

Spring Bank is an inclusive school which is led by the head of school, Jordan License, and executive headteacher, Jonathan Parker.

With just over 170 pupils across seven classes, Spring Bank Primary School is the sixth primary school to join the Owlcotes Multi-Academy Trust, joining Pudsey Primrose Hill Primary School, Pudsey Waterloo Primary School, Calverley Parkside Primary School, Armley Park Primary School, and Manor Wood Primary School in Moortown.

Rachel Muers, chair of governors, said: “We are very pleased to be joining the Owlcotes Multi-Academy Trust. We believe that Owlcotes’ values as a Trust align with our own values as a school community, and we really appreciate Owlcotes’ commitment to working collaboratively and to putting the children at the heart of everything we do. We’re excited about the next steps in the school’s journey.”

Lesley West, CEO of the Owlcotes Multi-Academy Trust, said: “Spring Bank Primary School is a fantastic school with a commitment to achieving the best for its pupils and the school community. We are so pleased to welcome them to the Owlcotes family. Owlcotes was founded back in 2018 with a genuine desire to provide excellent education for pupils. I have no doubt that Spring Bank will fit in perfectly and be a valuable addition to our family of schools”.

Owlcotes Multi-Academy Trust was established in March 2018 by its two founding primary schools, Pudsey Primrose Hill Primary School and Pudsey Waterloo Primary School, with the aim of developing a collaborative approach to school improvement, and a commitment to working closely with all schools in the trust.

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