Councillor Graham Stokes Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

JULY 2005

"Education needs a vision - one that celebrates not what is but what could be, that looks beyond the immediate to the futures and links struggle to a new set of human possibility."
Henry Giroux, Educationalist

TIME TRAVEL
Scientists have for a long time been telling us that time travel is technically possible if we could travel faster than the speed of light. I was thinking about this recently in one of my day dreaming moments thinking about Doctor Who and the TARDIS and Bill Bryson’s "A Short History of Nearly Everything" which details many things that are as yet unexplainable by science. Physicists have realised that sub atomic behaviour is not merely different from anything we know, but different from anything ever imagined, for instance Wolfgang Pauli’s exclusion principle of 1925, that says certain parts of subatomic particles, even when separated by the most considerable distances, can instantly `know` what the other is doing. Particles have a quality known as spin and according to quantum theory, the moment you determine the spin of one particle, its sister particle, no matter how distant away, will immediately begin spinning in the opposite direction and at the same rate.

In 1913 a Danish physicist called Niels Bohr developed a theory of "Quantum Leap" where an electron can disappear from one orbit and appear in another instantaneously without visiting the space in between. This is all very strange and mysterious stuff, but my conclusion is that no matter how long the earth continues to be in existence the problem of time travel will never be solved, because if it was they would have travelled back and told us about it.

MAYOR MAKING CEREMONY
At the Annual Council meeting where we elect the Mayor for the ensuing year we elected Councillor David Hopkins as the new Mayor. I was impressed by the speech given by the retiring Mayor Councillor Janet Holmes, who said;

"A big problem for anyone taking this position is the endless round of buffets and dinners we are invited to attend. And since most are prepared especially for the Mayor it is difficult to say no. Consequently the pounds soon piled on. I decided that I did not have the time to worry about it, and instead to adopt the famous saying:-

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOO HOO what a ride!"

After hearing this I could not bring myself to go to the Gym for a week, I was totally deflated.

A1 UPDATE
Everyone can now start to see the road network taking shape, it is easier to picture where all the different roads and bridges are going to. The overall progress is approximately 7 weeks behind programme but the works are being re-programmed to complete on time (completion of the works on the Ferrybridge to Hook Moor scheme is programmed for 5th December 2005).

The widening of the M62 is progressing ahead of schedule and traffic has been switched to allow access to the central reserve for gantry base construction.

STRUCTURES
Longbull Hill Bridge – Phase 3 (Where the A1 passes below the M62) is nearly complete with the stitching of the bridge deck due shortly
Knottingley Road, Pontefract Road Bridge, Sowgate Railway and Wentcliffe Railway are nearly complete allowing material to be hauled through the site.
Holmfield Interchange and Stranglands Lane – there is good progress on this section, the deck concrete has been placed and parapets are being erected to programme.
Lagentium Bridge (over the river at Fairburn) – deck concrete complete with access over for construction traffic and hauling material (pfa) from the lagoon site to the new embankment.
The Landscape/gateway feature at Holmfield Interchange was a design competition, which received nine entries returned in early February 2005 – The winning entry is a replica of the Ferrybridge Henge called ‘The Barrows’.
The Arras Cart burial examination and assessment is continuing. The cattle bones from the feast have now been confirmed as being several hundred years after the original burial. A popular historical publication will be produced next Summer.
The Brotherton to Ferrybridge and M62 sections are still due for completion in late Autumn 2005 – tie-in works likely from summer 2005 onwards. De-trunking work on the old A1 is to follow the opening of the new A1.
Brotherton to Hook Moor - the southbound opened in February 2005 and the northbound opened in early April 2005
Wetherby to Walshford – The full opening to a three-lane motorway is expected by mid June but repair works to the southbound carriageway are likely to start in mid July after Royal Ascot and the Great Yorkshire Show.

POTTERY LANE PLANNING APPLICATION FOR HOUSING
The application to build 134 houses on Pottery Lane went to the Planning Committee at the end of May. Councillor Burton and myself along with local residents objected to the proposal. I attended and spoke as an objector along with local resident Helen Love and the director of A.D.M. Mills, Howard Motley.

There had been a sizeable number of objections from local residents on a number of grounds but primarily concerning the inadequate highways system, lack of off-street car parking and the levels of through traffic. The planning report confirmed this, but stated that:

"The applicant has proposed a scheme which includes off-site works which the council is satisfied will result in a local highway network which will be able to satisfactorily accommodate both the existing traffic and the additional traffic from the proposed development."

In 1991, after years of complaints by residents and public meetings, some of which were rather heated, it was agreed that the only resolution to the highways problem in this area was to build a new road along the riverbank from the Mill to an area near the Progressive Working Men’s Club. Planning permission for this was granted in September 1991, but to date I have not been officially informed that the scheme has been abandoned or that it is no longer necessary. The only reason that the road was not built and why all the conditions of 1991 still exist, is due to the lack of finance.

The council have recognised the problems that occur on this road and in response they have instigated limitations, like making Pottery Lane and Forge Hill Lane, access only routes with access only signs and restricting HGV movements to and from the mill. Further pressures on this road will create problems for the mill, which in turn could eventually impact on its viability.

The resolution to the problem as submitted by Barratts of providing two roundabouts could not possibly work. Nobody who knows this road can seriously imagine what the purpose of the roundabouts are. It is said that they will slow down through traffic, but that is not at all what the problem is. The roundabouts would in fact have made it difficult for HGV’s from the mill to negotiate the road at all. The problem is that people have no off-road parking and have to park on the road creating bottlenecks and making it difficult for traffic to manoeuver - this would be made worse not better by the proposal. The roundabout nearest to the mill would mean that an area where residents used to park on the road would not then be available because the roundabout would be outside the residents home. The original plans were amended to include the roundabouts to answer concerns about the inadequacy of the road network in this area.

The council’s own Unitary Development Plan (UDP) Policy states in T2 (ii) a requirement that "traffic generated will not create or add to problems on the highway network."

In section 6.2.2 Housing Sites.

"The local road network in this area is considered inadequate for any increase in traffic."

The same UDP in 6.1.2 Employment Zones states

"A major redevelopment scheme for the flour-mill has been implemented. The existing local road network in this area is considered inadequate for any significant increase in traffic."

Despite the application being recommended for acceptance by the Planning Officers the Planning committee have deferred the application for further information, which I think was a good result and the correct thing to do at the time.

CIVIC PRIDE
I recently read a speech given by David Milliband, the new minister for Local Government. A lot of what he had to say really struck a chord with me, particularly his comments on Civic Pride when he commented

"Without civic pride, the ambitions for communities based on respect and empowerment fall by the wayside. Civic pride provides motivation, inspiration and reward. It is a motor for collective action and individual initiative. You can see it in iconic architecture, streets reclaimed by the silent majority of citizens who can have a good time without infringing the rights of others, services from schools to pensioners clubs to which staff and citizens are devoted, voluntary and community bodies. National pride is important but not enough, civic pride is the key to the future success of Britain".

What more can I add? I agree with every word!

NEW BUS SERVICE INTRODUCED
South Yorkshire Motors are to introduce a new Monday to Saturday hourly daytime service between Common Lane, Knottingley, and Chequerfield, via Ferrybridge and Pontefract, commencing from Monday 4th July, service No 487.

KNOTTINGLEY CARNIVAL
Preparations are well under way for this years Carnival, although we never did manage to get a band to lead the parade so we are looking at alternatives including Shire Horses and a Jazz Band.

Other late news is that our starting point at RWE, Ferrybridge, is not now available due to building works on site. At this moment we are looking at alternative starting points and a potential we are exploring is the old Pollards site at Ferrybridge.

The Carnival Queen is Natalie Ferguson who will be accompanied by her attendants:
Leah Norfolk – Vale School
Katelyn McKinlay – Simpsons Lane
Chloe Wilkinson – England Lane
Caris Kobli Nash – Roundhill
Sam Chloe Wood – Throstle Farm
Charlotte Box – Church of England School

The Scruffy Dog Show will be held outside Kellingley Club at 6.30pm, on Wednesday 6th July, the judge will be Karen Higgins. There will be prizes for Best Condition, Waggiest Tail, Most appealing Eyes, the dog the Judge would most like to take home, and child handling class for 5 –10 years, and 11 – 16 years.

Rugby Matches will be held at Sleepy Valley on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th, July, at 6pm.

The Towns Swimming Gala will be held at 1pm on Friday 8th, at Knottingley Swimming Pool.

Entertainment on the field on the 9th July includes Charlie Keith’s Roadshow, Rugby, Wild Horses Line Dancing Team, Clown Bo and his Comedy Car, Crofton Starlights Jazz Band and the Fancy Dress Competition for under 5s, 5 – 10 year olds, and 11 – 15 year olds.

Along the Carnival Route you may spot Pierre the strolling French musician and the Bandito’s.

On Sunday 10th, there will be an ‘all churches together’ service at 6.30pm which will include the dedication of the new stained glass window at St. Botolph’s Church, everyone welcome.

BRIAN LEWIS
I have recently been talking to a good friend of mine, local artist, poet and author, Brian Lewis, who is writing a book about the impact of the SRB 4 scheme on Warwick Estate and Airedale. We visited the estate and discussed some of the successes and failings of the £5m scheme, the SRB funding helped to lever in much more funding for the estate than SRB funds.

The scheme has had a large influence on the area and some of the benefits are at first glance not apparent because they are not all in the shape of physical facilities, things like the Airedale and Warwick Drugs Accord Project, the Community Health Project from which the PCT funded a Walk in Centre, Community provision via Warwick Community Campus, the Community Chest Programme which has allowed over 50 local groups to access funding of up to £1,000, and the development of a Credit Union providing low interest loan facilities to combat loan sharks. There are of course visible improvements with the housing and surrounding environment and work on this will continue with the transfer of housing to Wakefield District Housing.

One of the things we have all been keen on is to see sustainability in the facilities provided. It was a blow when a section of the skate park for instance was stolen rendering it almost unuseable, and the Community Policing Project which worked brilliantly throughout the funding period was withdrawn once the funding run out, but we are now starting to tackle policing issues with the neighbourhood patrollers scheme and the mobile police station that rotates around the Five Towns area on a three monthly basis. This scheme is being enlarged to ensure that when the station moves on there is continuity of policing for the area they have just left.

There is still a lot of work to do and we must continue to work to improve the whole of Knottingley and Ferrybridge equally, we cannot afford for any area to be left behind. One of our strengths locally is to have three councillors who are community based - we all live, work in and are part of this community and we believe in its future.

LOCAL AREA PARTNERSHIP
In June I attended the Local Area Partnership which covers the Pontefract and Castleford Constituency Area, this is the body that has replaced the more locally based Area Panels and it is intended that it will meet bi-monthly.

There is a broader spectrum of organisations represented on the partnership than we used to have on the area panel and it has links with the Wakefield Area Local Strategic Partnership, and representatives come from the Police, PCT, Wakefield District Housing, Groundwork Trust and other Voluntary Organisations. To prevent it becoming unwieldy there is only one councillor represented for each ward within the constituency area and Knottingley and Ferrybridge is represented by Councillor Glenn Burton.

The meetings are open to the public and there is a public question time to allow questions on any local issues that may arise. The intention is to develop a community plan for our area which will identify priorities and how we can work together to achieve our aims. It was agreed to hold future meetings in the evenings to encourage attendance and the next meeting will be held on a date to be decided towards the end of July. Meetings will alternate between Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley.

CAS FOR THE CUP
For the first time in years Cas have made it to a Cup final. It may only be the Northern Rail Cup, and the final against Hull Kingston Rovers will be at Blackpool not Cardiff or Wembley, but we still had some hard fought battles to get there. I feared the worst when we drew Whitehaven who are the strongest team in the league (at least until Cas came along), but we have now beaten them convincingly twice. It all augers good for our return to Super League, and what can be wrong with a weekend in Blackpool?

I thought it was great to see the kids from Simpsons Lane school on the field before the Whitehaven game receiving wall-charts for taking part in training sessions with the Tigers - well done to you all!

WAKEFIELD DISTRICT MINI SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
I am not really a football fan but it would be remiss of me not to wish the Knottingley teams taking part good luck and I hope you win. There are 52 school teams from across the district taking part in the competition and our teams include Ferrybridge Roundhill, Knottingley C of E, The Vale and England Lane.

Graham Stokes
Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

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