By John Baron
Welcome to our latest handy five-minute Sunday roundup capturing what’s been happening in West Leeds during the past week.
A couple of West Leeds-wide stories to highlight. Firstly, families have been left upset and worried for the future after one of the city’s leading providers for day services said it was ending its contract with Leeds City Council, which affects three hubs in Bramley, Kirkstall and Pudsey.
And Noelle Williamson looks at the support available to West Leeds youngsters wanting to take up music.
This week’s new planning applications can be found here and the latest licensing applications here.
Here’s a quick look at what’s been happening in West Leeds in the past week:
Armley
Yesterday (Saturday) saw the community come together on Armley Moor for the popular annual Armley Festival. Four of our community reporters attended, and here are 25 photos capturing the people and events and their report. It looked like another great day!
The £2.9million scheme to revamp Armley Town Street – which has divided opinion – was back in the news, with residents voicing their concerns by taking a deputation to a full Leeds City Council meeting.
Four historic cemetery chapels – including in Armley and Horsforth – are set to be sold at auction to raise funds for the city council. Here’s the full story.
The head of an Armley based organisation supporting the recovery of addicts has called for a fairer share of the funding pot in Leeds. Recovering addict Chris Sylvester, from Getting Clean, led a deputation to speak at this week’s full council meeting.
Good news for Holy Family Primary School in Armley – they’re received praise in a positive report from Ofsted inspectors. Armley’s Leeds industrial Museum also gets a good mention in this debate about the future of museums and galleries in our area. Details of creative conversations and other events in Armley (some have already passed, some still to come) in Helen Fay’s article here.
And Armley has been named as one of eight priority wards set to benefit from a new £1.9 million Sport England-funded scheme to get more people active. Read Harry Ward’s report here.
Bramley
A ‘beacon for Bramley’: The historic Baths is more than just a pool, its AGM heard this week. Turnover passed £1 million last year as the community led Baths looks to a bright future.
Bramley and Stanningley Labour councillor Tom Hinchcliffe has been announced as new executive member for transport and planning following the resignation of Peter Carlill.
Next stop please! And a Bramley based bus driver has been crowned the best in Britain.
Burley
Women writers yesterday came together at the Cardigan Arms for a special fundraising event for Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist provider of services for women and children experiencing domestic abuse.
Calverley
A by-election date has been set for the by-election in Calverley & Farsley ward, following the resignation of Peter Carlill as councillor.
Farsley
Farsley Cricket Club hopes to boost its coaching facilities with the installation of a new all-weather bowling track. Here’s the story. Also in sport, FC Farsley continued their climb up the table with their fourth consecutive win.
Congratulations to The Learning Curve! The Farsley business, set up by Jenny Silvester after she quit her job at a secondary school, has marked ten years with a special celebration.
Community spirit is alive and well in the village. Grumpys is organising two Harvest Festival fundraisers this September to support the annual Farsley Lantern Parade. They’d love your support.
And, as mentioned above, a by-election date has been set for the by-election in Calverley & Farsley ward, following the resignation of Peter Carlill as councillor.
Horsforth
Four historic cemetery chapels – including Horsforth – are set to be sold at auction to raise funds for the city council. Here’s the full story from Don Mort.
An issue that’s been rumbling on for a couple of years bow was finally resolved this week, but with a crucial late amendment – Leeds city councillors have voted to approve the creation of one new electoral ward for Horsforth Town Council.
It’s always good to celebrate the successes ion young people – and we have a couple of them in Horsforth. Horsforth School student Felicity Smith, 17, marked her Thailand visit with a Thai Boxing victory. And Harry Ward, who is registered blind and autistic, has been awarded a Journalism Diversity Fund bursary to support his postgraduate journalism training at Leeds Trinity University.
Kirkstall
We reported from the inner south west community committee this week – and councillors agreed to fund £10,000 for writing the long-awaited Kirkstall Neighbourhood Plan – and a further grant towards new minibuses for vulnerable people in Hawksworth Wood. Read our report here. And a councillor called for events like wedding receptions to be held at Kirkstall Abbey in a bid to raise money, alongside an update on developments at Abbey House Museum.
Photographer Susan Tellum captured Kirkstall Abbey grounds as we inch towards autumn.
Pudsey
There’ movement on at least part of the site of the now closed Fulneck School in Pudsey, with The Moravian Union applying to convert classrooms in the Robinson Building into its new headquarters.
Catch up on a couple of Pudsey events, which we featured this week with our report and photos capturing the final Pudsey Scarecrow Festival, which drew the crowds in its last hurrah. And Pudsey’s Flower And Vegetable Show proved blooming popular at Pudsey Parish Church.
Good to see young people getting some richly deserved praise. Six apprentices at Pudsey-based mechanical, electrical and public health service provider G&H have delivered a complete design and install for a new post-16 facility in Wortley.
Stanningley
There have been some fresh developments regarding plans for housing and aMcDonald’s Drive thru restaurant on the former Infinity metals site in Stanningley this week – including a change in housing developer with new ideas. There have been a lot of rumours on social media about this, but read all about what actually is happening here.
Wortley
We’ve been following the future of this building for quite some time, so it’s probably not good news that the latest plans for flats in part of a fire-hit former mill in Wortley have been withdrawn by the applicant.
And, as we mentioned above, six apprentices at Pudsey-based mechanical, electrical and public health service provider G&H have delivered a complete design and install for a new post-16 facility in Wortley.
What’s on
Check out our what’s on section for dozens of local events compiled by our volunteer community reporters each week!
My personal picks this week?
How would you like to spend £20 million over ten years in Armley and New Wortley? This event on Tuesday at St Bartholomew’s Church may be up your street.
And did you know-stories and rhymes are great for supporting many areas of a young child’s development? This event in Calverley on Wednesday might be of interest.
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