Councillor Graham Stokes Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

MARCH 2004

Well, what can I say! Huddersfield have just beaten Castleford in the first game of the season. It was one of the worst performances of refereeing that I have ever seen. Castleford were easily the best team on the field and deserved a win, but as they say "we was robbed". Good Luck Castleford for the rest of the season.

THE MEANING OF PINDER
Residents of Pinders Garth and Pinders Crescent may like to hear about the meaning of 'Pinder' which I came across when someone suggested it as a name for the Wakefield Council Resources Department newsletter. A pinder was a local government official who rounded up the community’s resources (livestock, in the days of common grazing lands) and pinned them in a pound, i.e. organised things so everyone benefited. The pinder was a notable semi-historical character.

The Robin Hood ballads include one entitled ‘The Jolly Pinder Of Wakefield’. The opening verse goes as follows:

In Wakefield there lives a jolly pinder,
In Wakefield, all on a green,
In Wakefield, all on a green;
‘There is neither knight nor squire,’ said the pinder,
Nor baron that is so bold,
Nor baron that is so bold,
Dare make a trespasse to the town of Wakefield,
But his pledge goes to the pinfold,
But his pledge goes to the pinfold.

STREET LIGHTING
As you are no doubt aware the Street lighting PFI contract has been awarded to Amey Highways Lighting (Wakefield) Ltd. The service commencement date is Tuesday 2nd February 2004. From this date the Amey Highways will be responsible for the management, design, installation and ongoing repair and maintenance of the Districts illuminated street furniture. This includes street lighting, illuminated signs, bollards and beacons.

As a result of this the existing telephone numbers for contacting the Street Lighting service will from the 2nd February 2004 be no longer available. They will be replaced with new numbers provided by Amey Highways. The new numbers and other contact details are provided below: -

Fault reports 0800 783 1654 (free phone - operational 24hrs a day and 7 days a week)
General Enquires 01924 225220 (0800-1700hrs Monday to Friday) Fax 01924 225221
E-mail wakefield.streetlighting@amey.co.uk

You will also still be able to report faults on-line through the WMDC intranet Street Lighting page or alternatively via Amey's own web site.

Ian Evans, Project Manager Street Lighting PFI Tel : 01924 306045

FERRYBRIDGE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
In February I attended a meeting of the Ferrybridge Tenants and Residents Association, the Neighbourhood Action Team Patrollers were in attendance and gave a presentation on the work that they do. They tackle nuisance, particularly at identified hot spots, and report back to wherever information is required, which could be housing, social services or the police.

It was very heartening to see that same evening 6 of them patrolling Ferrybridge Square, in uniform they look almost like police officers, and the affect they had was dramatic, no youths or bad behaviour to be seen, when I called in the local shop a number of customers said how much safer it made them feel, particularly the people who had to use the subway under the A1.

I would like to thank the patrollers whom I have seen in Ferrybridge Square on a number of occasions since; they are doing a very valuable job for the community and are already having an impact.

COMMUNITY SAFETY
In order to tackle some of the community safety issues around Ferrybridge Square 3 community safety schemes have been developed, amongst other improvements, work will be carried out to remove the screen walling at the end of the maisonettes next to the fish shop, which I am sure you agree is an eyesore.

CONTRIBUTE TO SHAPING THE DISTRICTS CYCLE NETWORK
A Meeting of our area cycling forum will be taking place as follows: -

Five Towns Area Forum - Tuesday, 30 March - 7-9pm at Five Towns Resource Centre, Welbeck Street, Castleford.

We will look at developing a district action plan and encouraging members to have a say both in developing a new cycle map for Wakefield District, and shaping the cycle route network in their own area. Everyone is welcome, so we are hoping for a good turnout.

VOX
VOX are inviting representatives from community groups in the area to a planning meeting at Knottingley Town Hall, on Monday 1st March, 10.30am till 12.00. This will be followed by an outreach information day.

The outreach information day will be to give information about the work that VOX does, how community groups can get involved, what being involved entails, information about the work the Network has already done and the plans for the future. This all day event will be on Thursday 18th March at a venue to be determined by the local community members. For further information, contact Carol Dickinson, Community Engagement officer, 01924 787384.

KNOTTINGLEY SILVER BAND
Knottingley Silver Band are in Concert at Knottingley Town Hall on Friday 5th March, commencing 7.30pm. Admission is £3.00 and tickets are available at the Town hall or pay at the door on the night.

URBAN RENAISSANCE
On 17th February I attended a meeting at Knottingley Town Hall to discuss Urban Renaissance and how it applies to Knottingley. Up until now Urban Renaissance has applied to Town centres, but it has now been extended to cover the 5 towns area, Knottingley now has an opportunity to become involved and we need to look with an open mind at what we can achieve over the next 25 years.

Urban renaissance is the Yorkshire Forward Regional economic Strategy and Regional Alliance, and is aimed at improving areas so that they are places where people want to live. An open day will be held on 16th March at Knottingley Town Hall, to discuss issues and get local peoples ideas on what they would like to see included in shaping the future for Knottingley. They will also be looking for 5 people to sit on the steering group of the 5 Towns Renaissance and members to attend the Towns Team Meetings. We will be developing a strategy that once completed will inform the Council’s Local development framework.

An event was held in Pontefract Park last year to gain ideas for regenerating the 5 Towns Area, which has a combined population of 113,000 people. There is much to discuss, what are your ideas on the transport system, strategies for green areas, heritage, the local economy, does Knottingley need a town centre, and if so where should it be, the downgrading of the existing A1 could open up the area for redevelopment, the setting up of a housing trust for council housing will bring in £790 million to improve houses, we need to ensure we have people with the correct skills to do all the additional modernisation work this will generate.

Urban Renaissance is both short term and long term planning, we need to consider all ideas, no matter how remote they seem now, we are planning for the future. I would urge local people to get involved at the meeting on 16th March and have a say in how you think Knottingley should develop.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
International Women’s Day is held on 8th March, the events around our area this year have a theme of women’s health and well being, and events will take place between 8th and 14th March. A number of events will be held at Knottingley Sports Centre, they are:

Women only yoga session, 8pm – 9.30pm, Monday 8th March, no cost.
Women only swimming session, 8pm – 9pm, Tuesday 9th March, no cost.
Women only aerobics session, 10am -11am, Tuesday 9th March, no cost.
Women only body conditioning session, 10am – 11am, Wednesday 10th March, cost £2.80.
Mature Women’s keep fit session 11.15am - 12pm, Thursday 11th March, no cost.

A Crèche is available for some events at 90p per child.

For further information call 01977 722505.

PROCUREMENT
Procurement is just another way of saying buying, Wakefield Council are currently drawing up a Procurement Strategy which covers all areas of acquiring goods and services, which could be anything from books and pencils, to partnerships, bricks or new roads.

It recognises the need to support the local economy, we would wish to buy the products we use from local companies, but whilst we are limited by legislation in giving preference to local companies, we are able to help in other ways.

We can advertise tenders on the Internet, and package contracts in such a way as not to preclude local businesses from tendering, we have organised seminars for local businesses to give information to them on how to deal and do business with the council, two at Xscape in Glasshoughton on 10th and 25th March, have been over subscribed so we have now organised a third one At The Holiday Inn, Wakefield, on 29th April, I am pleased to see them so well received by local companies.

ASPHALT PLANT
The proposal to build an asphalt plant at the rear of Ferrybridge Power Station attracted 700 objections, and was also opposed by the 3 local councillors. The Planning application was heard at Wakefield Town Hall on Friday 20th February, where the council planning officers had recommended it for acceptance.

John Grogan MP for Selby, myself and Cr Steve Groves from Ferry Fryston, spoke on behalf of objectors, the meeting was very well attended and the public gallery was full of objectors and interested residents.

The Planning meeting decided that they were minded to refuse the application and decided to visit a similar installation, they deferred the issue to a future planning meeting.

The arguments were well made on planning grounds, and I feel we were listened to by the members of the planning committee, who took on board our very real concerns for the environment, we objected on the grounds of noise, pollution and transport.

We still have some way to go but I am hopeful that common sense and sound, logical planning arguments will win the day.

If this application is accepted we could see another 480 vehicles a day travelling to and from the plant, along with all the associated noise and pollution an installation of this nature is associated with, we must continue to oppose this application as vigorously as we possibly can, special thanks for the work done so far must go to Stephanie Gilbert, Pat Towell, John Vause, John Clarkson, Cr. Jack Crawford and all those 700 objectors, for all their hard work and support in opposing this application.

ROYAL VISIT - H.R.H. DUKE OF YORK
The Duke of York will be visiting Rockware Glass, Spawd Bone Lane, Knottingley, on Thursday 4th March at 9.30 am.  The Mayor & Mayoress (Cllr David Atkinson & Mrs. Sheila Atkinson), will be in attendance.

Graham Stokes
Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

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