Wetherby Ward Message

I will continue to do my very best to represent everybody in the ward regardless of whether you voted for me or not.

Some may see local politics as a distraction, but I see it as a way of connecting directly with the people who live in our community. It sounds a bit over-dramatic, but it is an opportunity to make a difference and change lives in the neighbourhood in which we live. So, I am genuinely humbled that you have once again put your trust in me. Thank you. Since the election, I have now been appointed to sit on a couple of planning panels at the Council. Firstly, there is the Development Plans Panel. This is the committee which advises the senior decision-making body, the Executive Board, on strategic planning matters across the city. And also, I am now a member of the North and East Plans Panel which examines individual planning applications. At the meeting of the Development Plan Panel in May, the main item on the agenda was the Leeds Local Plan Update. This is a focus on new or revised planning policies in the City to help further address the Climate Emergency. As part of the debate, I made special reference to ‘blue infrastructure’ and that it should be included in the heart of planning policy. That is, impacts on water and sewage must be considered as part of planning applications to ensure systems are able to cope and not as an afterthought or somebody else’s problem. Additional housing developments in the Wetherby area will only add to the pressure being put on our blue infrastructure, we have a lot of work to do to make the existing systems work properly without adding to already creaking arrangements. The inclusion of considering blue infrastructure ties in with the work I and my ward colleagues have been doing with Beneath British Waters to improve the water quality in the River Wharfe. There is still far too much human waste being discharged into our local watercourse. Some will say that it is within permitted levels, but I would say the only permitted level should be zero. Work in this area is ongoing and I hope to give you an update on progress in due course. As always, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of us if we can be of assistance to you. We can be contacted either via email at alan. lamb@leeds.gov.uk, norma.harrington@leeds. gov.uk or linda.richards@leeds.gov.uk or alternatively our office can be telephoned on 0113 378 8557.