Leeds South West and Morley MP Mark Sewards begins his first bi-monthly column in the West Leeds Dispatch by talking about the success of a community campaign in Wortley.
I’m proud to be the MP for the place I was born, the same constituency I’m now raising my own family in. As some readers may be aware, before my election to Parliament last July, I was a Leeds city councillor representing Farnley and Wortley.
I wanted to use this column to talk about the fantastic news that Leeds United have agreed a deal with Leeds School Sport’s Association (LSSA) for the TV Harrison Sports Ground. LSSA own 75% of the site with the remaining 25% owned by Leeds City Council (LCC).
I am working on the final details with LCC, LSSA and Leeds United to ensure that there is a smooth transition of ownership and will provide another update as soon as I can.
As I am sure many readers will know, the campaign to save Wortley’s Wembley, was started by local residents in 2019 under the name, the TV Harrison Action Group. They fought so hard to save the ground, winning multiple legal challenges, restoring and maintaining the field and recruiting many more supporters to the cause.
I am delighted that the future of the ground has been secured and that the proposed deal includes an all-important covenant which ensures that the ground can only ever be used as a sports facility. This offers the concrete reassurance that residents deserve after such a long campaign.
The way in which the local community has rallied around the campaign, putting in a huge amount of time and effort to bring the ground back up to a playing standard, has been outstanding. I would like to commend anyone who gave any of their time to help support the TV Harrison campaign.
Community spirit is something which I feel often can be overlooked and undervalued. This is a huge mistake and is exemplified by this campaign. Football and Leeds United will now have a base in the centre of Wortley for generations to come. Which will hopefully lead to the next generation of LUFC stars being discovered right here in West Leeds. Maybe the next Kalvin Phillips will be discovered right here, again.
Once again, I would like to thank everyone who played a part in making this deal happen: the TV Harrison Action Group, the LSSA, Leeds City Council and Leeds United.
Although there is still some work to be done, I am honoured to have been able to play a role in ensuring all parties worked together so we could achieve the best outcome for the community.
Finally, I would like to remind readers of my office contact information. You can get in touch via email at mark.sewards.mp@parliament.uk or give my team a ring on 0113 529 0596. Our phones are answered between 10am and 4pm every weekday. My team and I are always glad to assist with any problems you may have.
If you’d like to meet or speak, I hold in-person surgeries every Saturday 10am-12pm, although the location changes every week because Leeds South West and Morley is a big constituency and I like to get around every part of it. Please just ask my office for a list of upcoming surgeries.
Residents can also drop into my office, located at 62 Queen Street, Morley, LS27 9BP, to speak with my casework team on Tuesday 10am-12pm and Wednesday 12pm-2pm.