Welcome to Issue 17 of the Parish Council Newsletter.
At long last we have been able to place planters at the junction of Station Road and Huddersfield Road Skelmanthorpe. A couple of years ago Kirklees Highways extended the pavement to improve site lines for traffic emerging from Station Road. Unfortunately, taking away a couple of parking bays has encouraged some car/van owners, to park on the pavement thus making the initial exercise futile. The Parish Council approached Highways to explain the situation and it was suggested that low-level planters would solve the problem. Although Kirklees were not willing to provide these they gave the Parish Council their permission to undertake the project. To buy a fancy planter would have cost in the region of £1000 so we thought ‘let’s do it ourselves’. We now have 3 half barrels planted up with bedding plants. This is only the beginning. Next month should see, throughout the whole of the Parish, hanging baskets on lamp posts with more being provided each year, possibly through sponsorship by local businesses.
February 2008
Fatihul-Haq of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association attended the meeting and spoke on the subject of ‘The Role of Islam in Secular Britain’.
Local business representatives who had attended the drop-in session in January had indicated that they would be interested in establishing a business association.
An ‘update’ report was given by the Working Party on Public Transport. An amended timetable had been introduced but it was too early to establish its impact.
The Council discussed a revised planning application for the erection of 30 dwellings at The Piggeries, Strike Lane, Skelmanthorpe. The Council again objected.
Finally, the Council agreed that the sum of £99,000 be precepted for the year 2008/ 2009.
March 2008
Cllr Andrew Palfreeman of Kirklees Council attended the meeting to give members a presentation on Kirklees Council’s plans for introducing ‘locality management’. The aim of the programme was to target services to the needs of the area; to introduce greater partnership working with police, health services and other agencies; to comply with government legislation which was placing a greater emphasis on community leadership and the empowerment of local members to lead their communities.
The Business Association had met and agreed to set itself up as a separate body independent of the Council.
Under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) funding, a Local Innovation Group (LIG) has been set up covering Denby Dale and Kirkburton and the Council was invited to nominate representatives to sit on the LIG.
The Working Party on Public Transport reported that changes to the timetable of the Holmfirth to Wakefield service would be introduced at the end of April, and that it had been reported that Stagecoach was negotiating the sale of its Huddersfield operation to Arriva.
Parking problems outside Shelley College were discussed and it was resolved that the Clerk raise the issue with Kirklees Highways, the Headteacher and the Police.
April 2008
Inspector Nicholas Harvey, head of the local Neighbourhood Police Team addressed the meeting. He explained that the aim of the new NPT was to have local officers dealing with local problems. Because of the low crime rates in the area, there were currently only two officers allocated, but that this should increase to 4 in the next few months. Regarding the problems of car parking outside Shelley College, he explained there were no parking restrictions on the road outside the college, but it was illegal for vehicles to be parked in a way which caused an obstruction, i.e. on pavements requiring people to walk in the road to get past a parked car.
It was reported that there was a problem with broadband coverage within the parish. Users, particularly those served by the old High Flatts telephone exchange were experiencing problems. It was resolved that the Clerk contact BT.
It was with great sadness that the Parish Council received the resignation of Kenneth Haigh, Assistant Clerk. Kenneth had served the Council for many years and his support, knowledge and experience had been invaluable to many Councillors, past and present.
Councillors presented Kenneth with a framed print of a 1955 photograph of Commercial Road in Skelmanthorpe. The Council sends Kenneth its best wishes for the future and for a happy retirement.
