By John Baron
West Leeds RUFC have been boosted by a £10,400 grant to improve its facilities thanks to councillors on the outer west community committee.
Club chair Karen Breakwell said the club was ‘delighted’ to have secured additional funding on top of the club’s own crowdfunding appeal for essential improvements to the club and its facilities off Blue Hill Lane.
She said the funding would help “refresh and reinvigorate our little club down the Lane” and help them complete more projects including upgrading the showers, installation of LED floodlighting to the pitch and also improve social areas.
“We are absolutely over the moon with this grant from Leeds City Council and we will ensure that this is used to promote sports facilities for the use of our kids across the local community,” added Ms Breakwell.
At the meeting, Cllr Mark Sewards (Lab, Farnley & Wortley) praised residents for raising ‘an amazing’ £10,400 and securing a further £4,000 in grant funding and noted there was still some fundraising to do if they were to reach their £41,000 target. He suggested an initial grant of £10,400 to match the amount residents raised and perhaps revisit it again if they raised more money.
Farnley & Wortley councillors David Blackburn (Green) and Adrian McCluskey (Lab) agreed to this.
Other grants approved included: Pudsey Park weekend litter picking, Outer West police anti-social behaviour and road safety operations, Bawns and Heights Fun Day in Farnley, public space CCTV cameras, Andy’s Youth Project at Robin Lane in Pudsey and Farsley Festival.
Environmental improvements at Owlcotes Road in Pudsey were deferred for a second time for clarity on the decision-making process following a disagreement between councillors. A grant for the adult band project in Pudsey was also deferred and site improvements and new equipment for West Leeds Activity Centre in Armley were refused.
The full meeting can be viewed here:
The agenda, papers and minutes of the last outer west community committee meeting held at Farnley Hall can be read here.
The outer west community committee is made up of councillors from the Calverley & Farsley, Farnley & Wortley and Pudsey wards. The political make-up is five Conservatives, three Labour, one Green. Read more of WLD‘s coverage of the committee here.
