Angry Pudsey residents have shared photos of what they say is ‘shoddy’ work by contractor employed by Leeds City Council.
Dozens of householders took to social media to com[plain about the poor finishing of road resurfacing works on Thorpe Road, South Parade, Pembroke Road, Littlemoor Cresent and others in the town.
Pudsey resident Steve Glover shared a raft of photos with West Leeds Dispatch highlighting problems with the work. He said:
“Last Friday we had contractors working for Leeds City re-surface our road – Thorpe Road in Pudsey. I am holding back when I say the result is absolutely dreadful!”
Here are some of the images:
Images of work on Littlemoor Cresent were also shared on social media:
A Leeds City Council spokesperson acknowledged some of the work had failed to meet expectations and said the authority was confident the contractor will make good all sites where there are issues.
Work to tidy roads in the Littlemoor area will start next Saturday – 26 September – with work including laying another layer of micro over a section that’s particularly poor and the cleaning the footways and kerbs.
The matter is also being investigated by Pudsey councillor Simon Seary (Cons).
Leeds Civic Hall. Photo: John Baron/westleedsdispatch.com
Decision-makers in Leeds will ask the Government to pilot a scheme in which working age people would be given a free wage, writes Richard Beecham.
It follows a Leeds City Council meeting yesterday where councillors agreed to put pressure on Whitehall to trial a universal basic income scheme in the city, which would involve a no-strings-attached monthly payments to each citizen, regardless of their work status.
The idea received support from Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green councillors, who hailed it as a way to bring financial security to individuals, and reduce poverty and inequality in the city.
But it was met with strong opposition from Conservative councillors, who argued such a move would skew the welfare system to harm those on the lowest incomes.
Coun Jonathan Bentley (Lib Dem) introduced the motion, comparing the idea with the creation of the NHS and modern welfare state in the 1940s.
“Universal Basic Income is a huge subject and we have a short time to talk about it,” he said.
“A healthy, educated population is better able to drive growth in the economy, increase productivity and deal with the challenges in an ever changing world.
“We don’t take that same approach to financial security – It’s widely agreed that the first duty of government is the security of its citizens, to ensure their basic needs are met and that they can participate.
“Poverty is the enemy of ambition, and the divider of societies.
“The current social security system is unjust and punitive – it fails to protect the most vulnerable – a Universal Basic Income could be this generation’s NHS.”
Support: Cllr Ann Farsaith
Seconding Coun Bentley’s proposals, Green councillor Ann Forsaith (Farnley & Wortley) added: “There are supporters for basic income right across the political spectrum.
“‘Something for nothing’ and ‘we can’t afford it’ arguments must be irrelevant now.
“Some opponents argue that it would reduce work and encourage laziness – well, the pilots so far have found the exact opposite is the case.
“A basic income wouldn’t mean there was no longer need for a minimum wage, and would not replace the welfare state, but it would allow it to be simplified.
But not everyone was impressed with the proposals.
Coun Neil Buckley (Con) said: “I sometimes despair of the Liberal Democrats and what they come up with in these matters.
“If Enid Blyton had written this white paper, she would probably have called it ‘Liberals go loony in lockdown’ – the Lib Dems must have finally lost all contact with reality with this.
He added that, if specific benefits were taken away, it would either cost the country too much, or it would reduce relative incomes for those living in poverty.
Quoting a study from the Joseph Rountree foundation, he said: “If you sweep all that away, you can create a fall in income for those (within the benefits system), and child poverty rises by 60 percent.
A pilot UBI scheme ran in Finland in 2017 and 2018, in which 2,000 working age unemployed people were given monthly payments with no strings attached, while another scheme in Maricá, Brazil was introduced last year.
But Coun Buckley went on to dismiss these schemes as irrelevant, adding: “Although Coun Forsaith wouldn’t admit it, she was using examples from the frozen wastes of Finland, and a city in Brazil no one’s even heard of, in order to illustrate her example.
“This is not credible, and this is not the time to go down this route.”
Labour councillor and Leeds City Council deputy leader Debra Coupar proposed a similar white paper, calling on the government to introduce a pilot UBI scheme in Leeds.
She said: “We did like some of what was in Coun Bentley’s white paper, unlike Coun Buckley, who I think needs to look up an old saying including ‘cat’ and ‘kettle’.
“Just last week, a proposal to extend the furlough scheme was put forward, but Boris Johnson refused to accept this – I fear, like many others, that this could lead to a horrifying increase of unemployment.
“The benefits system surely cannot continue the way it is. We need some security in people’s incomes.
“Thankfully we have remarkable services throughout the city that support people in need. If we are to continue with this, a pilot scheme of a Universal Basic Income scheme in Leeds is a real option.
“However, it needs to be fully funded by the government, and it is vital current services for the vulnerable are not forgotten.”
Morley Borough Independents group leader Coun Robert Finnigan claimed the scheme in Finland was found to not benefit the Labour market, and added better access to welfare was a better option for helping people on low incomes.
Conservative Councillor Ryan Stephenson added: “There are many societal reasons why the UBI should be consigned to the dustbin.
“A UBI of £14,000 a year would cost the exchequer more than £900bn – the impact on social mobility is dire.
“All practice and theory tells us UBI would fail to deliver intended aims. Instead it surpresses competition, benefits the wealthy and damages social mobility.”
An amended version of the motion was passed by councillors, meaning Leeds City Council’s chief executive Tom Riordan will now write to government asking for a UBI pilot scheme to take place in Leeds.
Bramley Wombles – a new group aimed at keeping Bramley tidy – is taking part in a clean-up of the Raynville estate this weekend – and is encouraging local residents to take part.
The Wombles launched last month with a litter pick around the Fairfield estate. They have since carried out a number of clean-ups in the Bramley, Rodley and Stanningley tidy.
The Raynville estate clean-up takes place on Saturday, 19 September, from 12pm to 2pm.
Fulneck School principal Paul Taylor’s occasional blog this time looks at why it’s time to be an ‘anti-bystander.
Fulneck School’s Paul Taylor.
New York was a very different place in the 1960s to the city you know today. Crime, for example, was a persistent problem in certain parts of the city.
In the early hours of March 13th 1964, 28 year old Kitty Genovese was returning home from work in the Queens district. As she approached her apartment, she was attacked and killed.
As you might be aware, New York is a city that never sleeps and it was reported that dozens of people heard her cries for help but none responded. In fact, it was reported at the time that there were 38 witnesses, but no-one stepped in to save her life. It was even 30 minutes before anyone called the police – far too late to help Kitty Genovese.
Mrs Carver’s Psychology class will tell you that some of these facts have been disputed over the years. Regardless, the incident has become the classic example of what psychologists now call the bystander effect.
In short, and again the A Level psychologists will frown on the simplification, the bystander effect explains why the presence of others around might discourage you from taking what you know to be the right action. In fact, it seems that the greater the number of people around, the less likely one person is to act.
There seems to be several explanations for why we don’t always do what we know to be right. There’s a mathematical equation: it may be that the more people there are about, the less any individual feels responsible for what is going on – someone else will act and of course no-one does. Then again, it may be that we look around us and when we see that no-one else is bothered it’s easy to just walk away – everything is probably ok because no-one else is worried.
Last week, in the context of anti-racism, I said that now is the time to stand up and speak out, what we might call an anti-bystander effect.
It’s time to be an active bystander. There’s no legal obligation to get involved and there might be times when you call the police or teacher rather than directly intervene. But, if you do nothing, are you not guilty of a moral crime?
History is littered with iconic photographs. I remember Zara’s GCSE Art project was filled with them a couple of years ago. The sailor kissing a nurse in New York on VJ Day, 1945; Neil Armstrong on the moon in 1969; the Vietnamese girl running away from the napalm in 1972; the man who stood in front of the tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989. I think we can now add to that list.
Patrick Hutchinson had attended a Black Lives Matter protest in London last June. On his way home, Hutchinson noticed an altercation with counter-protesters – you may remember that was not one of our greatest days as a nation. With his four friends, he stepped in to help an injured man. Whilst his friends formed a protective circle around the injured, Hutchinson carried to safety a bloodied middle-aged man. His instincts told him that the man’s life was in danger.
By the early evening the photograph had gone viral. If you’ve already seen the photo, you’ll know why: Hutchinson is black and the wounded man is white. The symbolism of the photograph is incredibly powerful. When later asked why he had stepped in, Hutchinson said he wanted to make a point: “We need to unite to inspire change.”
I hope that you never find yourselves in a situation as physically threatening as this. So, let’s move this away from witnessing wrong-doing. Let’s widen this to make sure we never stand by and watch when we could make a difference.
If you see that someone is upset or quieter than normal, don’t stand by, go and help. If you see someone drop litter in our beautiful grounds, don’t stand by, call them out. If someone has forgotten to sanitise their hands, remind them. If you intervene, that will encourage others to intervene. Don’t be a bystander.
Our thought for the week comes from the former first lady, Michelle Obama:
“You may not have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”
I want to finish today by congratulating Aimee on having her poem published by the Anne Frank Trust over the summer. Her theme was spot on for today’s assembly.
Black Lives Matter
Everyone is unique, on the inside and out,
But if you’re targeted every day, then you might start to have doubts.
So why are people racist, when everyone deserves a chance?
No freedom till we’re equal, and for that we’ll take a stance.
It takes one horrible word for someone’s heart to shatter,
So we will fight until there is justice, because black lives matter.
Imagine being scared because of the colour of your skin.
This will not go on any longer, racism won’t win.
We will protest together, till black people have their rights,
From dusk till dawn, through the days and the nights.
It takes one horrible word for someone’s heart to shatter,
So no stopping until our voices are heard, because black lives matter.
We know we will never know how it feels, but we will fight for you too,
Anti-racism is what we want, non-racist won’t do.
Every generation has tried to make segregation stop,
But we are gonna put this to an end, our hard work cannot flop.
Why are we fighting this battle? Why does racism have to exist?
The years of justice and equality, our earth has missed.
But there is no stopping now, our job isn’t done,
We will continue until there is peace, and rights for everyone.
You don’t get everything handed to you on a silver platter,
Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves continues her monthly column…
Abbey House and Armley Industrial Museum
One of the things I have missed most over the past few months is the opportunity to visit our excellent local museums. Fortunately, Armley Industrial Museum and Abbey House Museum are now both open again.
As part of the National Heritage Open Days (12th-20th September), I visited both of these local treasures to talk to Richard at Abbey House and Andrew at Armley House Museum and their staff to see how the museums had coped with the challenges presented by the COVID pandemic.
During lockdown, most staff were re-deployed to other essential council services – but everyone was glad to be back welcoming visitors now the museums have opened their doors once more.
It was great to be able to visit the museums again. And, I know we are all very grateful to the staff who have worked so hard to implement a whole range of safety measures including one-way systems, social distancing, mask wearing and enhanced cleaning regimes.
School Visits
Schools have remained open throughout the pandemic for vulnerable children and children of key workers. Before the summer break, schools also opened their doors to some year groups and in September they opened fully.
Pete McQuillen-Strong is head teacher at Holy Family Catholic Primary in Armley.
This has been a huge logistical challenge for school leaders. It will continue to be a challenge as cases will inevitably be identified in schools and “bubbles” will be collapsed while children and staff self-isolate.
Visiting the heads at two local schools recently (Pete McQuillen-Strong at Holy Family Catholic Primary and Alistair Darnell and Andrea Riley at Castleton) gave me a chance to discuss how they had worked with the local community during lockdown, and their plans for the coming months.
Alistair Darnell and Andrea Riley are co-heads at Castleton Primary
It was really wonderful to hear about the work that has been going on, including delivering food parcels, welfare checks and even the opening of the school playing field so children living in high-rise blocks had a safe space for exercise.
I have always worked closely with schools across the constituency, and usually have lots of contact with the children and young adults in Leeds West. The current circumstances due to Covid-19 has meant this is impossible, but my socially-distanced visits with school leaders will continue.
Mobile Covid Testing Units
Leeds City Council organised two mobile or pop-up test centres in the constituency following localised Covid outbreaks in Bramley and Kirkstall. I visited the Bramley pop-up centre to meet Ollie and his team to thank them for their work and gain a better understanding of how the testing system operates.
The mobile testing units are designed to be a rapid, localised and effective response. The problems with testing both locally and nationally are well known and many people have struggled to get a test. I will continue to press the Government to dramatically increase the number of tests available.
I would encourage anyone wanting to get a coronavirus test to book one through the online national Test and Trace system or dialling 119.
You should only try and get a test if you have symptoms. If you need a test and are having issues, please contact my office and we will do our best to help.
Rachel Reeves with Ollie from the Bramley pop-up centre.
Interplay Theatre Company
This year Interplay Theatre Company celebrated its 50th year in Armley. In any other year, this would have been cause for several large community celebrations. Sadly, it has been necessary to put these on hold. Putting on performances while keeping to social distancing rules is obviously a challenge, but Interplay are doing their best to find creative solutions!
Local Hero Awards come to an end – for this year….
My Leeds West Local Hero Awards have now come to an end. I started these awards in the early summer after I heard several stories of community heroes who were making fantastic contributions.
The nominations I received were incredibly uplifting, with so many examples of individuals and organisations doing outstanding work.
The final winners were Aiden Delaney and his grandson Kaiden – true heroes by anyone’s measure. Their story was reported by WLD here.
My hope is to run these awards annually. In challenging times such as these, it is heartening to see so many examples of community spirit demonstrated by the people of West Leeds.
Leeds City Council’s expected £118m budget gap for next year has been described as “partly self-inflicted” by a West Leeds Tory politician, writes Richard Beecham.
Documents went public earlier this week showing the authority is expecting a £118m shortfall in its finances for 2021/22, while also needing to find an extra £52m of savings before the end of the current financial year in March.
And, while the leader of the council’s Conservative group accepts much of the shortfall is due to extra pressures and lost revenue caused by Covid-19, he added that the council had only itself and “poor financial management” to blame for much of the financial black hole.
The figures were revealed in a report set to go before next week’s decision-making executive board, showing £66.1m of the £118m was due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19.
Cllr Andrew Carter
Calverley & Farsley councillor Andrew Carter said:
“What Leeds residents should remember, even before the impact of Covid-19 and due to poor financial management by the current administration, is that the Council faced difficult financial decisions and obviously that situation has been made a lot more difficult by the impact of the pandemic, which is undeniable.
“However, a number of home-grown chickens have now come home to roost and the report going before Executive Board next week highlights that of the £118.8m projected budget gap £59.7m, so approximately half, were pre-existing pressures linked in part to debt management that are not related to Covid-19. It is clear that there is now a major financial challenge in Leeds but it has to be recognised that some of it has been self-inflicted.”
The council said it has so far identified £32m of savings for next year, which could lead to a loss of around 478 jobs. This would also still leave a funding gap of more than £86m, about which further announcements are expected later this year.
This is all in addition to a funding gap of £52m the council currently faces for the rest of the 2020/21 financial year, due to extra pressures from Covid-19.
The leader of Leeds City Council said the authority was in talks with the government on whether further help could be offered to Leeds.
Leeds City Council Leader Cllr Judith Blake
Speaking on Wednesday, Coun Judith Blake (Labour) said:
“In what has been an extremely difficult decade for local authorities, we have proved here in Leeds that we are a prudent, financially well run council.
“The impact of coronavirus has had an enormous impact on our financial position. Not only in terms of the costs to tackle Covid-19, but on many of our revenue streams that help provide the funding we need to fund vital front-line services.
“While welcoming the assistance offered so far by government to meet the costs of coronavirus, it simply does not go far enough when you also consider the significant cuts made to our central grant funding since 2010.
“We are therefore in talks with the government to discuss what else they can do to help because without additional assistance, there is a threat of big cuts to services.
“These financial reports to executive board set out the stark financial position we face, and a number of steps we intend to move forward with to mitigate the impact of the budget gap in the next financial year. We will do everything in our power to ensure that our front-line services supporting the elderly, vulnerable and all those in need continue to be protected.”
The report will go before Leeds City Council executive board members on Thursday, September 24.
Flytippers have been condemned for dumping rubbish and waste on Troydale Lane overnight last night.
The road was closed for several hours this morning following the dumping as members of the community and a Leeds City Council crew cleared the rubbish.
One Troydale resident, who asked not to be named, told the Dispatch:
“It’s not the first time this has happened, but it’s the worst. They’re lucky that hasn’t caused a serious accident in the dark – there are some stupid, inconsiderate people about. We need some cameras up to deter theSE TRamps.”
Cllr Simon Seary (Cons, Pudsey) has contacted the environmental enforcement officer and the cleaner neighbourhood team to thank them for helping to clean up the mess and also ask what measures can be put in place to reduce the fly tipping along Troydale Lane.
The Pudsey Ward boundary stops at the beck, and Cllr Seary added Pudsey councillors will work closely with the Farnley and Wortley councillors to address this long-term problem.
A Leeds councillor has called on the Government to compensate hundreds of taxi drivers who paid thousands for new eco-friendly cars, should a review conclude they were not needed, writes Richard Beecham.
It follows an announcement last month that funding of the £20m-plus clean air charging zone (CAZ) would be suspended while the authority worked with the Government to understand whether pollution could ever again reach illegal levels.
The CAZ was due to make a daily charge to buses, HGVs and taxis or private hire vehicles driving in certain parts of the city if their engines did not meet eco-friendly requirements.
The boundary of the Clean Air Zone would be the Leeds Outer Ring Road, meaning several other areas – including Armley, Bramley, Farsley, Rodley, Wortley and Burley – would all be in the zone.
Many self employed taxi drivers spent thousands upgrading their vehicles in readiness for the scheme, which was expected to be up and running in 2021, only to be told work on the scheme was suspended due to improving air pollution levels in the city.
A conclusion of the review into the scheme is set to go before councillors in October’s council executive board meeting, but Labour councillor Javaid Akhtar claimed the government should pay drivers who upgraded their vehicles, should the scheme be scrapped.
Coun Akhtar (Hyde Park & Woodhouse) said:
“Many businesses have suffered, and the private hire and taxi trade is no different. We know many hundreds of drivers have invested thousands of pounds in the cleaner vehicles.
“Can I now ask the executive board member to join us to campaign for a compensation for those drivers who have already invested in hybrids or electric cars, so the Government has to pay those drivers off during these difficult times.”
Coun James Lewis (Lab), executive board member for resources and deputy council leader, said:
“The implementation is under review due to the improvement of air quality since March. It is important that the outcome is not pre-empted.
“I know many taxi and private hire drivers have been in touch since we instigated the review making similar points to those you have made.
“First of all, I would say we have to wait for the outcome of the review.
“Air quality has improved – if the review suggests we don’t need to implement a charging zone, we will make the case to government that the money allocated to us and remains unspent, we continue to support businesses to keep those vehicles on the road, and to invest in new clean vehicles.
“I know Coun Akhtar will make that strong case to the Government. We, should the review say we don’t need a clean air charging zone, will continue to do that.”
Plans for Leeds’s clean air charging zone would see older models of buses, taxis and HGVs travelling in areas around north Leeds and the city centre pay a congestion charge.
The fees would be administered via a £6m camera network, which would identify number plates of cars that didn’t meet green requirements so that drivers could be charged.
It was originally expected to be up and running by January 2020 but, following numerous delays from central government in creating a vehicle database, it was announced in July 2019 that the charging zone should be going live “some time in 2020”.
Leeds City Council faces “unprecedented” budget cuts, as its spending is set to reduce by more than £100m next year, with hundreds of further job losses expected, writes Richard Beecham.
A report, set to go before the authority’s decision-making executive board next week, shows the authority faces an estimated budget gap of £166m over the next five years, of which £118.8m relates to 2021/22.
The document adds that just over half of this has resulted from the ongoing financial impact of Covid-19.
So far, the council has identified £32m of savings for next year, but this would still leave a funding gap of more than £86m, about which the council is expected to make further announcements later this year.
This is all in addition to a funding gap of £52m the council currently faces for the rest of the 2020/21 financial year, due to extra pressures from Covid-19.
The leader of Leeds City Council has since said the authority was in talks with the government on whether further help could be offered to Leeds.
The report said: “In response to this financial position, the council has carried out a review of its capital programme and established a ‘Financial Challenge’ programme of service reviews to identify savings that will contribute towards closing the estimated budget gap and enable the authority to present a robust, balanced budget position in 2021/22.
“These aim to protect services that support the most vulnerable whilst ensuring that the council becomes more financially resilient and sustainable for the future.”
It added the reviews had so far identified £32.3m potential savings, which is likely to see a loss of 478.4 full-time equivalent staff.
“All efforts will be made to avoid compulsory redundancies,” the document said.
“The results of any such consultation with staff, trade unions, service users and the public will be used to inform the final decision.”
If approved, the proposed cuts would reduce the estimated budget gap for 2021/22 to £86.2m. Further reports are expected to be brought to the council’s executive board in October and November in order to identify proposals to further close the budget gap to enable a balanced budget in 2021/22.
“The updated position, including any further Government announcements, will be reported to this Board in December.”
It added that, while the reviews are ongoing, all “non-essential” capital spend would be placed on hold, with the exception of health and safety and Covid-19-related works, as well as schemes that are partially finished.
The report concluded: “The council faces an unprecedented financial challenge with an estimated budget gap for 2021/22 of £118.76m.
“In response, the authority has carried out a review of its capital programme and established a ‘Financial Challenge’ programme of service reviews to identify savings that will contribute towards closing the estimated budget gap and enable the authority to present a robust, balanced budget position in 2021/22.
“These aim to protect services that support the most vulnerable whilst ensuring that the organisation becomes more financially resilient and sustainable for the future.
“Work continues to identify further savings with proposals to come to this Board in October and November.
“Meaningful consultation will be carried out with staff, trade unions, service users and the public on proposals as required with the results used to inform the decisions taken in respect of Service Reviews.”
Leader of Leeds City Council Judith Blake said:
“In what has been an extremely difficult decade for local authorities, we have proved here in Leeds that we are a prudent, financially well run council.
“The impact of coronavirus has had an enormous impact on our financial position. Not only in terms of the costs to tackle Covid-19, but on many of our revenue streams that help provide the funding we need to fund vital front-line services.
“While welcoming the assistance offered so far by government to meet the costs of coronavirus, it simply does not go far enough when you also consider the significant cuts made to our central grant funding since 2010.
“We are therefore in talks with the government to discuss what else they can do to help because without additional assistance, there is a threat of big cuts to services.
“These financial reports to executive board set out the stark financial position we face, and a number of steps we intend to move forward with to mitigate the impact of the budget gap in the next financial year. We will do everything in our power to ensure that our front-line services supporting the elderly, vulnerable and all those in need continue to be protected.”
The report will go before Leeds City Council executive board members on Thursday, September 24.
The chief executive of Leeds City Council has told councillors that the continued increase in Covid-19 infection rates in the city was slowing down, writes Richard Beecham.
A full Leeds City Council meeting heard how the infection rate has increased to just over 75 per 100,000, following further measures from the Government to help the city combat its infection rates.
Council CEO Tom Riordan
Council chief executive Tom Riordan added the new infections were among all demographics and areas of the city, but had the highest impact on those aged 15-34.
Mr Riordan said:
“We are currently in an ongoing live situation where things are changing.
“Cases are rising within the city as they are throughout the country. We are classified as an area for enhanced support – that may stay the same or change.
“If your case rates continue to rise, we do expect that may change and we may get extra restrictions as other areas in the north have got.”
Speculation was rife last Friday over whether Leeds would follow Birmingham into a government-imposed local lockdown, before a statement late in the afternoon announced the city would instead receive extra support from Whitehall.
Mr Riordan told today’s meeting that government agencies were meeting in the coming days, adding:
“We will know more later in the week about where we and neighbouring authorities stand.
“Today’s seven-day rolling infection rate is 75.5 per 100,000 – the seven day positivity rate is 6.5 percent. Both of those are slight increases although over the last three days, we have seen a deceleration in the rise, but it is volatile.
“We continue to have cases in all wards, with the highest rates in the west of the city and to the north and east of the city centre. This is dynamic and tends to change.
“The 15-34-year-olds group is the highest age group, but they are now closely followed by the 35-49 group. It is about children and young adults, but it is extending to other parts of the population.”
He added that around 60 per cent of the cases were of white British ethnicity, adding there were currently 19 cases in care homes and more than 44 schools with cases.
“It all comes down to how many people have spent 15 minutes or more within 2 metres, or one minute or more within one metre – it’s important to continue social distancing,” he said.
“We are concerned about the impact of transmission if this continues, and the impacts on those more vulnerable.”
Firefighters this evening tackled a large blaze involving a garden shed and nearby trees in Pudsey.
The fire service was called to the fire at 7.17pm, with three appliances arriving on the scene in the Mount Pleasant Road area.
A large jet and two hose reels were used to bring the fire under control. It’s understood no-one was injured in the blaze and that the fire did not spread to nearby houses.
Smoke from the blaze could be seen as far away as Farnley and Farsley.
Police and paramedics also attended the scene.
One eyewitness told The Dispatch:
“It was a ferocious blaze, the smoke went up really high. We thought it was going to spread to the houses, but luckily the fire brigade arrived and soon got it under control.”
Police seized two vehicles following traffic offences by drivers during an operation on Galloway Lane in Pudsey.
A number of vehicles were stopped and various offences dealt with, including a failure to wear a seatbelt and driving whilst using a hand-held device. A police spokesperson said:
“One person has been arrested for drug offences and another has been reported for driving whilst disqualified.”
