Police are appealing for witnesses to a collision on Kirkstall Road which left a 28-year-old man in hospital with serious injuries.
At 9.58am yesterday (Wednesday) police were called to a road traffic collision in Kirkstall Road, involving a white motorcycle and a white Skoda Fabia.
The motorbike rider, a 28-year-old man, was taken to Leeds General Infirmary by ambulance with serious injuries.
The driver of the car, a 71-year-old man, also attended hospital with minor injuries.
The road was closed for much of the day as enquiries into the incident took place .
Anyone who witnessed the collision or the circumstances leading up to it is asked to contact officers via 101 quoting log number 446 of October 16.
It looked at the basics of photography, writing articles, headlines, ethics, where to find news, video and podcasting. Dispatch editor John Baron, who ran the course, said:
“We hope they’ll provide a voice for their communities and help shine a light on what’s going on in the area.
“ Keep your eye out for their stories over the coming weeks, and if you see one of them out and about, don’t hesitate to say hello!”
They received community reporter press cards, a certificate and badge – and the knowledge and confidence to continue to contribute for WLD now the course has finished. Here are some photographs from the community reporters’ graduation this evening.
Our next free community reporters course will run in Pudsey at Pudsey House, starting on Friday, 1 November 2019, at 6.30pm.
Book your place – and get more information – here.
Read the work of our community reporters from all four courses here.
A Kirkstall councillor has claimed that some parents’ gambling issues meant they were struggling to spend quality time with their children, writes local democracy reporter Richard Beecham.
The comments came in a Leeds City Council licensing committee meeting, during a discussion on the Northern Gambling Clinic, which opened in September.
Cllr Hannah Bithell (Lab, Kirkstall), who also works as a teacher, said that parents have opened up in the past about their gambling problems, and that schools should have the power to step in and help. She said:
“You will hear, sometimes, either kids will say something about their parents gambling, or I’ve had it before where parents will discuss at parents evening something about gambling or about spending time away from kids and not being able to read with them because of stuff such as that.
“I know there are safeguarding protocols around that but it would be useful if it were a referral.”
A representative of the clinic said:
“If a parent was 18 plus and they came to our service, we would be able to offer something called the five-step model for those who are affected. “It could be mum, dad or a friend who is affected by someone else and gambling.”
He added that any professional could refer someone to the service.
A report by Leeds City Council officers, which went before panel members, suggested that around 10,000 people in Leeds are thought to have a gambling problem, and as many as 30,000 more could be at risk.
Cllr Bithell later asked:
“Previously we had a solely self-referral system. Does this mean GPs refer people in. I understand family members can’t but can it be almost compulsory seeking of help or is it entirely self-voluntary?”
The clinic representative said:
“The person has got to agree to want to come. A GP could make a referral on someone’s behalf without them really wanting to come, but we would never see them. “Ideally the GP would talk to someone and refer them to the gambling service and they’d be on board with it straight away.”
A senior West Leeds politician has reiterated his concerns around Bradford Council amid clashes over housing strategies on the border of the two cities, writes local democracy reporter Richard Beecham.
Leeds Conservatives leader Cllr Andrew Carter (Calverley & Farsley Ward) told a meeting of Leeds City Council’s development plans panel that Leeds needs to be better informed on Bradford Council’s ongoing core strategy document.
When finished, the document will outline where houses should be built in Bradford over the coming years.
Cllr Andrew Carter
It follows comments from Cllr Carter at the previous meeting of the panel in September, during which he described Bradford’s housing strategy as a “dog’s breakfast”.
At the meeting on Tuesday, during a discussion on the minutes of the previous meeting, Cllr Carter said:
“What it doesn’t do is to tell us how we are now going to be better-informed as to what Bradford are actually up to.
“Most of us on this side remain very concerned about the issues of south-east Bradford, the road links and the erosion of the green belt on the Bradford side of the border.
“The duty to cooperate, I don’t think, exists in terms of Bradford talking to us about developments on their side of the border, whether you run from Guiseley and Rawdon in the north to Morley in the south.”
He asked what progress had been made in getting better communication with Bradford, adding: “As far as I can see none of those fears and concerns have yet been in any way removed.”
A core strategy is a document held by each council which dictates when and where housing and infrastructure should be built in the coming years, which also features housing targets.
Bradford’s is currently out to consultation, after the government revised down the city’s annual housing target from 2,476 to 1,703 earlier this summer.
A council officer responded to Cllr Carter:
“There are two things to focus on, one is the plan making process and Bradford’s obligation to take into account the comments that were made to it.
“The second is to continue a conversation with duty to cooperate meetings and heads of planning meetings as part of Leeds’s involvement in the combined authority.
“Both of those things will be ongoing.”
Cllr Carter retorted:
“Have we, as a council responded to the consultation for Bradford, and does that not mean that when an inquiry is held, which it will have to be, Leeds will be able to attend and publicly disagree with Bradford?”
The officer confirmed that the comments Cllr Carter made during the last meeting had been sent to Bradford Council for their consideration. He added:
“Following that, there has been a conversation with their head of planning to contextualise and reinforce those comments.
“It’s now up to Bradford to take those comments into account along with all the other comments they receive, as part of that stage of consultation.”
During the previous meeting on September 3, an item was discussed on Bradford Council’s ongoing partial core strategy review.
Cllr Carter claimed the plans, in their current form, were a “dog’s breakfast”, claiming there were too many proposed developments on greenfield sites bordering Pudsey and West Leeds.
Young people in Kirkstall and Burley are scaling new heights thanks to a new project at an innovative indoor bouldering/climbing project.
Sessions are now running at The Climbing Lab in Cardigan Fields for 11 to 17-year-olds living in the Kirkstall area.
The sessions allow time to warm up, discuss safety points and encourage appropriate goal setting and team collaboration to work out climbing problems. They run from 4.15pm – 5.45pm on Fridays.
Young people can pre-book into four-week blocks and have a Climbing Lab instructor for an hour, supplemented by youth worker supervision.
Councillor Fiona Venner (Lab, Kirkstall) said climbing increases fitness, social skills and focus. She added:
“My colleagues Hannah Bithell, John Illingworth and I were delighted to approve the funding for the Climbing Lab project, it offers a fun and slightly more unusual evening activity for local young people.
“As well as the physical activity climbing provides it also helps build self-confidence and gives a real sense of achievement as the young people can see their improvement over the four week course.
“Once the course has finished they are left with a new skill and potentially a new hobby that they can go on to develop. I would encourage anyone who is considering it to go to the Climbing Lab and have a go, it really is a lot of fun.”
To book a place or for more information, contact Andrew Derra on 0113 378 5071 or Andrew.derra@leeds.gov.uk.
An Armley man is behind a new national campaign to tackle bullying and violence in schools.
Former teacher Jason Barnett is leading a campaign for parents and families from across the UK who have lost children to suicide or had children seriously harmed, as a consequence of failures to address bullying and violence complaints in schools.
The campaign will hold a public meeting and Safer Schools campaign launch at Leeds Town Hall on Friday 25 October, from 7.30pm until 9pm.
Mr Barnett is an advocate for vulnerable children. He said the campaign group currently includes over 100 families from across the UK some of whom have set up foundations in memory of their loved ones that have been lost. He said:
“As part of the campaign, leaders of every major political party, education ministers and a number of MPs, have been invited to hear evidence from families, alleging that their children have lost their lives or been harmed as a consequence of failings in complaints policies and procedures.”
The group will also present a case for changes to legislation around bullying and violence policies to prevent this happening to other children and families in the future. The launch will also be live streamed professionally online.
Why is it happening?
The NSPCC’s Childline Annual review for 2017/2018 said, of the top 10 issues they received calls in relation to, bullying was the main issue for under 11s and in the top four for children aged 12 – 15.
Mr Barnett added:
“There are a number of initiatives and charities working with children and schools to reduce the levels and to stop bullying from happening in the first place, such as the Anti Bullying Alliance, The Princess Diana Anti Bullying Campaign and the NSPCC.
“These organisations though, do not deal with the the concerns that many parents have expressed, that where bullying and violence has already occurred and concerns and complaints are raised, those concerns are often not dealt with satisfactorily as a result of flawed policies and procedures.
“These failures are too often resulting in children being harmed and in a number cases lives being lost, according to the campaign group.”
Mother Julie Steward will be speaking at the event.
Ms Steward lost her son Simon Brooks at just the age of 15 to suicide, claiming bullying concerns had been ignored. She said
“Children have all been failed by safeguarding issues that are in place and this Government really needs to look at what is happening in this area.”
The campaign believes that Ministers and MP’s now have a duty of care to address the issues that have been raised with them, where others have failed and now need to act immediately to save lives in the future and prevent any further harm coming to children.
They are demanding that Government make changes to number of policies, procedures and laws. Mr Barnett added:
“Currently there are laws and policies in place for every workplace to protect adults from bullying and violence, including in schools. We believe it can only be right to ensure that children across the UK are afforded the same protections. “
Whilst the forum’s are ideal for people not on social media, they are a chance for anyone who live or work in Pudsey to by kept updated by their local councillors about what is happening in the area.
Our community reporter Keely Bannister went along and here are five things she learnt.
1. Hough Side School development should be moving forward soon
Most council workers have moved out of Hough Side School, also known as Hough Top Court, and work to demolish the building should be able to take place soon.
The playing fields/football pitches are safe and the gym complex and car park to the front is also to be retained.
The site is listed on the Site Allocation Plan (SAP) with a capacity of 76 units meaning that housing will be the most likely future use for the site.
Pudsey ward councillors have told council officers that social housing is their preference for the land.
2. Engagement is improving youth anti-social behaviour in Swinnow
Engagement has been working in the Swinnow area to reduce anti-social behaviour.
Workers at Swinnow Community Centre have challenged children causing issues outside the centre or in the opposite park.
They have managed to build up a good relationship with a core group of these youths by inviting them into the centre to play video games and enjoy Greggs baked goods that are delivered to the centre for free. These youths are now themselves challenging other young people’s behaviour and encouraging better from their peers.
22 young people are now waiting for the chance to help renovate Swinnow park by painting the shelter in the playground. The forum heard they are taking ownership of the park and want to put pride back into it.
Workers at Swinnow Centre say the children are “doing a lot better” and credit the engagement work they have done for this and the rewarding of positive behaviour.
3. Three Pudsey parks are going to receive makeovers…
Queens Park, Pudsey. Photo: Google
Queens Park, Swinnow Park, and Tyersal Park are all in line for some exciting updates with a trim trail and 22 fruit trees being added to each.
Swinnow will be the first to be updated with a eight-ten week timescale for completion. Work is expected to begin soon, meaning the improvements should be completed before Christmas.
Additional to the trail and trees, councillors are also looking at changing the gates at Swinnow Park to allow easier access for disabled people.
After Swinnow, Tyersal will follow with Queens Park improvements having to wait until after the football season has concluded due to the pitches requiring a slight rotation.
4. Need a garage? Leeds City Council have some available
Around a quarter of council-owned garages are currently vacant. If you would like to enquire about renting one, contact your local housing office.
Valley Road garages are currently in disrepair and are set to be demolished. It is not yet known what will happen to the land.
5. Reporting works – so keep doing it!
Whether it’s getting potholes filled in or help the police catch criminals, reporting what you see really does work.
Cllr Mark Harrison
Pudsey councillor and forum chair Mark Harrison said that he has noticed that potholes are being dealt with by the council and residents who report them are a big help in getting this done.
You can report potholes by contacting one of the three ward councillors or by using the online facility.
Police representatives asked residents to report any crimes they witness as well as anything suspicious (cars or people being somewhere they don’t belong or an address smelling of cannabis when people don’t appear to be smoking it etc) they notice.
To make a report to the police, you can call 999 in an emergency or 101 for non emergencies, tell an officer in person or use the force’s website.
The next Pudsey & Swinnow Community Forum will be held on Tuesday 25th February2020 at a venue to be confirmed.
Just say the words ‘annual general meeting’ and you might think about a stale room full of middle-aged blokes talking about finances, committees and votes.
They’re fun, they’re engaging – and they give attendees a real chance to help shape the future of community-led Bramley Baths.
Attendees will also hear about the Baths’ financial performance over the past year from Baths chair, John Battle.
The Bramley Mermaids synchronised swimming group will be giving a free performance of their latest synchronised swimming routine, including a “Bootylicious” sneak peak of part of their Brighton Fringe Festival routine.
Refreshments will be available!
Bramley Baths’ AGM is on Monday, October 21 at 7.30pm. All welcome to attend at the Grade II-Listed Edwardian building on Broad Lane.
A West Leeds author has written what is believed to be the first historical novel to be set in Wortley.
Clare O’Keefe launched the book – called The Sun and Planet Wheel – in Armley Park at the weekend, and says the action takes place between 1790 to 1797. She said:
“It’s the story of the most famous people in Wortley that you have never heard of!
“It is part of the forgotten Heritage of Wortley. Here, Listed buildings and landscape features are neglected and ignored. “
The book is the product of many years research and is described as the true (ish) story of the Bateson family of Wortley set in around 1795.
There are three researchers – Ms O’Keefe, her husband and John Wilkinson of Armley. who is descended from the one of the protagonists in the story.
Ms O’Keefe added:
“The Batesons were clothiers who owned a water mill on Wortley Beck and went on to purchase the second Boulton and Watt steam engine in the township.
“Their story is the also the story of Leeds; of the growth of the woolen and the engineering industries, and also the story of St John the Evangelist parish church on Dixon Lane where the tombs of the Wortley clothiers can be found.
“The Batesons owned the TV Harrison playing field on Oldfield Lane way back in the time of the Tithe Map. At one time they owned most of land in Wortley and their descendants include not only John Wilkinson, but the historian CV Wedgwood and the Victorian writers, Mary Ann Everett Green and Evelyn Everett Green.”
The launch of the self-published book was in the Rose Garden, Gott’s House, Armley Park with the Friends of Armley Park and the Sunday social activity group.
Present were Jenny Meehan, Cat Hyde, Michelle Gittens, Diane Dawkins and families. Wade’s Ranger Claire Rogers, researcher John Wilkinson, cover designer Harry Bratt and other friends and family also joined the celebration.
The Sun and Planet Wheel is on offer as a promotion on Amazon for the next two weeks at the special price of 99p.
At the meeting, which takes place from 7.30pm until 9.30pm at Farsley Celtic’s the Citadel stadium, an update will be given on what each of the different groups have been doing and what they will be doing in the future.
There will also be a report given by the current treasurer and elections held for the FCI posts of Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary.
Representatives from Farsley Festival, Farsley Community Orchard, Farsley Farmers Market and Friends of Hainsworth Park will be on hand to chat to people and answer questions – each group would welcome potential volunteers to come and find out more about how they can get involved.
Farsley Festival are holding a fundraising quiz night on Sunday 20th October from 7pm until 10pm at Grumpy’s Bar & Wood Fired Pizza. Tickets are £12 and include half a pizza, dough balls, entry to the quiz and a donation towards next year’s festival. Tickets can be bought via eventbrite or in person from Grumpy’s or Farsley Library. People are requested to purchase a ticket by Wednesday 16th October so the organisers have an idea of numbers.
FCI will once again be collecting Christmas trees in January. More details will be made available in due course. Volunteers will be required.
Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves has today backed plans to buy some local bus services and take them back into some form of public ownership.
The move comes after First Group PLC revealed earlier this year that it was looking to sell its bus operations in the UK as part of a company restructure.
Ms Reeves said she supported West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s proposed purchase of FirstBus West Yorkshire and Arriva’s West Yorkshire operations, which she described as a “golden opportunity”. She said:
Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves
“This is a golden opportunity for WYCA and the whole of West Yorkshire to take a step forward in the transition of our region’s bus services away from the unreliable and deregulated private system we have become used to, and towards a franchised bus system like that which has been so successful in London – wherein buses are run for people, not for profit.
“It cannot be right that the capital enjoys regular and reliable bus services while great northern cities like Leeds must settle for second-class transport services.
“As importantly, the environmental impact of improved bus services – and the reduction in car usage which they engender – should be both welcomed and encouraged, especially as we work towards tackling the climate crisis.
“I urge the WYCA to act now in order to take this action in order to improve our local bus services, which are so crucial to the lives of so many people in West Yorkshire.”
West Yorkshire council leaders last week confirmed that they will look into the possibility of “buying” some of the region’s for-sale bus services.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) – which looks after transport and large infrastructure projects – confirmed that this could include “purchasing” the services, suggesting they could be brought under some form of public ownership.
It follows news in May that First Group PLC was looking to sell its UK bus operations as part of a restructure of the company. First currently runs around 60 per cent of the region’s buses.
Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake (Lab) told the meeting:
“This presents us with options and opportunities. The main one being whether or not we want to consider our ability to engage in the process of the sale of First Bus and other First Bus operating companies that will be given to us, and whether we want to put together the possibility of us pursuing the option to buy the services that are available.
“We are recommending that we explore the option that the sale gives us, this includes, but is not limited to, participating in a sale of the operations that are up for sale.
“We are also mindful that this will be a complex process, and it will involve spending from the combined authority to assist us to come up with a series of options that will assist us to look at the opportunities, look at the benefit and look at how we can improve the experience of the travelling public.
“There will be an appetite from the public that this is an area of enormous interest.”
Leader of Wakefield Council Peter Box (Lab) said:
“I think we should invest because potentially the benefit to the travelling public is tremendous. There are far more people that use buses than trains to get to work so this is a great investment to make potentially.”
Leader of Kirklees Council Shabir Pandor (Lab) said:
“This to me is the right thing to do, but it has got to improve services.
“One of the things I keep hearing about public transport is ‘where does the accountability lie?’ and this has to be something to think about here.”
Bradford Council leader and chair of the committee Susan Hinchcliffe (Lab) said:
“This is all about us trying to understand what the options are.
“It’s important to tell people out there that today we are not making a decision about whether to buy it or not. This is a decision about the feasibility of looking at the options of purchasing.
“There will be further discussions later on about whether we take this forward.”
She later added: “We need to be making sure that when we look at this, it’s not a silver bullet – some local authority-owned companies in other parts of the country have spent a lot of money on bus lanes and making sure things are speeded up.
“We would need to do all those things at once – it’s not just about buying it and sitting back – there is a lot more investment that would need to go in.”
Leader of the Conservatives group on Kirklees Council David Hall said:
“We need to avoid deciding what we want before receiving the advice.
“£200,000 is a lot of money. We need to have a quick response on this.”
WYCA officer Dave Pearson said that First PLC was likely to start the sale process in early 2020.
The panel approved spending of up to £200,000 on “legal and consultancy support to assist with the development of options for future bus services in West Yorkshire.”
Bramley Elderly Action (BEA) held its annual Challenge at Bramley Community Centre, writes Mindy Goose.
The Challenge is open to anyone, from the mini-makers under 12s to the over 90s. The Challenge is a chance to show and share traditional skills and to celebrate local talent.
Cllr Caroline Gruen and Bramley’s Julie Botham. Photo: Mindy Goose
Barbara Dickson, 79, from Bramley, said the challenge started over a decade ago, after an idea she had from volunteering as the division commissioner for the Leeds West Division Guides. She said:
“The original idea started, as I had done it with guides, thinking it would give over 60’s something to do during the winter months. So it began in October to give them plenty of time to make [for the following year].”
The Challenge is now permanently at the beginning of October to coincide with Older Peoples Week, which this year was 30th September until 6th October.
Bramley and Stanningley ward councillor Caroline Gruen, who is on the board of trustees for BEA, handed out the prize certificates to winners, runners up and highly commended participants.
Winners and runners up galore at Bramley Community Centre. Photo: Mindy Goose
The other ward councillors, Kevin Ritchie and
Julie Heselwood were also in attendance.
After judging had taken place,
the doors to the community centre were thrown open to the general public,
allowing them to see all the fantastic things that local people have created
for the Challenge. A homemade lunch was on offer to purchase, with sandwiches,
cake, and hot drinks. Many of the items were available to buy in an auction, to
raise funds for BEA, which was held after the prize giving.
Get in touch with BEA to find out more about the challenge:
“How to get involved and how we can make next year bigger and better. We would love to hear from local groups who could join us and from anyone interested in helping plan the 2020 challenge.”
Contact BEA
Address: Bramley Community Centre, Waterloo Lane, Bramley, Leeds LS13 2JB
Telephone: 0113 236 1644
The office is staffed 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday, except bank holidays.
