News

Below are the latest news items from the Parish Council.
General Grants Update
11/08/2022
The Council has recently awarded the following grants:

£733 to Elevate to cover venue costs.
£508 to Shelley Conservation Group to purchase tools for maintenance of public land.
£225 to Stocksmoor Community Association to purchase defibrillator pads.

It is still possible to apply for a general grant. The deadlines for receipt of applications with all supporting documentation are: 28 October 2022 and 5 February 2023.  Applications received after those dates will be deferred to the next meeting (if there is one).

Download a form and a copy of the rules from the Grant Schemes tab above.
Village Improvement Funding
11/08/2022
The Council has agreed more projects to be funded via the Village Improvement Funding:

£2,000 to Grange Moor Community Association towards the refurbishment of the Miniature Park.
£916 to purchase and install a new seat adjacent to the Petanque Court on Shelley Recreation Ground.

If you have a project, which would benefit your village and requires funding, please speak to your local Councillor, who may be able to help with a Village Improvement Funding application.  The deadlines for submitting applications with supporting documents are 28 October 2022 and 5 February 2023.
Kirklees WOVEN Festival 2023
22/06/2022

There will be 2 Kirklees Officers attending the Council's meeting on 7 July to talk about the WOVEN Festival, which will be happening again next June.

It is initiated and funded by Kirklees Council, but is owned by everyone, including community groups, textile businesses, cultural and educational organisations, artists and heritage sites across the district.

WOVEN’s theme is generations of innovators, connecting a strong heritage with today’s innovative developments in industry, university research, a strong arts and crafts scene and the creative expression of the district’s rich and diverse communities.

Whilst a big festival event will happen in June every other year, there will also be long term projects and smaller events happening in between.

Please come along to the Council meeting to find out how you and your community can get involved.

Further information from Kirklees is available on their dedicated website: https://woveninkirklees.co.uk
Village Improvement Fund
22/06/2022
The Village Improvement Fund is being repeated this year.  The Council can contribute up to £1,000 per Councillor to the cost of projects, which are of benefit to the local village.  If you have an idea for something which could be achieved in your village, tell your local Councillor about it, as it may be possible to fund it from this money.  Funding can also be used to support existing facilities, which are struggling financially.  To apply, the Councillors need to submit a form giving full details of the project, costings and a quote.  The first deadline to return a completed form with supporting documents is:  Friday 8 July 2022.

The Grants & Community Projects Committee will consider all the proposed projects, with the Council taking the final decisions at the August Council meeting.
Platinum Jubilee Grants
04/03/2022
The Council has awarded a total of £3,000 in Platinum Jubilee grants to groups holding events to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of HM The Queen's accession to the throne.

There was a high demand for the grants, which exceeded the budget so the Council has awarded the full grant of £300 to the groups, which fully met the criteria.  They are as follows:

Farnley Tyas Community Group
Kirkheaton PCC
St Bartholomew's Church, Grange Moor
Lepton Highlanders Sports and Social Club
Shelley Community Association
Stocksmoor Village Hall Management Committee
Thurstonland Village Association

Groups which partially met the criteria have been awarded £150 each.  They are:

Home from Home
Kirkchair
Yetton Together
Kirkburton & Highburton Community Association
Shepley Village Association
Shelley Over 60's

The funding will be paid out in April 2022 in the financial year, to which it relates, but groups are able to go ahead with placing orders and making purchases in advance of receiving the funding, as the decisions have now been taken.

Unfortunately, Shelley Conservation Group's application did not meet the grant criteria at all, so it was refused.  However, it did meet the criteria for a general grant, and the group will be invited to make an application for one later in the year.
Funding for Defibrillator Consumables
04/02/2022
The Council has decided that community groups, which are not in a position to fund new batteries and pads for the defibrillators they are maintaining, can apply to the Parish Council for a grant.

Groups will need to submit a General Grant application.  In this instance the restriction on retrospective grants (paying out funds for items already purchased) will be lifted.  This is due to the urgency in replacing the items to keep the defibrillator in operation. 

Please contact Emma Booth, the Council's Administrative Assistant for a form.
Planning Developments adjacent to Penistone Road in Lepton
22/01/2022
A representative from KCS Development attended the January Parish Council meeting to provide an update on the current plans for the two developments (identified as HS2 and HS3 on the Local Plan).  Councillors raised concerns about a number of aspects of the plans including the proposed roundabout on Penistone Road and how it would impact on local businesses with accesses onto Penistone Road at that point, the lack of places in the local schools and in health centres / dental surgeries in the area.  Of equal concern was the number of parking places which would be provided within the development, the provision of affordable housing at the sites and the proposed access into the development from Hermitage Park. 

The representative made a note of all the queries, provided answers where he could and agreed to take the concerns back to his colleagues to be looked into further.