Wetherby Ward Message

Works to the bridge that commenced in the summer of 2020 will now recommence in mid- June, when the contractor will return to continue repairing areas of scour. Please see our website for the further information: http://www.thorparch.org.uk/Latest_News_16892.aspx

The Chartford Homes/Homes England application (18/07278/FU) for 26 dwellings continues on site. The development is well underway with almost all homes now built. Completion date for the site is expected to be March/April 2021. Homes England/Lovells (17/07970 for 119 houses). Ongoing discussions and consultation by Cllrs and local residents continue with Lovell Homes. It is expected that development will commence in the early part of this year. Parish Cllrs are in discussions with Ministry of Justice Estates (HMP Wealstun) and Highways regarding community issues relating to the cycle path.

For information about the vaccination programme in Leeds please visit: https://www.leedsccg.nhs.uk/health/coronavirus/ covid-19-vaccine/

Whilst lockdown still remains in place, the Government has produced a timetable and information about the gradual lifting of restrictions: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021

Residents can report a range of problems online to Leeds City Council concerning potholes, street lighting, dog fouling, blocked drains, footpaths, bridleways, fallen trees and street signs. Please make a note of the link and report problems directly at: www.leeds.gov.uk/parkingroads-and-travel/report-an-issue-with-a-road-orpavement

One crime reported for January, a burglary on the Trading Estate. Register for a community alert: For daily crime updates in your area please register for community alert. Here you will receive updates about crime in your area, and crime prevention advice. www.wypcommunityalert.co.uk

Please ensure that you report all crimes. For nonurgent issues and to pass on information, call West Yorkshire Police on 101. In an emergency (if a crime is in progress or you think the offenders are nearby), call 999. Deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired people can use textphone 18001 101. Go to the West Yorkshire Police website - https://www. westyorkshire.police.uk Click on the ‘Contact us’ button and a range of ways to report will appear including the 101 Live Chat System. Or click on the ‘Report it’ function and numerous types of crime which you can report online will appear. Contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team to speak to a local officer about community issues: Email: nel.npt@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/ WYPLeedsNorthEast

Twitter: www.twitter.com/WYP_LeedsNE

To give information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Parish Council now produce their own electronic Newsletter. You can sign up to receive it via www.thorp-arch.org.uk - Homepage.

The next meeting will be held remotely on Monday 12th April 2021 – 7pm to 9pm. If you would like to join the meeting, please contact the Clerk on clerk@thorp-arch.org.uk

Local democracy is a key part of the democratic process. It is your chance to directly influence how the Council does things by voting for a local Councillor.

In order to be able to vote in any election, you have to be registered with the Council. Ahead of the election date, you will either be sent a polling card or a postal vote if you have requested one. The deadline for voter registration is midnight on Monday 19th April. You can check online to see how to register - www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/ elections/register-to-vote. Whilst the rollout of the vaccination programme has made great progress since it started, until it is complete, some people may still have reservations about attending a polling station to vote in person. There will be measures in place to minimise the risk from Covid, but if you are feeling uncertain about attending to vote in person, an alternative method is to request a postal vote. The Council will then send you a voting slip, the same as you would get in the polling station for you to make your mark and return your vote in the special pre-paid envelopes provided. It is free and anonymous, just the same as voting in person. It also means you can cast your vote ahead of polling day at a time that is convenient to you. All votes, whether postal or in person, will then be counted in the normal way once the polls have closed, and the winner announced.

However you choose to vote, this time round, in Leeds it is not only Councillors up for election. There will also be the opportunity to vote for an elected Mayor to represent the whole of the West Yorkshire region (Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale). Coming about as a result of the devolution deal for West Yorkshire, this is a new position but it won’t replace the Lord Mayor of Leeds or any of the other council Mayors, it is to give the region a new senior voice nationally, rather like arrangements in the West Midlands and Manchester. Like those other Mayors, new powers will also be part of the office. For example, the West Yorkshire Mayor will also take on the responsibility for the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the area, a post that will be appointed by the Mayor. Full lists of candidates will be available shortly, we would urge you to make sure you are registered to vote before the deadline, and then to vote either by post or in person when the time comes – it’s your democratic right. On a note closer to home, one item that we have been made very aware of across the ward, is litter. The better weather has meant that more people have been able to exercise outdoors whilst still being able to follow the guidelines. Unfortunately the increase in people has also brought about an increase in litter. So much so, a number of the bins are now overflowing and the cleaning teams are struggling to keep up. As Ward Members, we have already met with the council department responsible and understand there are staffing challenges due to Covid. Great thanks do need to go out to the volunteers that have been out collecting, but it is the sheer volume that is causing the problem. Could we respectfully ask therefore, that people take litter home and put it in the bin there? This is a small gesture and will go a long way to keeping our town and villages clean and litter free.