Kirklees Liberal Democrats

Cllr Rochelle Parchment, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Dalton Ward, is fighting against Cabinet plans to move Children Centre services from Dalton Children Centre to a town centre location and the introduction of greater targeting of support saying that both moves will cut off families most in need resulting in more children ending up at risk.

A residents' petition presented to Kirklees Council on Wednesday 18 January 2012 has called for a pedestrian crossing to be installed on Fernside Avenue - a busy road running past two local schools in Almondbury Ward. The Schools in question are Almondbury High School and Greenside Infants.

The petition was organised by local resident Phil Scott in response to concerns raised by parents and staff who had observed the difficulties children were having crossing the road safely during the school run when traffic volumes in the area are at their highest. The petition was signed by 250 local people after circulation among residents and having been made available at the local Children Centre.

Cllr Christine Stanfield (Lib Dem, Lindley Ward) will call on the Cabinet Member responsible for Investment and Housing in Kirklees (Cllr David Sheard), on Wednesday 18 January 2012, to confirm if the council has knowledge of any council properties that have been sublet and if so, how many cases have been uncovered with the last 5 years.

At the request of Colne Valley Councillors David Ridgway and Nicola turner, representatives from the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive are to attend the next meeting of Kirklees Council to update members on their investigations into the Grosvenor Chemical Plant fire and what will be been done to protect local, residents and environment from a similar incident in the future. The meeting is to take place on Wednesday 18 January 2012.

Huddersfield Area Committee at its meeting on Wednesday 11 January agreed to fund the 2012 Lindley Carnival to sum of £2500 ensuring that the popular community event will return for its fifth time since its re-launch in 2008 after 33 years of absence.

Lindley Community Group - which is made up of representatives from local groups, churches schools and businesses - organises the carnival with all involved contributing to the events, activities and refreshments available on the day.

Cllr Rochelle Parchment (Lib Dem, Dalton Ward) has welcomed Huddersfield Area Committee's decision to invest £10,000 creating a second gated entrance to the Kilner Bank Nature Reserve. The committee agreed the investment at its meeting on 11 Jan 2012.

In the last 12 months there have been 35 secondary fires on Kilner Bank. Secondary fires are fires that start in outdoor areas usually on grassed areas or heath land.

Residents of Pyenot Hall Lane, Neville Street and Woodhead Street in Cleckheaton have suffered for years from traffic speeding through their streets to cut off the traffic lights at the St Peg Lane junction.

The vast majority of residents have no off street parking and many have had their cars damaged by drivers going too fast in order to beat the lights.

Cllr Christine Stanfield, the Lib Dem Chair of the Huddersfield Area Committee, fully supports the recent comments in the Examiner about the urgent need for the councillor's to act.

Cllr Stanfield said:

"All Huddersfield councillors belong to the Huddersfield Area Committee. Its role is for councillors to work together to improve our town. The Committee is allocated substantial funding from the Council. In 2011 -12 this amounted to £246,190.00 Capital funding and £104,090.00 Revenue funding.

The Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust, Kirklees NHS and partners are currently carrying out an early stage consultation on emerging options for their 5 Year Clinical Services Strategy which will shape the future provision of services delivered at Pinderfields, Pontefract and Dewsbury Hospitals.

Two of the options inviting comments include