🗣 COUNCILLOR IQBAL AND CLLR WRAY’S Report to HUNSLET CARR RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION REPORT: OCTOBER 2025

Woodhouse Hill Road Accident: We have requested Highways Leeds carry out a safety audit of the turn on this road to see if visibility can be improved. The department is now booking in some initial speed and check counts, and we’ll update residents as we know more.

Woodhouse Hill Drive Road Surface: The Council and Yorkshire Water are still in legal conversations, as Yorkshire Water still refuses to accept LCC is the new developer of the road.

Royal Drive Pavement Parking: This remains an issue but there is a limited amount that can be done. Anyone can park anywhere on the adopted highway where there are no parking restrictions, whether they live there or not, and although this is frustrating for residents, the council has no powers to prevent it.

Double yellow lines have been asked to be added to the junction between Royal Drive and Close to improve sightlines, but this will not happen until next year.

Housing Leeds are investigating adding small boulders to the verges to stop parking on these and to stop them from being damaged, but this will add further pressure to the limited parking. This could also be eligible for some street trees.

Telford Place Refuse Collections: This continues to be an issue and has happened again since the last meeting. We’ve asked for a meeting with the team leader to understand what is going on.

The Sun Inn: Following the issuing of a Section 215 planning enforcement notice, the property owner has now begun work to comply with the required demands. The boundary has mostly been cleared of overgrown vegetation, and the owner has advised the front door will be soon metal sheeted and a metal boundary fence erected.

This will only leave the requirement to tidy up the sheeted windows and doors, and progress work to repair the roof. Officers will continue to work with the owner to ensure the notice is compiled with and the site secured and maintained until an acceptable redevelopment plan is submitted.

Arthington View A-frame Dropped Kerb: Highways Leeds have said this assessment will be done by the end of the year, as they are running behind on assessments.

Balm Road/Belle Isle Road/Moor Road Junction Red Light Violations: Highways Leeds have carried out the safety audit for the site, and we’re awaiting the report for recommendations they have. They have asked for West Yorkshire Police to do some enforcement first on the red-light violations, and this has been passed to them to arrange.

There has been some movement on extra protection for the crossing point, with Highways Leeds accepting some additional bollards to prevent vehicle access over the crossing itself would be acceptable.

This is still disagreement on the open areas at either side of the tarmacked area as officer are concerned, they would be obstructing the lawful access the shops have to their private lane in front of them, which is about half the width of the area.

The retailers would have a valid objection should we look to do this, which would need consultation.

We’re working though this now with officer about how we move this forward.

St Mary’s Spire Crack and Remembrance Sunday: Following concerns raised about a crack in the spire tower, the diocese has now arranged for a chartered engineer to conduct an updated condition survey on the structure.

This will allow them to properly assess whether there are any structural concerns that need addressing. They have confirmed they will share the findings with myself as soon as the survey is complete.

They have also confirmed they are looking at how to improve access to the war memorial.

They are just waiting for some advice around whether they need planning permission to adjust the fence line around the memorial.

If this is the case, it may take some months to obtain permission and so the likelihood is the fence line will not be able to be amended before November 9th for Remembrance Sunday.

If planning permission is not needed, then they are confident they should be able to make alterations in advance, allowing the community to have proper access to the memorial.

Remembrance Sunday - November 9th: Join us for short services of remembrance at the different Hunslet war memorials, to remember the sacrifice of our honoured dead.

This is being jointly arranged by Leeds City Council, The Hunslet Gathering, and The Hunslet Church of The Nazarene.

• St Mary's Spire at 12:30

• Stourton at 13:00

• Hunslet Cemetery at 13:30

• Hunslet Carr Welcome Wheel at 14:00

Then join us at Woodhouse Hill Community Centre for food and refreshments at 14:30.

Leasowe Recreation Upgrade: We still have plans for a significant update to this greenspace but we’re still awaiting payment of the greenspace contribution from the Carbon Innovation District, which won’t be paid until the first 67 units are occupied on the Hunslet and Riverside of the development.

This should be within the next 12 months. We had hoped to at least get the pathway through the site built, as this was to be paid for by Network Rail to cover the cost of the temporary depot site, they will need for their upgrade works, which will be located on Pepper Road Park, but these works have fallen behind.

This is the last remaining project outstanding for this area and as soon as we have the funding, we will commission the work.

Bingo 3000 Parking: We’ve seen significant parking on the double yellow lines outside the venue, causing sight obstructions and narrowing of the roadway. Parking Services have been asked to add additional patrols on an evening to tackle this and we’ve also asked the service to contact the venue to remind its customers of their responsibilities.

Tremont Gardens Litter Bin: This has finally been put in place after delay, following the request of residents.

Westbury Place North Litter Bin: This has finally been put in place after delay, following the request of residents.

Leasowe Road and Springfields Antisocial Behaviour: We’re aware of ongoing reports of antisocial behaviour and drug dealing. West Yorkshire Police and the Leeds Antisocial Behaviour Team are aware of this.

• General Antisocial Behaviour: This can be reported online at https://www.leeds.gov.uk/anti.../report-antisocial-behaviour.

• Crime: If this is ongoing and/or a person is at immediate risk, call 999.

• If not, please call 101 or report online via https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/LiveChat or https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/report-it, where you have an option to remain anonymous by place “x” in the contact detail fields.

• Alternatively, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 0800555111.

Hunslet Lake Trees: Residents have raised concerns about some unannounced tree works on the park. We have received the following update on why these happened.

• Fell, remove and grind out stump as main stem was dead after 4.5m. Tree had a root decay fungus present and was located next to the footpath. Due to its condition, it could no longer be retained.

• Pollard at 4m Cavity at 1.5m, decay noted in main stem. Due to its condition, remedial work was required.

• Pollard at 1m above crown break, with a cavity from base to 1.5m decay noted. Due to its condition, remedial work was required.

Yorkshire Evening Post Schools Article: Some residents may have seen a recent Yorkshire Evening Post list of schools whose children are getting below-average Key Stage 2 results, including four within this ward. The story has zero context in it and uses only one set of data to make a sweeping simplistic list.

So, let's add some context, which as a governor of three of those schools mentioned, I can.

Most of the schools mentioned in the article have a significantly higher than normal number of pupils with English as a second language, and a high number of those children who join mid-Key Stage 1 or 2, meaning their English is significantly behind.

They also have significant churn within this group of children as people move to the area but have insecure housing and many move within a year or two, disturbing their education.

Most of the schools mentioned have an above-average number of children with Special Educational Needs (SEND), many having an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which provide extra funding to support their learning, or are in the process of having one assessed.

The schools we're involved in, and I’m sure it is true for many of the other on the list, can demonstrate good progress for these students, a key measure for Ofsted.

So, although many of these students may be below the average by the time they leave for high school, many of them are only just below average, meaning the school has helped the student make significant progress despite starting with significant disadvantages compared to other children with English as a first language or their non-SEND fellow students.

Lazy journalism like this has huge consequences on staff and student morale. It may get clicks to improve advert revenue, but at the cost of the well-being of hard-working staff, working with tight budgets, and students starting with disadvantages.

No school is perfect, and that’s why the role of a school governor is so important, as it ensures leaders in schools are pushed to improve and to ensure every child, no matter who they are, is given the best possible education.

Hunslet Chapel Future: We’re still chasing when the energy efficiency servery for the chapel is to be completed, as this will determine what the cost will be to bring the site into use and to modernise it to provide the same service as other sites.

Westbury Footbridge Works Update: National Highways have recently replaced the anti-slip resurfacing on footbridges that cross the M621 at Westbury footbridge, which crosses the M621 near junction 7 (Stourton) between Westbury Place and Parnaby Road.

They were due to return to these bridges in late September to complete the works, however this was postponed due to bad weather.

They’ll now be returning to carry out work on the bridge on 2 October between 9.30am-3pm.

During the closure, members of the public should follow the diversion via Parnaby Road, Middleton Road, Pepper Road, Clayton Road and Westbury Place.

Yorkshire Water Works: Pontefract Road: From Monday 20th October 2025, Yorkshire Waters contract partners delivering these works – OCU Group – will be on site, replacing 1.6km of clean water mains. The work is currently expected to take until July 2026 to complete.

Normal working hours on site will be Monday to Friday, 08:00-17:00. However, they may occasionally need to work over a weekend to keep programming. Furthermore, traffic management will be required (details below) and will be manually controlled 07:00-19:00.

They appreciate how disruptive traffic management measures can be. They would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience and express their gratitude in advance for the patience of all our impacted customers whilst we conduct this significant investment scheme.

Stages of Work: Approximate Dates and Durations:

Please note, the dates below are best approximating and may change as work progresses.

20th October – 19th December 2025

Work will begin at the junction of Skelton Grange Road and move towards the roundabout where Pontefract Road meets the A638

• Temporary traffic lights will be used throughout this section

• Queen Street/Pontefract Road junction will be closed until the end of November 2025

• A fully signed diversion will be in place via Wakefield Road

5th January – 30th March 2026

Works will re-start in the new year back at the junction of Skelton Grange Road working towards the Intermezzo Drive roundabout

• Temporary traffic lights will be used throughout this section

• There will be a restriction on HGVs turning right out of Skelton

• Grange Road until the work is clear of the junction

• A fully signed diversion will be in place

30th March – 19t. July 2026

Works will progress, starting at the Intermezzo Drive roundabout towards Arla. This phase of the work will itself be completed in three phases:

30th March – 19th April 2026

• One-way road closure in place with access maintained from Junction 44 of M1

20th April – 31st May 2026

• Full road closure in place with access for businesses within the closure being maintained

25th May – 19th July

• One-way road closure in place with access maintained from Pontefract Road towards the M1