Kirklees Council

Get ready for the new Waterfront

KIRKLEES Council is poised to take majorstrides forward in the exciting WaterfrontQuarter redevelopment for Huddersfield.

Heavy machinery and cranes will soon appearon the horizon when work gets under way onKirklees College's new home in early April.

A £950,000 package of highways works, basedin Manchester Road, is also due to start in thenext few months.

Homes, offices and a wide range of leisurefacilities are all part of the Waterfront plans –forming a £150million regeneration project andsetting a new standard for the region.

The centrepiece will be a new Kirklees Collegecampus, made possible by joint working andfunding between the college, the Council whichhas also given an innovative loan scheme, and theLearning and Skills Council.

The highways works will help to pave the wayfor the development, which is set to createhundreds of jobs in Huddersfield.

Scheduled to begin in June, they include newtraffic lights to cut congestion; CCTV to increasesecurity and monitor traffic; a 600 metre bus andcycle lane; ‘Real Time’ information in bus sheltersso people know when the next bus is coming; and£250,000 of road resurfacing.

Cllr Peter McBride, Cabinet member forRegeneration, said: “This is a whole package ofimprovements and a significant boost to regener-ation with education and the future of Kirklees atits heart.

“We are helping to improve public transport,but the highways measures are also aboutlong-term planning and are strongly linked to the

huge, flagship redevelopment of the WaterfrontQuarter.

“The Waterfront development is on a sitebetween Manchester Road, Chapel Hill and theRiver Colne, so we need to have access in placeand be prepared for the extra traffic this import-ant scheme will generate.

“By acting early to provide the right infra-structure, we are being forward-thinking andresponsible and we are making sure a problemdoesn’t develop further down the line.

“The Waterfront development is a £150millionscheme and the single biggest regeneration pro-ject currently ongoing in Kirklees.

“The site will include a superb new building forKirklees College, 300 new homes, 190,000 sq ft ofoffices, plus cafes, bars and leisure facilities. Itwill provide hundreds of local jobs and create abrilliant community for people from far andwide.

“We are aiming to make sure the Waterfrontregeneration runs as smoothly as possible fromthe earliest stage.

“The highways scheme means there will beshorter-term benefits for road users in a placethat has suffered congestion for years, but we arealso looking at the bigger picture - and the needto show potential investors in Huddersfield thatwe really mean business.”

Rosie Winterton, Minister for Yorkshire,recently announced an additional £6million ofgovernment funding to support the Waterfrontplans.

She said: “This major scheme will ensure over1,200 jobs are created or safeguarded in the area,

contributing to its long-term prosperity. Thecreation of the Waterfront Quarter will be asignificant economic boost to the town centreand surrounding area.”

The Manchester Road highways programme

has been developed in partnership with Metro(the West Yorkshire Integrated TransportAuthority) and local bus operator First. It appliesto the section of Manchester Road betweenHuddersfield Ring Road and Longroyd Bridge.

Supportinglocal

business

KIRKLEES Council is funding anumber of new initiatives to supportlocal businesses.

T h e s e i n c l u d e S E L L 2KIRKLEES, which is designed tomake it easier for local businesses tosupply to the council and its publicsector partners, and Kirklees Busi-ness Rate Initiative which has beenbrought in to help support busi-nesses during the recession.

The council is also workingclosely with Business Link toprovide face to face support to localbusinesses to help them grow andprosper.

A recent event, Winning Ways,was an opportunity for local busi-nesses to meet the key agencies andexperts that could answer their ques-tions and offer solutions.

Over 50 businesses attended thefree event which featured more than20 exhibitors including TradingStandards, Kirklees Business Ratesteam, HM Revenues and Customs,Jobcentre Plus, and Calderdale andKirklees Careers Service.

Delegates took part in a variety ofworkshops offering up-to-dateinformation and advice on how toaccess finance, expanding your busi-ness, taking on new employees,doing business with Kirklees Coun-cil and understanding VAT.

WALKERS of all abilities will be able toappreciate the beauty of the Holme Valley withthree new guides to walks in the area.

Produced as part of the 'Walks in PennineYorkshire' series, the guides detail walks throughsome of the picturesque villages in the HolmeValley and range from a fairly easy 1.9 miles toa 10.5 mile circular walk. All start and finish atHolmfirth Information Centre.

The shortest walk, 'Sampling the Hills', takeswalkers through Upperthong. There are acouple of steep sections but those are com-pensated by impressive views of the HolmeValley as well as Castle Hill and VictoriaTower.

The middle range walk, 'Viking Villages andSummer Wine Country', takes its theme fromthe Viking history of the area and takes walkers

through Netherthong.The five mile walk is for more experienced

walkers as it has steep steps, sections of roadwithout pavement and a stream to cross.

For the most adventurous, the longest walk,'Hill and Hamlets', continues the Viking themeby taking walkers through Upperthong andNetherthong as well as Wooldale - villages stillconnected in places by old packhorse trails.

The guides are available free from HolmfirthTourist Information Centre, HuddersfieldRoad, Holmfirth, or by contacting JohnGleadow, Kirklees Countryside Access Officer,t e l e p h o n e : 0 1 4 8 4 2 3 4 0 7 7 o r e m a i l :[email protected]

The guides have been produced by KirkleesCountryside Unit in partnership with KirkleesTourism.

Take a walk on thenot-so-wild side

Top marks for boosting local economyTHE University of Huddersfield's stunning new£16.3 million Business School is bang on sched-ule and will be completed by the end of June.

It is a symbol of the difference partnershipworking between the University and Council ismaking to the whole district.

Not only will the new facilities help to ensurethat the University continues to attract increasingnumbers of students to the area - boosting thetown's economy - but a policy of using localcontractors and suppliers helps to bolster thedistrict's industry in difficult times. The Uni-versity's vice-chancellor, Prof Bob Cryan, person-ally drew up a ten-point plan to help the localeconomy cope with the effects of recession.

Even without this extra commitment, the Uni-versity contributes an estimated £300 millionannually to the local economy.

It has record student numbers of around24,000 and a staff of 1,600, making it one of thedistrict's major employers.

By recruiting almost 1,000 overseas students,the University is also putting Huddersfield on theworld map. Many of those students, by singingthe praises of the Huddersfield experience, areacting as unofficial ambassadors for the Uni-versity and the district, with its vibrant multi-cul-tural community.

The University has deep roots that stretch backto 1825, when a Scientific and Mechanical Insti-tute was established in the town.

The University therefore has a 185-year historyof helping local people fulfil their potential.

And another result of this long history is thatthe campus, in addition to being well-integrated,well-equipped and close to the town centre, is aremarkable medley of architectural styles, fromthe Victorian Gothic of the recently restoredRamsden Building to the dramatic elegance ofthe recently completed Creative Arts Building.

A typical view over the Holme Valley

Pictured are the Creative Arts Building and the new Business School Building under construction.

www.kirklees.gov.uk

Transforming adult social careADULTS who use social care are feelingthe benefits of a new system being intro-duced in Kirklees.

'Putting People First' aims to improvethe outcomes for people who use adultsocial care services and their carers, bygiving them a chance to take control oftheir support.

The government has asked all localauthorities to transform the way theydeliver adult social care by personalisingservices – this ensures everyone is giveneven more choice, dignity and independ-ence in the way they lead their lives.

‘Putting People First’ applies to allthose who use Adult Services, from thosesimply seeking advice and informationto people who access specific services.

The system means everyone eligiblefor adult social care will have a personalbudget and will know how much moneyis available to them.

They can make their own decisionsabout what they need, ensuring they getthe right support, at the right time, in theright place.

Kirklees Council has been working tointroduce the new person-led assessmentprocess for new people coming forwardfor services since mid-January.

People who were already receivingservices will have the chance to take up apersonal budget as part of their plannedannual review later this year.

Sarah’s story

Sarah is one of the many people whohave benefited from the new style ofcare.

Sarah is 28 and has a physical disabil-ity. After graduating from HuddersfieldUniversity she did voluntary work whilelooking for employment.

At first Sarah managed without anysupport from Kirklees Council AdultServices, but she was finding it astruggle.

Then she got in touch with the counciland discussed the kinds of flexible sup-port that could fit around her work andsocial life.

And, with help from Adult Services, itwas decided that a direct payment wasthe answer.

Sarah started to receive these pay-ments and was able to employ a personalassistant, who gave her the support sheneeded to live independently and do thethings that were important to her.

It made a real difference to Sarah’s lifeand she recently enjoyed a short break inLondon with her assistant.

Sarah used her Supporting Peopleentitlement to complete a cookingcourse and her assistant helps her toprepare healthy, fresh meals.

Sarah is now in full-time employmentand living life to the full.

John and Marlene

John has dementia and his wife, Mar-lene, provides all his care despite suffer-ing from painful arthritis. They haveused some of John’s direct payment tobuy a laptop and a webcam to enablethem to keep in contact with familyabroad.

John has a daughter in Australia andhe will use Skype to talk to her. Marleneis going to use some of her carers’personal budget to pay for a course inbasic computing so she can help.

John said: “I love my wife and wouldlike to continue living in my own homefor as long as I can. Being happy with mywife and seeing my family daily on Skypehelps me keep my independence.”

Marlene said: “My sleep is often dis-turbed as my husband will wake duringthe night. I have arranged for a Care-phone and a door alarm to be fitted incase I do not wake and my husbandattempts to leave the house. I may in thefuture have to consider a night-sitter sothat I can get enough sleep to be able tocontinue my informal caring role.

“It has helped that my husband willreceive a personal budget. I’m feelingpositive about getting out and about inthe knowledge my husband is safe andcared for in his own home where he isfamiliar with his surroundings.”

Free carbon monoxide detectors save livesAs well as providing FREE home insu-lation, the Kirklees Council WarmZone offers households a free carbonmonoxide (CO) detector.

The scheme is ending on June 30 thisyear so residents have only limited timeto take advantage of the offer.

So far, over 100,000 detectors havebeen given to residents through thescheme. Carbon Monoxide is poison-ous, and can cause serious illness ordeath, even in small amounts. In theUK, more than 50 people die fromaccidental carbon monoxide poisoningevery year, and 200 people are seriouslyinjured.

When Marsh resident SophiaCrawshaw got her free detector, itimmediately showed carbon monoxidein her home. Sophia’s husband hadrecently been taken ill and was spend-ing a lot of time at home.

Sophia said: “Tony had not been welland had been feeling really sleepy andovertired. I put it down to him trying torecover.

“I also was experiencing lots of head-aches. As soon as I put the batteries in,the detector went berserk!’’

Since her traumatic experienceSophia now takes safety in the homevery seriously.

“Warm Zone has changed the way Ithink about things. I have rung all myfriends and relatives and told them toget a CO detector.”

She hopes other Kirklees residentswill take advantage of the project. “It’sa really good scheme! It’s helpingpeople and it’s free for everybody. It’snot often you get something for noth-ing.”

Cllr Mehboob Khan, Leader ofKirklees Council, said: “This deadlykiller was highlighted in our area afterthe tragic death of Dominic Rogers andI have been a strong supporter of thecampaign to install a carbon monoxidedetector in every home.

“This is not an isolated incident,since Warm Zone started there havebeen several similar incidences wheredeaths have been prevented.

“This highlights how carbon monox-ide detectors can help people stay safeand well in their home. We urge resid-ents not to miss out on the offer of a freedetector.’’

For more information about theWarm Zone scheme ring 0800 052 0071or take a look at the website atwww.kirklees.gov.uk/warmzone.

New green takes crown at sports complexTHE new all weather crown green bowling facility at Leeds RoadSports Complex in Huddersfield is set to be completed in earlyspring.

The "air-dome" structure with its internal flood-lighting willenable crown green bowlers to pursue their sport all year round,whatever the weather.

The new facility is built on the abandoned crown green bowlingsite at the sports complex. It is of a very high standard and can beused for competitions and matches but also for training anddevelopment opportunities of the sport.

The new artificial surface requires minimum maintenance buthas a playing surface much like a traditional grass green.

It will share ancillary facilities with the sportsbarn, athletics andother sports pitch facilities on the complex.

The 10.5 metre high ‘air dome’ has a tough double-skin UPVCcoated fabric which is inflated with a mechanical unit.

Entrance is through a revolving air-tight entrance and the airinside the dome is changed up to three times an hour.

Light is not required during the day as natural light is allowedthrough the skin of the structure.

Cllr John Smithson, who originally suggested the scheme, said:“Bowling is a very popular sport in Kirklees and there are manyoutdoor bowling pitches across the district.

“The development of an all-weather facility will enable localpeople to play crown green bowls throughout the year.

“This facility is the only one of its kind in the North of Englandand we hope that many people will enjoy the benefits of thisexciting development.”

Anyone using the Leeds Road sports complex will also benefitfrom a resurfaced car park, completed as part of this project.

John and Marlene Riley using their web cam (pictured above) and(below) Sarah and Jill Walker from the Independent Living Team

Sophia pictured with her family, with Jacob (14) ; Heather, nine,and husband Tony.

Exciting ski plan gives lift to HD OneWITH planning permission nowgranted for a 54-acre developmentbeside the Galpharm Stadium,Huddersfield is set to get its veryown ski slope!

This brand new leisure develop-ment, will be a complementaryextension to the existing facilitiesclose to the stadium, which includethe Odeon cinema complex andattached restaurants, the fitnesssuite and the Stadium itself, andThe Zone – the extremely popularindoor sports hall which featuresthe area’s largest children’s playgym.

The new development linksactivities and sites on both sides ofthe river, creating an open aspectfrom shops and restaurants outacross the water, making it anattractive place to spend an after-noon or longer.

A main feature of the develop-ment is the provision of qualityoffice accommodation, attractingnew businesses to the area, whichwill in turn create jobs. There’s alsopermission for a brand new hotelon the site – just in case there’s toomuch for visitors to try and getthrough all in one day!

Local people will no doubt beexcited to hear about plans for thedry ski-slope, and the body flightfacility, the only one of its kind inYorkshire, which uses huge fans tosimulate the feeling of sky-diving,but without the terror of having to

jump out of a plane!And as well as a wide selection of

shops, bars, cafes and restaurantsto browse, there’s plenty of enter-tainment to keep all the familyhappy, with a ten-pin bowling alley,snooker and pool, clubs, casinoand bingo, a music venue and evenan indoor golf unit.

Developers of the site predictthat this unique mix of leisure,retail and entertainment attrac-tions is likely to attract over 4million visitors a year to Hudders-field, including new visitors to ourtown as well as local residents, allsupporting the local economy andhelping to create and protect jobs.

“As well as a wideselection of shops, bars,cafes and restaurants tobrowse, there’s plentyof entertainment tokeep all the familyhappy. with a ten-pinbowling alley, snookerand pool, clubs, casinoand bingo, a musicvenue and even anindoor golf unit’’

www.kirklees.gov.uk

State of the art plan forsport in Huddersfield

KIRKLEES Council has announced plans to build a state ofthe art sports centre with swimming and leisure pools in thetown.

Officers have now submitted a planning application for thecentre on the site of Spring Grove car park, Springwood,which would provide a vast range of facilities for all thefamily.

The council is looking to replace the existing sports centrein Southgate, which is now outdated and would need massiveinvestment to be brought up to modern standards.

The proposed new facility includes a superb leisure waterfeature – one of the finest in the country, including a beach,flume and sidewinder (the nearest other being in Blackpool)- a 25-metre swimming pool; a teaching pool; two large sportshalls; climbing, squash and martial arts facilities; a largefitness suite; and a café and children’s area.

Estimated cost of the centre would be £36million, but asubstantial amount of funding would come from the councilselling land to Tesco for a new store at Southgate.

The scheme would have major regeneration benefits for keysites near the Huddersfield ring road, as well as promoting

health and well being among local communities.Cllr Mehboob Khan, Leader of Kirklees Council, said:

“These new facilities would be a huge boost for Huddersfield,attracting visitors into the town centre from far and wide.

“There is a very clear need to replace the existing sportscentre, which is coming to the end of its natural life – it has ahigh risk of pool tank failure in the long run, is an increasingliability for local taxpayers and our consultation shows thatmany people are put off by the dated facilities.

“We now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We canprovide Huddersfield with a wonderful base for people toenjoy themselves and get active as part of a healthy lifestyle.

“Extensive research tells us a new sports centre would leadto a big increase in visitors. These are exciting proposals,though the decision of the planning committee is by no meansa foregone conclusion.

“Upgrading the current centre would be costly and timeconsuming. The building would have to be closed for up totwo years, but in that same period a bespoke, value-for-moneyreplacement could be built with a complete leisure offer.’’

He added: “We explored various locations and Spring

Grove is the only viable option. Before submitting ourplanning application we also held meetings with local resid-ents, organisations such as the Huddersfield Town CentrePartnership and worked positively with pressure groups suchas Town First so that all their views were taken into account.This process will continue.

"The sports centre scheme is a major opportunity whichalso ties in with the chance to regenerate the current Tesco siteon Viaduct Street, potentially creating hundreds of jobs.

“It would make a lasting difference to Kirklees at a timewhen, nationally, the economic climate has caused so manyregeneration projects to stall.”

Kirklees Planning Committee will consider factors includ-ing impact on the town centre, parking provision andhighways issues.

The sports centre application is expected to be consideredin late spring and the statutory consultation period is due tobegin soon.

Anyone who wishes to view the application and expressviews can go to www.kirklees.gov.uk/hsc

Getting to know your local team. Birkby schoolchildren learn about keeping their local area clean

Credit wherecredit’s due

CASTLE & Minster Credit Union is helpingresidents manage their money better during therecession with some new loan deals that can helpease the financial burden.

Loans are available currently up to a maximumof £15,000. Anyone wanting to take advantage ofone of the new loan deals will be required to pledgecontinuous repayments, and must be a minimum of18 years, in receipt of regular income or benefits,and be up to date on all existing commitments.

There are various types of loans including asmall Handi-loan for existing borrowers, where adecision can be made at the time of application.

Stuart Bethel, Chair of Castle & Minster CreditUnion said:

“As a responsible and ethical financial cooperat-ive we need to be sure that our members do notover extend themselves with credit, we are particu-larly keen to offer an attractive deal to existing andnew members. Anyone who lives or works inKirklees is welcome to become a member.”

If you meet this minimum criteria, please visitwww.castleandminster.co.uk and download a loanapplication, email [email protected] orvisit one of the branches.

If you’d like further information about the loans,please contact our Head Office at Upperhead Rowon 01484 226666.

Release fromthe chains of

smokingKIRKLEES Stop Smoking Service will support youif you want to stop smoking; whether that’s usingwillpower alone, using medication to help ease thecravings or quitting alongside other people in thesame position.

Kirklees Stop Smoking Service has supportiveadvisors that will work with you to reach yourgoal.

Many smokers feel trapped by their smoking andfeel that they are controlled by the addiction.Ex-smokers often say that the feeling of freedom isone of the best benefits of quitting smoking.

Why not make 2010 the year when you break freefrom the control of cigarettes?

The Kirklees Stop Smoking service offers avariety of one-to-one appointments and drop-insessions across the district.

For more information or to book an appointmenttelephone 01924 351498 (Dewsbury/Batley/Spen) or01484 344285 (Huddersfield).

A full list of venues and clinic times is alsoavailable by visiting the website at

www.kirklees.nhs.uk and click on the your healthand stop smoking link.

Last year No Smoking Day saw one in tensmokers kick the habit; an impressive 900,000people. We're hoping even more will take part thisyear.

Improve your shop frontTOWN and village centres in Kirklees arebeing improved through the Small CentreShopfront Improvement Grants schemewhich offers grants to retail and commercialproperties for shopfront improvement pro-jects.

One of the recent successes is the HolmfirthShop Front improvement grants scheme. Thescheme has already helped 26 Holmfirth busi-nesses, but it is so popular with traders that thecouncil has extended the deadline until Junethis year. Photographs (right) show before andafter shots of Caboodle in Holmfirth centre.

The grants are for improvements to thefrontages and prominent gables of commer-cial and retail businesses and only works to theexterior of shops are eligible for grant. Typesof eligible work include:

• repair to, or new guttering anddown-pipes

• repair or restoration of shop fronts (ornew shop fronts as appropriate)

• replacement shop signage• pointing• re-painting• repair to or new windows and doors• stonework repairsThe grant covers up to 50% of the cost of

eligible works, or £5,000 (whichever is thelower.)

Other eligible areas include Denby Dale,Golcar, Lockwood, Skelmanthorpe andThornton Lodge.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i tw w w . k i r k l e e s . g o v . u k / c o m-munity/money/communityfunding/small-centreshops.asp or telephone 01484 221625o r c o n t a c t b y e - m a i l a [email protected]

£66 million scheme to let there be lightKIRKLEES Council is one of just six localauthorities that have been invited by the govern-ment to submit business cases for its streetlighting PFI scheme.

This is the early stage of a formal process thatif successful will see Kirklees Council receivealmost £66M to invest in street lighting.Kirklees has over 50,000 street lights of whichthe majority are old-fashioned orange sodiumlights.

All this equipment will be improved andfitted with modern technology to ensure signi-ficant carbon reductions and energy savings are

achieved in the first five years of the contract.Cllr Mehboob Khan, Leader of Kirklees

Council, said: “This funding would enable us toimprove the quality of life of our residents bymaking our communities feel safer whilst alsosignificantly reducing the carbon impact of thecouncil.’’

Cllr Peter McBride added: “We estimate thatthe saving would be in the region of 100,000tonnes of CO2 over the life of the contract. Wehave learned from the experiences of Leeds andWakefield councils who have recently under-taken a similar initiative and the evidence has

shown that residents feel much safer due tobrighter, more energy efficient white streetlighting.

“Over the next few months we will be work-ing with trade union partners and staff tostrengthen our bid to ensure we have a proposalthat is right for our residents and achieves realvalue for money. One of the biggest concernsresidents raise with me is the quality of ouroutdated street lights and I welcome the govern-ment’s invitation to work with them to tacklethe concerns of local people.”

Spring clean on the wayTHE council’s annual spring clean totackle litter hotspots and fly tippingproblems across the whole district is fastapproaching.

Local ward councillors will be invitedto nominate areas needing attention andadditional resources will be targeted ifrequired. The cleaning work will takeplace in May and June.

Substantial improvements continueto be made to the quality of the shop-ping and visitor experience in towncentres across Kirklees with betterstreetscapes at Huddersfield’s ByramStreet, Market Place and St. George’sSquare, as well as in Heckmondwike,Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton andScholes.

New paving, planting, lighting andseats enhance the busy centres and arepart of an ongoing streetscape pro-gramme with more to come in Heck-mondwike, Dewsbury and other smallercentres.

With better materials in use for pavingand street furniture, the council is invest-ing in a new mechanical street washerwhich will remove dirt, stains, and sub-stances such as chewing gum from stoneand other surfaces.

This equipment will be used to keepthe town centres looking good as newand maintain their attractiveness to res-idents and visitors alike.

The area is also currently benefitingfrom the newly-pledged £3.5m to repairlocal roads which have suffered signific-ant damage during the winter.

www.kirklees.gov.uk

Manga managementBROWSE around any bookshop or library thesedays and you're bound to find a Manga collec-tion.

Originating in Japan, Manga's popularity hastaken off in the UK, not least in Huddersfield.

Manga Management, a group of young people(pictured right) who meet regularly at Hudders-field Library to share their passion for all thingsManga, are preparing to hold their second annualManga Conference: MANGA-CON 2010 as partof this year's Huddersfield Literature Festival.Their impressive range of Manga artwork has tobe seen to be believed.

Tasneem Kausar, 21, President of Manga Man-agement said: "The art form of Manga is apleasure to draw yet it requires hard work, passionand practice to perfect. It has been providing aseemingly endless source of entertainment forfans in the West for many years. What I love mostabout Manga is that it caters to all age groups andyou’ll never get bored as it embraces more andmore genres.

“Our main goal as Manga Management is tomake Manga more widely enjoyed and known inthe West Yorkshire area."

On Saturday March 13 Manga fans are invitedto share this fascinating world. For those whowant to find out what everyone's talking aboutthis is the ideal opportunity to join in.

The day will kick off with a Manga Masterclassat Huddersfield Library from 10.30am until

11.30am. This will be a class for beginnersoffering guidance on the art of Manga drawing.Pre-booking is required as places are limited.Tickets are priced at just £1.

Following the huge success of their first annualconvention last year, their second convention willtake place in the afternoon from 12noon to 5pm inassociation with Huddersfield Literature Festivalat Huddersfield University in the Central ServicesBuilding on Quayside.

The event will include a Manga Art Contest

with three prizes up for grabs in the three agecategories: 13 years and under, 14+ and 18+.There will also be a Cosplay Contest, a colourfuland imaginative spectacle where Manga fansdress up as their favourite anime characters. Notto mention a Manga Quiz with prizes, stallsfrom Manga related companies and a gamingsection from Team console.

So it's worthwhile brushing up on all thingsManga and pulling out your best cosplay out-fit!

MANGA-CON 2010 is to feature at thisyear's Huddersfield Literature Festival

Manga Masterclass: Saturday March 13,10.30am - 11.30am, Huddersfield Library

Manga Convention: Saturday March 13,12noon - 5pm, Huddersfield University,

Central Services Building, Quayside

Tickets available from Waterstones (NewStreet store), Huddersfield Library or on the

day at the venueTickets for the convention are priced at £2

and children under 10 go free with a payingadult.

Successful FairtradeFortnight in Kirklees

FAIRTRADE Fortnight received a helpinghand from Kirklees Council as councillors andstaff got behind the Big Swap.

The Big Swap was a national campaignasking everyone to swap their usual stuff forFairtrade stuff – their usual bananas forFairtrade bananas, their usual cuppa for aFairtrade cuppa and their usual cotton socksfor Fairtrade cotton socks.

The council has already given its officialsupport to Fairtrade and shown a commitmentto improving trading conditions for food andcrop producers in the developing world.

Mirfield, Holme Valley and the Batley andSpen parliamentary constituency are Fairtradetowns, while the aim is for all of Kirklees toachieve Fairtrade status.

A motion was recently passed which pledgesto

• Support the principles of Fairtrade• Work in partnership with local and

regional groups and organisations supportingFairtrade

• Incorporate Fairtrade principles into thecouncil’s purchase of catering and otherproducts and serve Fairtrade products at coun-cil meetings and in council offices whereverpossible.

The Mayor of Kirklees, Cllr Julie Stew-art-Turner (pictured right) is jointly spear-heading the initiative with the Leader of theCouncil, Cllr Mehboob Khan.

Cllr Stewart-Turner said: “Fairtrade is aboutbringing the farmer and the shopper closertogether.

“It is about putting people at the heart oftrade and it naturally complements the ongo-ing local food campaign I’ve adopted for mytime in office.

“Most Fairtrade products aren’t easilygrown in this country, but our farmers’ marketsalready include Fairtrade stalls.

“I believe there is a growing desire in ourcommunities to ensure people all over the worldare treated fairly.”

Cllr Khan said: “This is an important cam-paign as it shows our commitment to helpingproducers in the developing world and makingsure they receive the support they deserve.

“Fairtrade creates long-term sustainabilityand helps to prevent people being underpaid orexploited. It is based on equity and respect.

“Our aim is to expand the ongoing Fairtradecommitment in Kirklees and raise awareness thateverybody can play their part.

“The local Co-operative movement is veryactive on this initiative and the council has along-term strategy of adopting the Fairtradepractices throughout Kirklees.”

Youth club on the moveTHE Kirklees mobile youth service is currentlyreaching out to young people across the area tofind out what they would want from the ser-vice.

The bus can accommodate around 20 youngpeople on board and more in the area outsideand visits villages and estates across Kirklees.The stops the bus will make are decided as thestaff get to know the area and its community, talkto local residents and young people themselves.This guarantees that the community will see theservice as something they want, and the youngpeople will see as belonging to them. Futureprojects will be developed with and for the youngpeople that want and need them.

The mobile service is particularly useful inbeing able to provide services to young peopleacross large rural areas as the club can simply bedriven to other places.

Facilities available on and through the youthbus include internet access, games console, artsand crafts, sports, circus skills and Dj-ing.

There are also plans to add resources to enablemodern music and film editing projects.

It includes a lot of information on activitiesavailable for young people across Kirklees,including advice and guidance on educationalopportunities plus life skills information onsexual health, drugs and alcohol, and crime andhealth.

The service is proving popular in places whereit has already become a regular feature and it hasallowed groups of youngsters from differentareas to come together in shared activities.

Cllr Cath Harris, Cabinet member for Chil-dren and Young People, said: “Instead of young-sters going to the club, the club can come tothem!

“The mobile service should prove to be a hugeboost and provide modern facilities for youngpeople.’’

Photograph above shows: youngsters doingt-shirt design at the London Park estate.

Making a differenceKIRKLEES Business Rate Relief was launchedin September as part of the Real Help Nowprogramme, which helps local people and busi-nesses through the recession.

The Rate Relief project is aimed specifically atmanufacturing businesses. The sector currentlyemploys around 64% of the workforce in Kirklees

and many have been hit hard by the impact of therecession.

A total of six local firms were awarded the raterelief from the first round of funding whichamounted to a total investment of £284,391 byKirklees Council and national government. Thisinvestment has safeguarded 1,500 local jobs.

www.kirklees.gov.uk

Council swoops on benefit cheatsA CRACKDOWN on fraudsters by Kirklees Coun-cil is set to recover more than £150,000.

Housing benefit and council tax benefit claimshave been investigated and action is being takenagainst 13 people who have claimed illegal pay-ments.

As well as facing possible prison sentences, thesefraudsters are expected to repay a total of £115,000they conned from the council – and six further casesare being planned.

The swoop has also found illegal pension pay-ments and 75 blue disabled parking badges incirculation after the actual holder had died.

These are valued by the Audit Commission at a

total of £37,000. Work on the National FraudInitiative saw Kirklees Council’s benefit investiga-tion and internal audit teams join up with theDepartment for Work and Pensions and AuditCommission.

The partnership used state-of-the-art data match-ing techniques to trap people attempting to deceivelocal authorities, the NHS and other organisa-tions.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Cabinet member for Reven-ues and Benefits, said: “Those who try to cheat thesystem are effectively stealing from every member ofthe community, putting those in genuine need most

at risk. “By working with our partner organisationswe are providing an effective and efficient publicservice.

“By comparing our records, in accordance withgovernment legislation, we are making life increas-ingly difficult for those trying to con benefit sys-tems.”

The Audit Commission commended the jointworking approach adopted by Kirklees Council toinvestigate National Fraud Initiative matches.

To report someone suspected of claiming housingor council tax benefit to which they are not entitled,please call the council’s hotline on 0800 731 1705.Calls are in strictest confidence.

Future park life taking shapeTHE major restoration of popularGreenhead Park in Huddersfield isgathering momentum with work wellunderway to recreate the large orna-mental lake.

The lake, which is in the centre of thepark, has now been excavated and thesoil re-used elsewhere in the grounds.The work will move on to installing aliner and constructing edging.

The lakeside arbour is also beingrestored and the ugly concrete façadehas already been removed to exposethe more pleasant original stone struc-ture.

Work to restore the bandstand isalso progressing with the lower fret-work of timber now complete.

Work has started on replacing theroof after repairs were made to thetimber supports.

The new play area is at the designstage and consultation is currentlybeing carried out.

A temporary play area has beenopen since November.

The new play area is located next tothe refreshment rooms which havebeen closed since October to allow the

building to be gutted and the roofremoved.

Extensive renovations are being car-ried out and these will enable the café tobe reopened in summer to allow visit-ors to enjoy refreshments in a beauti-fully restored setting.

Work on the Grade II listed conser-vatory is continuing and the timberstructure has been fully restored andpainted.

Glass for the building has been gen-erously donated by local companyNovaglaze and work to install it willbegin shortly.

The steel shell of the new restaurantbehind the conservatory is now com-plete.

A mile of new railings are being setinto the park boundary wall and newentrances will be provided at strategicpoints.

Towards the end of the restorationreplicas of the original park gates willbe installed at the two main entrances.

The Greenhead Restoration Schemeis funded by Kirklees Council and theHeritage Lottery Fund.

HillsideSchoolsaving

theplanet

HILLSIDE Primary school has wonthe award for Best School Installationat the 2010 Yorkshire and HumberMicrogeneration Awards sponsored bythe Energy Saving Trust.

The award was presented toheadteacher Dawn Horton, architectGeoff Fox; and Mark Chitty, site man-ager for Morgan Ashurst.

The school, at Headfield Road, Hud-dersfield, gets 55% of its energy fromon-site renewable energy equipmentand care for the environment is anintegral part of its activities. Each classhas targets to see how little energy canbe consumed and has an ‘eco council-lor’ responsible for ensuring lights andequipment not in use are turned offeach day. The school has raised bedsfor growing food, a rainwater recoverysystem, composting facilities and recyc-ling linked with waste segregation. Italso has an external games store with a'green' (sedum) roof.

Headteacher Dawn Horton, said:"We are delighted to have won thisaward which recognises the vision,planning and work of all concernedwith Hillside Primary School. Thebuilding and its associated curriculumand ethos are a result of the teamworkbetween the school, the local authorityand Morgan Ashurst. We will continueto develop our provision to ensure thatthe children and the wider communityare committed to sustainability’’.

Information campaign takes to the roadALL roads lead to The Information Station, asthe team behind this new campaign launch theirmessage on the buses travelling aroundKirklees.

Library and Information Centres acrossKirklees offer a range of services which might benews to some residents in the area. In order toraise awareness of these services ‘THEINFORMATION STATION’ campaign will seebuses emblazoned with advertising, as well asposters displayed around the community.

Councillor Mary Harkin, Cabinet Member forCulture and Leisure, said: "Many people may notrealise the range of services they can access. Thiscampaign highlights what is available at yourlocal Library and Information Centre.’’

For instance did you know you:*access benefits advice*pay council bills*apply for a Kirklees Passport*access careers advice*access the internet free of charge

*get help filling in forms*find out what’s happening in your com-

munity*access other Kirklees servicesAs the slogan for the campaign says, your

Library and Information Centre offers you muchmore than you might realise!

For more information visit your local Librarya n d I n f o r m a t i o n C e n t r e o r v i s i twww.kirklees.gov.uk/libraries or call 01484226300.

Town Hall gets £500,000 upgradeOVER half a million pounds has been invested inHuddersfield town hall, on repairs and refurbish-ment of public areas and meeting rooms.

The newly decorated rooms now offer superbcomfort, style and technology in distinctive Herit-age surroundings.

Following on from excellent feedback from cus-tomers, further improvements are now planned forthis summer.

The main Reception Room on the second floor is

to be refurbished along with other areas which willbe used by the Registrars when they move into thebuilding at the end of the year. This fabulous towncentre venue will then be able to offer a range ofbeautifully renovated rooms for weddings andceremonies from October 2010 onwards.

The imminent introduction of video conferen-cing into one of the meeting rooms, will also makethe venue more attractive for local business andconferencing use.

The Town Hall is a grade 2 listed building built in2 stages between 1875 and 1881 by John H Abbey,and as such it incorporates 2 separate buildings; theMunicipal Offices and the Concert Hall.

The Town Hall currently plays host to hundredsof concerts, events, celebrations and meetings everyyear.

It also provides a central town centre venue for adiverse range of local community groups andorganisations to use.

Work under way on the Greenhead Park bandstand

Kirklees Council

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