KTC Connect Spring 2017

SPRING 2017

NEWS FROM KEIGHLEY TOWN COUNCIL DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK Saved by your council

GET ON YER BIKE The Tour de Yorkshire

Plus

WHAT’S ON KEIGHLEY

Events coming soon

Mayor’s Charitable Trust • Civic Centre update • KTC grants • Community news

Annual Town Meeting 7.00pm Thursday April 27 2017 Will be held in the Banqueting Suite Keighley Civic Centre North Street, Keighley

UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF COUNCILLOR SHABIR AHMED • Do you want to know what your Town Council is doing?

• Have you got any questions or suggestions?

• Are there any local issues which are causing concern?

• Want to know how your money is being spent?

• This is your chance to have a say on your town, find out what the Town Council has already achieved and hear its plans for the future.

You will also have the opportunity to quiz town councillors on any concerns or queries you have on the future of Keighley.

Light refreshments will be provided.

along and So why not come ur Town yo find out what for you?

Council IS doing For more information please contact the Town Clerk's office on 01535 618252/3

KEIGHLEY TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS 2016/17

2016-2017: Keighley Town Mayor, Cllr Shabir Ahmed, Deputy Town Mayor Cllr Barry Thorne Cllr Martin Walker

Choudhry A Mahmood

Cllr Samuel Fletcher

Chaudhury Tariq Mahmood

Cllr Christopher Herd

Cllr Michael Westerman

Cllr Barry Thorne

Cllr Peter Corkindale

Cllr Julie Adams

Cllr Mark Curtis

Cllr Gary Pedley

Cllr Luke Maunsell

Cllr Philip Shaw

Cllr Gulfraz Hussain

Cllr Ian Dermondy

Cllr Andrea Walker

Cllr Amjid Ahmed

Cllr Sohail Zubair

Cllr Shabir Ahmed

Cllr Fulzar Ahmed

Cllr Nasar Ali

Cllr Shazad Mahmood

Cllr Javaid Akhtar

Cllr Anayat Mohammed

Cllr Amjad Zaman

Cllr Mohammed Nazam

Cllr John Kirby

Cllr Ronald Beale

Cllr Kaneez Akhtar

Cllr Tufail Khan

Bogthorn & Exley Ward

Bracken Bank & Ingrow Ward

Bracken Bank & Ingrow Ward

Bracken Bank & Ingrow Ward

Fell Lane & Westburn Ward

Fell Lane & Westburn Ward

Fell Lane & Westburn Ward

Guard House Ward

Highfield Ward

Highfield Ward

Knowle Park Ward

Lawkholme & Showfield Ward

Lawkholme & Showfield Ward

Laycock & Braithwaite Ward

Long Lee & Parkwood Ward

Long Lee & Parkwood Ward

Morton & Sandbeds Ward

Morton & Sandbeds Ward

Oakworth Ward

Oakworth Ward

Oakworth Ward

Riddlesden & Stockbridge Ward

Riddlesden & Stockbridge Ward

Riddlesden & Stockbridge Ward

Spring Gardens & Utley Ward

Spring Gardens & Utley Ward

Spring Gardens & Utley Ward

Town Ward

Woodhouse & Hainworth Ward

Woodhouse & Hainworth Ward

Martin Walker was elected via a by-election on the 23rd February 2017.

For information on how to contact individual councillors, please contact KTC on 01535 618252.

Details can also be found on the Keighley Town Council website www.keighley.gov.uk or email townclerk@keighley.gov.uk

Auditor appointments

Following a successful procurement exercise, Smaller Authorities Audit Appointments (SAAA) has appointed external auditors for smaller authorities (including town and parish meetings) for the 2017/18 to 2021/22 financial years. The appointed external auditors for all parish and town councils and parish meetings in North, South and West Yorkshire who have not opted out of the Sector Led Body will be PKF Littlejohn LLP. PKF Littlejohn LLP is the current external auditor for Keighley Town Council and the new appointment will be effective for a five-year period in relation to accounts for the financial year beginning on April 1 2017.

Contents | 3

Comment

W

elcome to the spring 2017 edition of your KTC newsletter, keeping you up-to-date with what’s going on at Keighley Town Council. In this edition, we bring you up to speed with what we’ve been doing including the fantastic news that we have managed to save the community development work in Keighley from being axed.

It's been a busy six months in Keighley and we take a look at the recent events we have taken part in, including Oktoberfest, Remembrance Sunday and the Pensioners' Christmas dinners. We also look forward to the events planned for this year such as Tour de Yorkshire and Armed Forces Day. There is also news on the Civic Centre, the Mayor’s Charitable Trust, what Keighley communities have been spending their grant money on and much, much more! We hope you enjoy your spring 2017 newsletter. Please get in touch if you have any feedback, or an idea for a future feature, by emailing townclerk@keighley.gov.uk.

KTC Connect will be delivered to your door twice a year, but you can also read it online by visiting www.keighley.gov.uk.

Safia Kauser Editor & Town Clerk

Contents EDITOR Safia Kauser Town Clerk/RFO Email: townclerk@keighley.gov.uk SUB-EDITOR Jackie Annett

CONTRIBUTORS Lee Senior Allotments Officer Joe Ashton Deputy Town Clerk

Publisher Keighley Town Council Keighley Civic Centre North Street, Keighley, BD21 3RZ Telephone: 01535 618252

04

11

We bring you the latest news on Armed Forces day, our local allotments and an update on the Aire Valley incinerator.

07

COMMUNITY ROUND-UP

Front page photo taken by Steve Finnegan

12

WHAT'S ON

We've got loads to look forward to this spring and summer including St George's Day, the School Awards, Yorkshire Day and Remembrance Sunday.

OKTOBERFEST

We'll be celebrating culture at Oktoberfest with craft beer, cider, food and family entertainment.

13

We've agreed a new CCTV scheme for Lawkholme and Snowfield Ward and secured funding for Keighley's Christmas lights for this year.

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION & PRINTING Carolyne Griffin The Magazine Production Company

Information correct at time of going to press. May be subject to change. All rights reserved and is the property of the publisher. © Keighley Town Council 2017. Reprinting any part or matter appearing in KTC Connect is strictly forbidden except by permission of the publisher. All copyright of images/content remains that of its photographer/author. Every effort has been made to gain permission to publish copyright material however, where efforts have been exhausted, we have published on the basis of ‘Fair Use’ to comment factual based material where by its use is not central or plays a significant part to the entire publication but to act as an aid for historical and educational purposes only. This publication is offered as a limited print run. The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. However, it cannot take responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions. Keighley Town Council does not accept any responsibility or liability for any of the services or products provided by the advertisers.

YOUR Keighley Council news

DRUG AWARENESS Keighley MP Kris Hopkins has launched a community anti-drugs campaign.

14

GRANTS

KTC grants have been helping the local community flourish.

SPRING 2017 | KTCConnect

4 | council news

Joe Ashton joins the team

We’d like to welcome Joe Ashton who has joined Keighley Town Council as Deputy Town Clerk. Mr Ashton will be assisting the Town Clerk with general cover, the organisation of community events, administration of four committees and the management of the Mayor’s diary.

Although he was born and bred in the Bradford district, Mr Ashton came to Keighley Town Council via South Yorkshire, Merseyside and North Yorkshire, where he first qualified as a town planner and then worked for two large local authorities in a variety of roles. Following several years as a community volunteer, Joe became a town councillor in 2008 and has since maintained an active interest in the parish sector.

Town Hall Square NEWS

KTC is continuing to take pride in the Town Hall Square. Hot on the heels of the Cenotaph cleaning last year, the Council is now making improvements to some of the benches in the square. This involves sanding and cleaning some of the benches before giving them a welcome coat of varnish when the weather improves. Meanwhile, the spring bedding which was planted by contractor Steve Thorpe in late autumn is starting to flower. We look forward to a riot of colour this spring!

What’s new at the allotments

Last year, we began improvement work at Guardhouse allotments and erected 200 meters of fencing at the site. The urban woodland adjacent to the allotment continues to grow nicely and is slowly starting to become a feature in its own right. We look forward to the trees growing at another good rate this summer.

The Oakworth Sensory Garden continues to be maintained in the most part by the Haworth & Worth Valley Rotary Club. The club is always looking for more volunteers to come and work in the tranquil garden. To help with maintenance, KTC has agreed a budget to spend on the garden.

KTCConnect | SPRING 2017

Keighley Armed Forces Day 2017

This year’s Keighley Armed Forces Day is once again looking like it will be a huge celebration for the town. Brought to you by Keighley Armed Forces Assistance in partnership with Keighley Town Council, the event will be held at Marley Fields on June 18 and will feature highlights from The Yorkshire Regiment and 116 Royal Military Police, the 16th Lancers mounted cavalry, and demos from re-enactment teams including the fantastic Haworth Home Guard.

There will be a host of activities for all the family to enjoy including an airsoft shooting range, axe throwing, archery and children’s rides. We’ll be making sure it’s a day to remember, as well as a perfect opportunity to say a big thanks to the members of our armed forces who work tirelessly for our country. Without the assistance from Keighley Town Council, Keighley Armed Forces Day would not be the spectacle it is today and this is a great opportunity for Keighley residents to show their support.

Energy from waste facility The Town Council has been considering the proposed energy from waste facility (also known as the Aire Valley incinerator) and discussed it in detail at its Planning Committee meeting on December 20 2016.

The full title of the proposal is: Development of two plants to recover energy from waste with materials reception, waste bunker hall, turbo generator hall, and bottom ash hall; plus, construction of an education/visitor centre, offices, workshop/warehouse for plant operatives, with parking and landscaping.

After careful consideration, the Town Council’s Planning Committee recommended that Bradford Council refuse the application. On February 9 this year, the application was considered by Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee where the Chair of the Town Council’s Planning Committee, Councillor Ian Dermondy, spoke on behalf of the Town Council. After listening to the representations and debating the arguments for and against, Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee decided to grant planning permission, subject to conditions. This decision has now been delayed so that the Government can review the decision.

council news | 5

Avian flu

Allotments officer Lee Senior shares his advice on avian flu

Unfortunately, avian flu continues to get closer to Keighley with outbreaks reported as close as Gargrave and Addingham. Keighley Council has listened to advice from Government organisation DEFRA and asks that everyone complies with the latest DEFRA ruling. The measures listed below are for anyone who keeps poultry, chickens, geese and other captive birds in England, whether they are being kept domestically, on an allotment, or at a larger enclosure. The council will be issuing final warning letters to anyone who doesn’t comply.

• Y ou must ensure that your birds are kept indoors, or take other practical steps to keep them separate from wild birds • B irds should be moved into a suitable building. If this isn’t possible, you must erect sensible precautions such as netting, to create a temporary enclosure.

Food and water supplies must be kept inside, where they can’t be contaminated by wild birds • E ven indoors there is still a risk of infection. To prevent infection, disinfect footwear and equipment and wash clothes and vehicles after contact • Y ou must practise good biosecurity to minimise the risk of infection spreading via items such as feed, clothing or equipment • Y ou must implement effective vermin control around buildings where birds are kept For up-to-date guidelines visit the DEFRA website or call the helpline on 03000 200 301

Friends of Devonshire Park

The Friends of Devonshire Park is a group that has been formed to encourage people to love the hidden gem that is Devonshire Park in Keighley. Over the last year, organisers have been running a series of lunchtime tree walks where almost 200 people have joined the group to learn about the fantastic variety of trees in this very special arboretum.

If your group would like to attend a tree walk or learn more about the history of Devonshire Park, please get in touch. Future events could include a children's tree walk, fruit tree grafting or budding, bulb planting or something else that you could help organise!

Town Cllr Anayat Mohammad who represents the Spring Gardens and Utley Parish Ward commended the efforts of the group. He said: “The efforts members of the park group are putting in are remarkable, it’s not just a benefit for the green space and the wildlife but for the whole community. It’s vital that the whole community come together to preserve the future of this beautiful park so that families can enjoy this space for years to come”.

We all know how precious our inner city green spaces are, they are the “lungs” of a busy town. So why not join the Friends of Devonshire Park and help to preserve and develop this wonderful resource that we have on our doorstep?

Email devonshireparkkly@gmail.com for more information on the group.

Meet Keighley – Keighley’s new guide dog Local guide dog owner Laurie Manley has teamed up with the local community and Town Mayor of Keighley, Cllr Ahmed, to raise enough money to name a guide dog puppy.

Laurie, his guide dog Umber, and wife Linda spent all of 2016 leading the community to fundraise, undertaking various challenges and organising events so that they could raise £5,000 for Guide Dogs for the blind. In the summer, they embarked upon the gruelling 24 mile long Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge along with local residents, business people and Cllrs Ahmed and Dermondy. The fundraising team held other events and collections in the town centre and at Jollyes Pet Store to fund the first year of Keighley’s training.

Town Mayor of Keighley, Councillor Shabir Ahmed, said “I am delighted and hugely grateful to Laurie and Linda, their friends and family, and the whole of this town for coming together to raise such an impressive amount for Guide Dogs. Naming a guide dog puppy Keighley is a fantastic legacy for this town and I am proud to have been a part of this process.”

Guide Dogs’ Name a Puppy scheme invites groups, companies and individuals to make a gift or fundraise to support a pup through their first training stage. For a target of £2,500 a puppy can be named, and for a target of £5,000 the puppy is named and you can meet it too! For schools, the target is £1,500.

If you would like to fundraise for Guide Dogs, would like a Guide Dogs speaker to visit your school or place of work, or would like to know more about the Name a Puppy scheme please visit www.guidedogs.org.uk or contact charlotte.walton@guidedogs.org.uk

Telephone box for Morton Village Society

Keighley Town Council is delighted to announce that it will be handing over the telephone box at East Morton to the Morton Village Society. The Society has shown a willingness to continue the good work that KTC started when it saved the box after it adopted it under the BT Adopt A Kiosk scheme.

Since then, Keighley Council has repainted and repaired the box and agreed to let the box become a trial library. So far, the trial has been a great success and we are sure the box will continue to thrive under the wing of the Morton Village Society.

This is a great example of grassroots partnership working.

SPRING 2017 | KTCConnect

6 | council news

Tour de yorkshire Since its launch in 2015, the Tour de Yorkshire has grown to become one of the world’s most dramatic and best supported professional cycling races. The tour takes in some of the county’s most spectacular scenery and attracts some of the most famous names in the sport – with Sir Bradley Wiggins, Marcel Kittel and the 2016 champion Thomas Voeckler having all competed on Yorkshire soil.

Rest assured, the third edition promises to be equally spectacular and is a race not to be missed.

Keighley will feature at stage three on Sunday April 30, which is 194.5km in total and will be called The Yorkshire Terrier.

The riders will roll out of City Park in the heart of Bradford and head towards the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire.

The action then passes through Menston and joins the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ route at Burley-in-Wharfedale before visiting Ilkley and Addingham.

The route continues on to Bolton Abbey, heading deeper into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Burnsall and Linton welcomes the race before it passes through Rylestone, home of the original Calendar Girls. Skipton is the next town on the route, with the first of eight categorised climbs being contested on the Côte de Silsden.

Once the race has passed through Keighley, the next KOM looms on the cobbled rise up Haworth’s picturesque main street. Exiting Brontë Country, the next climb comes at Leeming and the riders will have little time to recover before they face the infamous Côte de Shibden Wall. This cobbled brute could see splits form before the route passes Brighouse and into Birstall, but a few hardened souls may regain contact as they skirt Huddersfield via Liversedge, Fenay Bridge and Holmfirth. Penistone, Wortley and Snowden Hill represent the calm before the storm, and once the final intermediate sprint has been contested in Stocksbridge, the riders then embark on a torturous 22km finishing circuit that features no less than four categorised climbs. These come at Deepcar,

KTCConnect | SPRING 2017

Wigtwizzle, Ewden Height and Midhopestones, leaving the surviving riders to battle it out for victory at Fox Valley, Sheffield.

The 2016 Tour de Yorkshire boosted the county’s economy by £60 million, with overall visitor spending up 20% on 2015 – smashing all predicted targets.

Accommodation spend was also up 27.8% year on year and money spent on nonaccommodation items such as food and drink, souvenirs and transport increased by 12.4%. The race was televised in 178 countries and watched by 11.4 million global TV viewers, double the amount of people who watched it in 2015.

The 2017 Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride gives 6,000 amateur cyclists the chance to ride the same roads as the professionals and this year it starts and finishes at Fox Valley, Sheffield on Sunday April 30. Participants can choose to tackle one of the 40km, 80km or 115km loops, with all three options featuring key sections from the third stage. As always, this popular sportive culminates on the same finish line where the world’s elite will be battling it out just a few hours later.

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Seeing the Tour de Yorkshire grow as a legacy of the 2014 Grand Départ is one of my proudest achievements and it still gives me goosebumps whenever I see masses of cycling fans lining our county’s roads. Last year, attendances rose from1.5 million to 2 million and the race generated £60 million for the Yorkshire economy – not many can say that! Our race is going from strength to strength and we’ve worked hard to design an exciting route which showcases Yorkshire’s stunning scenery as well as delivering a thrilling sporting event.”

Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, said: “I always enjoy coming to Yorkshire and the county certainly knows how to put on a show. I am excited by what this year’s route has in store and am sure it will provide three days of fantastic racing.”

Memorial stone for Canadian airmen

On Sunday July 4 1993 a Memorial Stone was dedicated, along Tewitt Lane, Oakworth, to the lives of six Canadian airmen. The six men were the entire crew of Vickers Wellington Bomber Mark 3 BK387, which had taken off from the runway at Ossington near Newark at 8pm on the night of January 2 1944.

Ossington was one of the bases for the crews of Bomber Command, an operational training unit where operational crew passed on their way to squadron service. The crew are all buried at Stonefall Cemetery in Harrogate, alongside many of their countrymen. Every year since 1993, on the nearest Sunday to January 2, the Oakworth Village Society has organised a Service of Remembrance at the site.

Each year, a high-ranking officer from the Canadian Air Force, based in England, attends the service. The Canadian personnel say every year how much they appreciate the fact that we honour the lives of the young Canadian men who gave the ultimate sacrifice in this fatal incident.

The Town Mayor of Keighley, Councillor Shabir Ahmed, together with other invited guests during the 2017 service.

No referendum on council tax increases

Council tax referendum principles have not been extended to local parish and town councils for the period of 2017/18, meaning there will be no requirement to hold a referendum if the proposed council tax increase exceeds a set threshold.

However, the secretary of state for communities and local government, Sajid Javid MP, said the level of precepts set by town and councils would be kept under review and that councils would be expected to clearly demonstrate restraint when setting increases that are not a direct result of taking on additional responsibilities.

In a speech to the House of Commons, Mr Javid said: "Local town and parish councils play an important role in our civic life. We have decided that we will defer our proposals this year, while keeping the level of precepts set by town and parish councils under close review.

“I expect all town and parish councils to clearly demonstrate restraint when setting increases that are not a direct result of taking on additional responsibilities. I am also actively considering with the sector ways to make excessive increases more transparent to local taxpayers."

COMMUNITY ROUND-UP | 7

CCTV Scheme combats crime in Lawkholme & Showfield Ward Keighley Council’s Watch and Transport Committee (WTC) has teamed up with the Bradford Council Area Committee to fund CCTV for the Lawkholme and Showfield ward of Keighley.

The committee funded £3,500 towards the total cost of the £13,000 scheme, with the rest of the money secured by Bradford Council. Without the contribution from Keighley Town Council, the scheme would not have been able to go ahead.

The new CCTV will cover Victoria Hall including the grounds, park and nearby residential area, assisting the police with their patrols and operations. “This committee has seen the need for CCTV in and around the town,” the committee chairman said. “We have worked closely with the police and Bradford Council officers to identify areas of importance to combat social behaviour linked to drug misuse and crime hotspots. We will continue to provide CCTV funding for the safety of the people in Keighley.”

Meanwhile, the Town Council is also encouraging the Area Committee to secure approximately £6,000 of funding from the grant schemes for a CCTV system to combat youth disturbance in and around the Holden Park area at Oakworth.

Let there be light in Keighley this Christmas

The council has partnered with Bradford Council’s festival lights department to ensure that Keighley Town Hall Square has brand new Christmas lights, which should last for the next five years.

Although the Town Council is responsible for the Town Hall Square, as a gesture of goodwill, Bradford Council’s festival lights department agreed the partnership funding of £1,890 to support the Town Council’s contribution of £2,110 to renew the lights. Bradford Metropolitan District Council spent approximately £35,000 renewing all the Christmas lights in the town centre, after the Council received complaints relating to the poor Christmas lights display in 2015.

“This is a excellent example of what can be achieved through partnership working,” Town Clerk Safia Kauser said. “The Town Council is pleased to be working with the various departments at Bradford Council to develop a service level agreement to prevent any further misunderstandings arising in the future relating to the renewal of Christmas lights for the Town Hall Square.”

All the trimmings at KTC Christmas lunch Keighley Town Council served up twice as many lunches for residents aged 65 and over this Christmas, with guests given a choice of two days to attend the free three-course meal.

All residents of the civil parish of Keighley were invited to the Christmas lunch held at the Keighley Civic Centre, with details sent out in the autumn 2016 edition of KTC Connect, which was delivered to all Keighley households. One hundred free tickets were available on a first-come-first-served basis and attendees were given the choice to enjoy the meal on either December 13 or 14.

The 2016 menu comprised of a vegetable broth, followed by a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings (or a vegetable quiche), and was topped off with sherry trifle, mints and coffee. The food was lovingly cooked and served by Keighley-based caterers, Lavender Fields, which also runs the Lavender Fields Emporium and Tea Room at 42 Cavendish Street.

Pupils and teachers from St Andrew’s Primary School sang a selection of popular Christmas songs and Mother Christmas made an appearance with gifts for all the schoolchildren and a box of chocolates for every adult guest. The waiting and kitchen staff comprised of the Town Mayor, Councillor Shabir Ahmed, several councillors, and staff and volunteers who all helped to serve the meals and do the washing up.

Lunches were organised and funded by the Town Council’s Events and Leisure Committee. The Committee’s chairman, Councillor Luke Maunsell, said: “I am delighted that our annual pensioners’ dinner has been a success. Providing these meals is a great pleasure for the Council and we hope that everyone enjoyed the festivities. I would like to thank all of our helpers, the caterers and the wonderful choir from St Andrew’s for making the event so successful”.

SPRING 2017 | KTCConnect

8 | CIVIC

Civic Centre Public Consultation Update

T

he Civic Centre public consultation report has now been completed and the 61 page report is available to download from www.keighley.gov. uk. We received 419 responses and members of the public were asked to consider four options regarding the future of the Civic Centre, the results are summarised below.

• O ption 1. KTC engages with public and private sector organisations in terms of relocating to the Civic Centre – 14% favoured this option • O ption 2. K TC engages with social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations to manage elements of the building – 26% favoured this option • O ption 3. KTC relocates its offices and sells the building – 27% favoured this option • O ption 4. K TC helps facilitate and set up social enterprises or allows private sector organisations to take on some of the other functions in the Civic Centre – 16% favoured this option • 8 % favoured none of the above • 9% said they don’t know

In summary, the main points concluded that the general public’s ideas for the future of the centre included: • The centre could be used as a NHS walk-in centre and as a contact point for police • R eopening of the police museum and Forensic Science Education Centre might prove popular for school children and families • A café might be successful if supported by other functions • Using the Civic Centre as a community hub • K TC is unlikely to attract many organisations to relocate here and so might not generate sufficient income • Meeting room hire would not generate much demand • U sing the building for social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations might generate sufficient income • Public opinion was divided over allowing private sector organisations to trade at the centre • R elocating KTC and selling the Civic Centre should be considered as a last resort if income couldn’t be generated via other means

Members of the Strategy Committee are considering two options for the three-year business plan: • Option 1 – sell the building • O ption 2 – an organisation takes over the building if KTC can better market the building (based on viable options) Recommendations from the Strategy Committee will now be considered by the Town Council, which will agree the future of the Civic Centre.

Civic Centre Strategy Committee Chairman, Councillor Anayat Mohammed, said: "The consultation returned two very important outcomes for the council, firstly the extent of feeling held for the Civic Centre building by Keighley residents, and secondly engaging with the public over this important decision was the right thing to do.

“From the results of the feedback the council is doing all that is possible to ensure the Civic Centre has a more healthy future and serious consideration is being given to the viability of keeping the building. Whether the final decision is to retain the building or put it up for sale, the Strategy committee will work with partners to ensure it reaches a decision that will benefit the community of Keighley".

IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY Following the Boxing Day floods of 2015, Bradford Council has been working with Keighley Town Council to develop an emergency plan for the town.

Based on past experience, the plan will outline what action to take in an emergency such as a flood, the roles of local community groups and how best to manage communication via the command hub, which will be set up specifically to cope with any future emergency.

Officers for Bradford Council are responsible for writing the plan, developing resources and determining what support can be expected from Bradford’s Emergency Management Team. Town councillors have been working with district councilors and the voluntary sector to represent those areas where the risk of an emergency is the greatest and Councillor Dermondy and Adams have been assigned on behalf of the Town Council to assist with the development of the plan.

Cllr Dermondy has met with the Bradford Metropolitan District Officers from the Flood and Emergency Plan Team and has been given a template to work through which is currently progressing. A meeting was held between BMDC officers and councilors on January 12 2017 and further updates will be reported in the next issue of the newsletter.

KTCConnect | SPRING 2017

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY | 9

Remembering our heroes

H

undreds of local people took part in Remembrance Day on Sunday November 12 2016 to pay respect to those who served our country. The traditional two minutes silence was observed in the Town Hall Square after the church service, which was led by Reverend Jonathan Pritchard. Members of the Royal British Legion, Keighley Scouts, Keighley schools, civic dignitaries, veterans and other organisations took part in the event and the parade was led by the City of York Pipe Band. Once the formalities had finished, Keighley Town Council provided refreshments at Drill Hall to the veterans, guests and members of the armed forces.

SPRING 2017 | KTCConnect

10 | KEIGHLEY TOWN COUNCIL

Town Council saves Community Development WORK The Town Council approved the budget for 2017/18 which showed a 0% precept, at its meeting held in January 2017. Within the budget for 2017/18, the Town Council managed to put aside £100,000 to save the community development work in Keighley, funding which had previously been axed by Bradford Metropolitan District Council.

Bradford Council has funded community development workers for more than 10 years. These workers organise activities within the community across different areas including community safety, youth groups, health and wellbeing and community cohesion, but despite this Bradford Council has cut 100% of the funding for these workers from the 2017/18 budget.

This vital service for Keighley has been identified as an area that Keighley Town Council can support as it is a fundamental part of community growth, development and integration. For the last two years, the Area Committee gave £21,000 each to the three development workers that covered the areas listed below.

Allocation Wards

Grant Applicant

2015-16

2016-17

Notes

Keighley Central & Craven

Keighley & Ilkley Voluntary & Community Action (KIVCA)

£21,000

£21,000

Evidence of recent experience of delivering good quality community development work

Keighley East & Ilkley

Hainworth Wood Road Community Centre

£21,000

£21,000

Evidence of good relationships, knowledge and reputation

Keighley West & Worth Valley

Bracken Bank & District Community Centre

£21,000

£21,000

Evidence of recent experience of delivering good quality community development work

£63,000

£63,000

The Town Council will setup a similar framework to the one that Bradford Council had in place for awarding community development grants and it’s hoped that funding allocated by Keighley Town Council could potentially save these posts in Keighley (subject to meeting the grant application criteria). The Council will invite community and voluntary organisations to apply for funding. However, there is no guarantee that the Council may fund community development workers in future years.

Keighley Deputy Mayor, Councillor Barry Thorne, said it is important to retain the budget for community development workers as they are essential when it comes to helping vulnerable people. Mr Thorne said: “Speaking as a Councillor representing the Bracken Bank area, I know that the Sue Belcher Centre is critical for some of the most excluded people in the district”.

The Chair of Finance and Audit committee Councillor, Javaid Akhtar, added: ‘It’s important that the community development fund is going ahead for 2017/18, but as councillors we have to be responsible with the budget otherwise we would be exposing ourselves to too much risk.”

What is the precept?

1.1 T he precept is an annual charge on local taxpayers. The precept is set each year by a parish council as part of its annual budgeting process and is collected on the parish council’s behalf by the local authority responsible for collecting council tax for its area.

1.2 T he level of precept depends on the nature and scope of the parish council’s activities.

The Local Government Act 1992, section 49A requires a Local Precept Authority to prepare a budget to calculate its precept requirement.

KTCConnect | SPRING 2017

Oktoberfest | 11

Celebrating culture at Oktoberfest “The oompah band was great and they laid on more stalls this time than they did in earlier years” Graham

K

eighley residents celebrated Oktoberfest over three days from Friday October 14 to Sunday 16 with craft beer, cider, food and family entertainment.

The celebration was hosted by Keighley Town Council, in conjunction with the Keighley Business Improvement District and the Market Square Group, and the highlight proved to be the family entertainment which included appearances from Peanut the Clown, a balloon modeller, donkey rides, funfair rides, a henna artist, birds of prey and our local Herr Jen’s Bavarian Oompah Band.

Alongside the entertainment, continental markets sold a range of food adding a foreign flavour to the event from countries including Greece, France and Spain.

Cllr Luke Maunsell, chairman of the Events and Leisure committee, said he was delighted that this year’s Oktoberfest was so well received: “Events like Oktoberfest are important ways of bringing the town together and giving everyone a chance to embrace other cultures and ideas.”

“We’ve both tried the paella here and have been very impressed. If they do this again next year, we’ll definitely come back” Rose and Mick

SPRING 2017 | KTCConnect

12 | WHAT'S ON KEIGHLEY

Keighley Town Council’s round-up of what’s on in 2017 Church Green will be playing host to St George’s Day celebrations on April 23 where there will be fun, games and all things England as well as Bradford Council’s special outdoor market.

Following the Annual Meeting of the Town Council, May will see the election of a new Town Mayor and this will be marked with a special civic occasion.

As the school year comes to a close in July, we will reward Keighley’s outstanding young people. The School Awards will recognise the very best achievements of pupils and students from the town’s primary and secondary school at a prizegiving day in the Town Hall and the Mayor will present each winner with a new crest for their school’s shield.

Summer will hot up with Yorkshire Day on August 1 where there will be activities on Church Green and in the centre of town, which will celebrate “God’s own county”. Wear your white rose with pride – and with any luck it will be set against the background of a deep blue sky.

Heritage Day will return in September, as part of a national celebration of our architectural, cultural and natural inheritance.

Organisers are planning to open some of Keighley’s most important buildings so that they can be used to display objects and artefacts of local interest. Guided tours, storytellers and speakers will add interest to the occasion.

November is a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by our armed forces past and present, as we mark Armistice Day on November 11 and Remembrance Sunday on November 12. The Town Council will be working with the Royal British Legion and community organisations to coordinate the parade, wreath laying, service and refreshments.

Save the date

The open public meetings were introduced by Keighley Town Council in 2015 as a pledge to restore openness and transparency following the publication of the negative audit report. The Council has since scheduled three additional meetings to the Annual Town Meeting, which have been well attended by members of the public.

The latest meeting held on December 15 2016, saw a recommendation for the Town Council to lobby the district authority’s planning department over controversial issues regarding the Aire Valley incinerator plant and to hold another public meeting to address these concerns. The successful recommendation was approved by the Town Council at its meeting on January 26 2017.

The next public meeting is the Annual Town meeting which is scheduled for April 27 this year at 7.00pm at the Keighley Civic Centre. Keighley parishioners are encouraged to attend and the council will continue to set up further public meetings for the next civic year 2017 to 2018. These meetings allow the public and elected members to speak candidly outside the current confines of council protocols.

Raising money for Bradford Disability Sports and Leisure

Recent events organised by Bradford Disability Sports and Leisure saw hundreds of pounds raised for the Keighley Town Mayor’s Charity: Bradford Disability Sports and Leisure (BDSL). Fundraising events included line-dancing which took place on September 23 and raised over £900 and a fun run which took place on October 20 which also raised hundreds of pounds.

The Mayor’s curry night took place on January 10 at Azeems Restaurant in Keighley and this night raised £259. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal at the restaurant and Azeems donated a percentage of the proceeds to the Mayor’s Charity. Donations to the Mayor’s Charity can be made payable to ‘Keighley Town Mayor’s Charity’. The Annual Civic dinner is due to take place on March 15 and the full story and pictures will follow in the next issue.

KTCConnect | SPRING 2017

Christmas will be celebrated with the Pensioners’ Christmas Lunch, which will once again take place over two days in December. Every Keighley resident aged 65 and over will be invited to attend a threecourse dinner at the Civic Centre, with gifts and musical entertainment.

This will be followed by the town’s Big Carol Service, which is organised in partnership with Keighley Shared Church.

Ringing in 2018, Keighley will host its very own New Year Honours in the form of Keighley Town Council’s Community Awards. The awards will recognise Keighley people who go the extra mile to help their local community, environment and economy.

Learn to draw at Long Lee Village Hall

When Russell Street Art Group closed eight years ago, many local aspiring artists decided to attend the Long Lee and Thwaites Brow Art Group based at Long Lee Village Hall. Since then, Keighley residents have been improving their basic drawing and painting skills and are now making greeting cards, knitting, crochet and other crafts. The sessions provide basic art materials and reference books to aid self-teaching with members always happy to support each other.

These are friendly sessions that don’t follow a set programme of activities, allowing everyone to follow their own hobby or learn a new skill.

The art group meets twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1.30 until 3.30pm at Long Lee Village Hall, just behind the doctors’ surgery. If you’d like to join this friendly group please feel free to pop in at the above times or call Barbara Klempka on 01535 669914 for an informal chat.

Anti-Drug Campaign launched in Keighley | 13

Drug dealers don’t care – Keighley residents do

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eighley MP Kris Hopkins launched a community antidrugs campaign in a packed Central Hall on Saturday January 21. The campaign has the support of the Keighley News, Town and District Councillors, West Yorkshire Police and also Crimestoppers, an independent charity that provides a confidential route for members of the public to report crime.

Opening the event, Mr Hopkins said: “Illegal drugs are a scourge on Keighley’s streets. We must do all we can to have them, and the disgraceful individuals who peddle them, removed.

“Many residents have told me that they want to stand up and challenge this behaviour, which sends a really powerful and positive message. I know the police have been doing excellent work and some of that has already led to a number of arrests. Officers know what is required, but they also need the public’s help to pursue these individuals. They can’t do it alone.”

The campaign came about after Mr Hopkins sent out surveys to 4,500 homes in Keighley central following a number of approaches from residents, businesses and community groups. The response has been huge, both in terms of surveys returned and telephone calls to the MP’s office. Many residents expressed fear at reporting crime due to the perceived risk of reprisals and a sense of frustration that nothing would happen.

One resident – who asked to remain anonymous – said: “People are scared to report crime in this area as it is in the centre of gang territory. If they get involved, their windows go through and people are scared for their lives.”

Another commented: “Dealing in the area, used needles in the streets, people stood around waiting for their dealer. I have a learning disability and feel vulnerable so will not report.”

Joining Kris at the launch was Inspector Khalid Khan, Keighley Mayor Councillor Shabir Ahmed and Gemma Wilson, Regional Crimestoppers Manager for the Yorkshire and Humber.

Mr Hopkins said: “It is vital that we have the support of stakeholders in the area, but it is the local residents coming forward who I believe will have the greatest impact on our chances of success.

“We are only at the start of the campaign. We are now asking residents, businesses, schools and community groups to help us take it forward and make it a success. We do not want to be having the same conversations two years from now.”

Gemma Wilson said: “It is clear there are people out there who have information about drug dealers and crime which is causing fear to the people of Keighley. Crimestoppers is here for everyone to help us make Keighley a safer place to live and work. We can take away the worry of reprisal that people fear, by reporting anonymously what they know.

“We promise complete anonymity for everyone who calls our 0800 555 111 number, or who uses our non traceable online form at www. crimestoppers-uk.org. Since the charity started 29 years ago, we have kept our promise of anonymity to everyone who has contacted us. We are completely accessible to everyone and can take reports 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in any language”.

To find out more about the campaign and how to get involved please contact Kris.hopkins.mp@parliament.uk SPRING 2017 | KTCConnect

14 | Grants

l oca l the ps l KTC he rish u o l f nity commu

Each year, the Council agrees on how much it can set aside for grants and sponsorships and the good news is that this year we’ve got more money available to help the local community flourish. Keighley Town Council has three funding schemes in place for grant funding: Acorn Fund – £10,550, Oak Fund – £10,000 and Sponsorship – £20,000.

Acorn Fund – for grants up to £250

This fund is intended for things which are unlikely to find another form of funding and can be given to any person or group which has a project or needs to hire/purchase an item to help with their work for the community. There is no minimum and the maximum value awarded is £250. To apply, you will need to complete a form explaining what you are doing along with a breakdown and your estimated costs. If this is part of a larger project, then you will also need to complete a breakdown of costings from other funding which you expect to receive. This application will require the support of your Ward Town Councillor and a member of the Council’s Finance and Audit Committee. A member of the Town Council will need to sign the form prior to the Town Clerk/RFO completing authorisation of the grant.

Oak Fund – for grants above £250 and less than £1,000

This fund is for requests of higher than £250 but no more than £1,000. To apply for this, you need to complete a detailed form with quotations and a breakdown of costs if it’s part of a larger project. If you are applying

on behalf of a group/charity that is required to publish accounts, you will be asked to provide a copy of your latest accounts. If your group has been running for less than a year, you will be asked to provide one business and one personal reference. Applications for the Oak Fund will be considered at the monthly Finance and Audit committee meetings.

Applications will need to be received by the office at least seven days before the meeting.

Grants/Sponsorship – for grants above £1,000

Your group may wish to apply for a bigger pot of money and this award is for any requests exceeding £1,000. Applications will be reviewed by the Finance and Audit Committee, which may make a recommendation to the next full Council meeting to award the grant/ sponsorship request.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for a grant, please download and complete the application form from www. keighley.gov.uk and click on the ‘Grants’ section. Applications are also available on request from the Town Clerk office. Your grant application will be treated as a public document and you are therefore advised not

to include any sensitive information such as bank details, as these may threaten the security of your organisation or individuals linked to the organisation.

HOW WE PROCESS THE GRANT APPLICATION OR DONATION REQUEST

The Council must go through a number of procedures before processing the grant application or donation request.

The application/request will be placed on the agenda for consideration by members of the Finance and Audit Committee. They will decide the application based on the information provided and may decide to: • Grant the application/request • Reject the application/request • Grant the application/request for a reduced amount • Request further information • Recommend the application/request for approval to Full Council (for grants exceeding £1,000).

If you have any questions please contact the Town Council on 01535 618252 or townclerk@Keighley.gov.uk.

GRANT AWARD CRITERIA

The Council is obliged to ensure that monies granted represent value for the people of Keighley. To achieve this the following general principles are applied when evaluating grant applications.

1. O rganisations requesting grants are asked to submit a copy of their audited accounts for the last year, along with their most recent accounts or bank statements covering the previous three months, and a copy of their constitution. We do this because we have to be sure there is genuine need. The level of audit will vary according to the nature and scale of the organisation. Applicants for the Acorn Fund are exempt from this criteria.

2. New organisations which don’t have audited accounts should not be discouraged from applying, but should provide a financial statement regarding their proposed budget instead. Applicants must also provide one business and one personal reference if their organisation KTCConnect | SPRING 2017

has been set up in the last 12 months.

3. R equests will only be considered from local organisations, or local branches of national organisations, where evidence of local involvement can be provided. We are under obligation to ensure that grants/ sponsorships are beneficial to the local community.

4. Applicants should identify the specific use for the grant and highlight the residents who will benefit from the grant to ensure it represents value for money and brings benefit to the community of Keighley.

5. If granted sponsorship, the applicant must agree to make reference to Keighley town Council on promotional materials, so that the contribution of the local Council is fully recognised.

6. S uccessful applicants are required to provide a short written report about their award and what they have spent the money on.

7. The

Council takes its responsibilities seriously and would not make a grant to an organisation that could not demonstrate that it acts in accordance with best practice in relation to equality and fairness. The Council seeks to minimise the potential for any discrimination in any form.

8. It is generally seen as positive that applicants are seeking funding from other sources (match funding). This demonstrates that the applicants are not solely reliant on the Council for an award, so please include any details of this.

GRANTS | 15

How KTC grants have been helping the local community

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n 2016, funding was awarded to the Community Cougars Foundation (CCF), a registered charity that provides out of school activities to young people aged 8 to 25 in Yorkshire. This funding from Keighley Town Council has enabled the charity to set up the Girls' Rugby League Project in conjunction with the Champion Schools Development Programme. These activity programmes have been held across divided communities using rugby and education as tools to promote cohesion. Young women from disaffected communities have been encouraged to take part in sports activities and experiences that have improved their fitness levels and wellbeing, developed self-confidence, and taught them new skills such as professional conduct.

“One of the several things I loved about rugby was how my coaches were very motivating and never gave up on me. I have never been a sporty person and in my group of friends I was always known as the ‘girly one’ or the ‘weak one’. I never took it to heart because I was hopeless at most of the sports we did.

However Paul and Saima changed that”

“I have enjoyed rugby. At first I used to think negatively about rugby, but now my thoughts about rugby are positive. I feel proud of myself after doing all of this. Thanks to Saima, Paul and Ross for making rugby so fun and nice. Now I know that rugby is a great sport”

SPRING 2017 | KTCConnect

Keighley Town Council presents

St George's Day CELEBRATION

Saturday 22 April 10am to 4pm

Three day market 20, 21 & 22 April Street and children’s entertainment on Church Green Join us as we celebrate the icons of England with fun, games and festivities.

For further information contact Keighley Town Council on 01535 618252 or visit www.keighley.gov.uk Keighley Town Council, Keighley Civic Centre, North Street, Keighley BD21 3RZ