Bramham Parish Council

January 2004

At the meeting on 7 January, the Parish Council discussed its views on the licence application for the staging of the Leeds Festival at Bramham Park from 26-29 August 2004.

It appears to the Council that the application is virtually the same as that for 2003, with similar timings, the only significant difference being a 10% increase in numbers from 50,000 to 55,000.  It is understood that West Yorkshire Police, who were the principal objectors last year do not intend to lodge an objection this year.

 Following a reasonably trouble free event in 2003, and recognising the benefit to the local community, the Council decided that it would not oppose the application of a licence for the event, assuming that all of the controls that were put in place last year remain or are improved upon in 2004.   

 Consequently, the Council has made a submission to the Entertainment Licensing Authority stating that whilst it does not object in principle, it would like to ensure that:

1.      The noise level as measured in the village of Bramham should not exceed 65dBA before 11:00pm each evening, and should be nil thereafter.

2.      The same level of event security in terms of staff and fencing is deployed.

3.      The same level of policing of local villages is deployed.

4.      The traffic arrangements are reviewed; in particular the reduction of congestion in Thorner village and connecting roads needs to be addressed.

 It is a requirement that the children’s playground on Freely Lane is inspected annually to ensure that it conforms to certain standards.  The playground was inspected by RoSPA in the autumn, and they have made recommendations of suggested repairs and maintenance required to keep the playground up to standard.  The Council has the safety of the village’s children as a high priority, and despite the cost – which will be about 20% of the total Council budget for the year – has decided to implement the recommendations in full.  These were scheduled to be undertaken in the week commencing 12 January, and by the time you read this, the playground should be back up to the highest standard.

 The Council is fully supportive of the government’s initiatives for Parish Councils to communicate effectively with the people they represent.  As part of this, it is encouraging the development of the Bramham website.  However, for this to be successful, it needs information and updates from all organisations and communities interested in the village.  Why not have a look at the site (www.bramham.org.uk) and see whether you could be making a contribution?

Colin Pool

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Bramham Parish Council

February 2004

A number of residents of the properties down Freely Lane have written to Leeds City Council regarding the poor state of repair of the road.  The Parish Council discussed this at the meeting on 4 February and agreed that the condition is deplorable.  The Parish Council advised Leeds in 1997, when the planning application for the houses on the bottom end of the playing field was submitted, that Freely Lane in its current state would not support the traffic of that development, as well as the existing properties and the ambulance station.  However the development was allowed to go ahead with Freely Lane left unchanged.  The Parish Council has written to Leeds in support of the residents grievances.

 The biggest single factor affecting the future of Freely Lane is the former children’s home at Bramham House.  In the Leeds Unitary Development Plan, this site has been designated as one of the two sites in Bramham for residential development (the other is the wood yard on Bowcliffe Road).  The Parish Council understands that Leeds will upgrade Freely Lane as part of such a development.  Given that Leeds City Council is the current owner of the property and that the Parish Council does not object in principle to such a development, it is hoped that this will proceed soon, and that Leeds can do something with the road until the development is complete.

The Council has noted that planning permission has been granted for a development on the Northways school site in Clifford.  It is understood that a condition of this development is that the 30mph speed restriction will be extended towards Bramham, and traffic calming measures introduced. 

The Council has expressed its support for the campaign by the Wetherby News for a better deal for pensioners using local buses, particularly those involving journeys into North Yorkshire.  The Council recognises that there are many people who used to work in Tadcaster who still visit there for shopping and social activities, and people using the Tadcaster Medical Centre.  Many of these people have no other means of transport.  As the Council has been contributing to the cost of diversion through Bramham of the 780 service between Knaresborough and Tadcaster, a better deal would represent a good return on the Council’s investment.

 Following a grant from the Bramham Community Fund, the Old People’s shelter has a new fitted carpet.  This follows internal redecoration undertaken by Fred Morris.  The Council expressed its gratitude to Mr Morris for his efforts.

 A section of New Road between the Church and Firbeck Road has been closed to vehicles until the end of May so that Leeds City Council can strengthen the bridge over the beck.  

Colin Pool

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Bramham Parish Council

March 2004

As many people will know, the Leeds Festival has been given the go-ahead in Bramham Park for 27-29 August, this year with an increased attendance to 52,500.  The application met the Council’s requirements regarding noise, security and access to the village.  The plans are very much the same as 2003 with the exception that less traffic will be routed along the Bramham to Thorner road.

 The Council hopes that some tickets for Bramham residents will be made available, as last year, and enquiries have already been received about them.  At the time of writing, the promoter has not even made any tickets available to the public, let alone the residents of Bramham.  Any announcements regarding the availability of such tickets and the arrangements for their distribution will be made on the Parish Notice Board in The Square.   

 Following a reassessment of priorities and redeployment of staff by West Yorkshire Police, Bramham, along with all the other villages in the area has been without any community policing for the last few months.  Following the Council making representations to the Police, two Community Officers are in the process of being deployed to provide a service to 15 local villages.  They will be based at Wetherby Police station, but it is the intention for P.C. Booth to be present in the village at a specified time each week so that parishioners can discuss law and order issues.  It is planned to use the Old Peoples’ Shelter in The Square for these sessions.  Hopefully, those occasions where people will be unable to use the shelter because of the need for confidentiality will not cause too much inconvenience.  When the times are agreed, they will be published on the Notice Board and in the shelter.

 For the last 18 months, the Council and Clifford Parish Council have been partially funding a temporary diversion of the 780 Knaresborough to Tadcaster bus service through our villages to provide better transport connections for our residents.  The objective was to see whether there was sufficient demand to justify the service becoming permanent.  The service has proved popular with passengers using it as a quick link to Wetherby, but the usage to Tadcaster and beyond Wetherby has been lower than anticipated.  Unfortunately, the operator, Harrogate & District, has now decided that the additional revenue which was generated did not justify the cost of the service, and therefore has advised us that the diversion will cease as from 24 April. 

 The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Supper Room of the Village Hall on Tuesday 6 April.  A normal Council meeting will start at 7:30 and the Annual Meeting at 8:00.  Members of the public are most welcome to attend, as indeed they are at any Council meeting.  Council meetings normally take place on the first Wednesday of every month except August at 7:30 in the Old Peoples’ Shelter.

 Colin Pool

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Bramham Parish Council

April 2004

The Annual Parish Meeting took place on 6 April under the chairmanship of Cllr David Evans.

 Chairman’s Report

 We welcome Cllrs Michelle James, Stuart Moore and Mike Rhodes who were elected in May 2003.  As Bramham Parish Council is now an elected council, we pass the first test in the Government’s scheme of creating Quality Parish Councils. 

 As the Council Tax bills drop through our letterboxes, you will see that Bramham applied a 5% increase in precept to £12,000 in 2004/5 compared with 10% in Clifford and 50% in Thorner.  Residents of a band D house in Wetherby now pay 2¼ times the amount of an equivalent householder in Bramham.  Until told otherwise by the parish, the council will continue to provide best value services at least cost.

 The past year has been extremely busy with a wide variety of issues.  The most contentious was the Leeds Music Festival and the council went from vilified to vindicated on this one.  We stuck to the task and worked with the park, the promoter and the police to limit the disruption to the village. We now know that the event was peaceful and the village was able to set up the Community Fund and get things done that could never have been funded through the precept.  Our vigilance will not cease in 2004, and I hope we can report more good works achieved through the fund.

 Whilst the police presence was high profile for the festival, it was anything but for the best part of the year.  Following the withdrawal of our Community Constable representations were made to the Police Authority who have responded to the needs of Bramham and other villages and I welcome WPC Booth to her new role in the village.

 Motorists cannot fail to have noticed preparatory work being carried out on the A1 in advance of the upgrade to motorway status.  The Council is playing a leading part in the A1 Action Group activities to limit the environmental impact on local communities.  Our principal concern is the impact of traffic noise.

 The young people of Bramham are given high priority when it comes to allocating resources.  This year as a result of a critical RoSPA report, over £2700 was spent on bringing the children’s playground up to the highest EC safety standards.

 The Council is heavily involved in planning matters and will be commenting on three significant developments in the coming months.  Plans for the Bramham Lodge site (17 dwellings) and Bowcliffe Road Timber Yard have already been submitted and we await the long heralded development of Bramham House, the former children’s home.

In summary, the council is looking forward to an even busier year serving the community of Bramham.  Our Bramham is a village of churches and farms and pubs and clubs.  A village with a stately home with formal gardens, and allotments.  A village with florists, doctors, joiners, photographers, roofers, oil merchants, timber merchants and wine merchants.  A village that outs on roller discos, plays, farces, pantomimes, pop concerts, rock stars from the USA and even the odd silent auction.

 Bramham is a thriving community with its own distinctive character.  It is not, emphatically not, a dormitory of Leeds, and we won’t let it become one.

 Police Report

 WPC Booth introduced herself and outlined her previous career with the force.    She is looking forward to rising to the challenge of this new role in which she and WPC Greenwood, who both work part-time, would be covering the villages to the North East of Leeds.  She recognises that the role is different from that of PC Kinroy, who had a much tighter remit with a smaller number of villages.  She wants to work in partnership with the people of the village and envisages that her work will be a mixture of foot patrols, attendance at council meetings and holding surgeries in the Old People’s Shelter. She hopes to advertise the dates of the surgeries in the near future and will be happy to be the first line with any police enquiries, and if she is not to be seen about the village, she can always be contacted through Wetherby Police Station.  In terms of the annual crime figures, it was necessary to point out that these were skewed by the Leeds Festival.  There were 108 reported crimes in 2002-3 and 299 in 2003-4, but 40% of the latter occurred during the festival.  (Most of these were minor thefts and minor drugs offences which took place within the grounds).  There were 19 burglaries, 50 thefts (48 at the festival), 10 thefts and 19 attempted thefts of motor vehicles.  There were 12 burglary (other) and 1 attempted.  This covers garages etc.  Overall the level of crime had been lower than in comparable villages.

 Parish Plan

 Cllr Gibson reported that it had been hoped to hold a meeting with key stakeholders in the parish to kick off the steering group on March 31, but this had been postponed until April 13 because of the indisposition of Chris Barker of YRCC, who was to facilitate the meeting.  The timescales to get the plan off the ground have become tight because the Countryside Agency will withdraw the funding for plans not submitting formal application by 14 May.  Cllr Gibson reiterated that whilst he had been active in getting the steering group together, he would not be able to dedicate enough time to leading the project, and a champion was being sought.  It was agreed that this meeting should be publicised in the “Wetherby News”.  Mr Watson suggested that the web-site be used to keep parishioners updated on the progress of the plan.

  Colin Pool

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Bramham Parish Council

May 2004

At the next Council meeting on Wednesday 2 June at 7:30, the guest will be the Chief Streetscene Services Officer of Leeds City Council.  This is the official with responsibility for all aspects of cleansing from black and green wheelie bins, through bottle banks, and litter collection to the provision of dog waste bins.  The department also pursues fly-tipping and other unsocial behaviour.  Parishioners are very welcome to attend the meeting, but if you are intending to attend, it would be helpful if you could let the Clerk know in advance (tel 844687).  If you have any issues you would like raising, please contact any Parish Councillor.

 The Council has been pressing Leeds City Council to impose 30mph speed limits on those roads that are part of the village where there is currently no limit; for example on Windmill Road between the road to Tadcaster and the windmill, and just North of the school on the road to Clifford.  This follows the expanding of the 30mph zones and even the introduction of 20mph zones and traffic calming measures in many of our neighbouring villages.  The Council is dismayed to hear Leeds’ response.  Their policy, which they claim is aimed at meeting Central Government targets, is that the cost of making a Traffic Regulation Order and erecting/moving signs cannot be justified unless there is evidence of personal injury in the last 5 years.  It is not sufficient that there is potential for accidents to happen.  In other words it appears that Leeds believes that some of our residents will have to be injured or killed before they provide us with this protection.

 The applications for Residents’ tickets for the Carling Leeds Festival on August Bank Holiday Weekend totalled more than double those available.  Details on how the Council have allocated the tickets will be posted on the Parish Notice Board and on the Bramham Web-site.  It is expected that the tickets will be distributed and cash collected about a week before the event.

 The Council has observed the increase in the number of posters advertising events and functions in the village.  The Council is pleased that such events are being held and supported, demonstrating the vibrant nature of the village.  However, it would ask that promoters remove their posters as soon as possible after the event has taken place. 

Villagers will have noticed the arrival of a new wooden trough of flowers in the village square.  These have been provided following a grant from the Bramham Community Fund, utilising some of the proceeds from last year’s Leeds Festival in Bramham Park.  It is also planned to renew the tubs around the War Memorial in the near future. 
 

 Colin Pool

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Bramham Parish Council

 June 2004

The Council has been asked for clarification over the allocation of Residents’ Tickets for the Carling Leeds Festival in August.  In particular, some residents erroneously assumed from the letter from the promoter, Mean Fiddler, that all applications would be successful.  Originally Mean Fiddler offered the village 200 tickets to enable residents to attend at an advantageous rate.  Mean Fiddler did this on the express condition that the Council ensured that only genuine residents of the village were to be granted tickets.  Applications were received for a total of 500 tickets by the closing date.  Many of these included friends and relatives not living in the village, and excluding them brought the number of applications down to 361.  This was discussed with Mean Fiddler, who generously agreed to increase the allocation to 361 tickets, subject to the strict rules about residency being confirmed by identification for every ticket allocated.  All the tickets have been allocated and will be sent out about a week before the event. 

 Mean Fiddler has also asked the Council to reassure residents that whilst their entertainment licence runs until midnight on each of the 4 nights, the live music on the main stage is scheduled to take place up to 11pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.  On the Thursday night and between 11pm and midnight on other nights, there will only be music on the minor stages which will not be audible in the village.  Of course, the licence does allow for minor over-runs on the main stage as happened on the Friday last year.

 One issue that this activity has thrown up is that a significant number of residents, and not just people recently moved to the village, are not on the electoral roll.  The Council encourages residents who did not receive the recent postal vote documents to check with Leeds City Council Elections on 0113 247 6726 that their details are correctly recorded.

 West Yorkshire Police has decided to strengthen their community representation in the villages in this area, and the Council is pleased to welcome PC Kate Dunn, who has a role in Bramham, Clifford and Boston Spa.  One issue which she has asked the Council to raise with residents is the recent spate of theft of high value items such as mountain bikes and golfing equipment from sheds and garages.  These areas tend not to be protected by the usual security measures such as mortice locks and alarms and may also not be covered by insurance.  PC Dunn will regularly be available to meet with residents to discuss their policing issues in the Old Peoples’ Shelter.  Dates and times are published on the Parish noticeboard.

 The Council has secured a grant from the Countryside Agency to produce the Parish Plan.  There will be a public meeting in the Village Hall on Monday 12 July at 7:30 to launch the preparation of the plan.  This is your chance to have a say in the future of your village.

 Colin Pool

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Bramham Parish Council

September 2004  

At the September meeting, the Council reviewed the recent Carling Leeds Festival staged at Bramham Park.  The Council had three main concerns over the festival, the disruption to the village, the maintenance of Law & Order and the noise.  The Council was pleased that West Yorkshire Police again showed their commitment to the residents with a high profile presence.  Within the event itself, there were only 12 arrests, which was substantially less that in 2003, and there was no trouble reported in the village.  It was generally thought that the noise heard in the village was slightly louder than last year, but that was probably due to the strong wind rather than an increased volume at the site.  Councillors were also satisfied that the 11pm finish time was kept on all three evenings.  Whilst there were reports of some traffic congestion on the Thursday afternoon, these were some distance from the village, and were not incompatible with an event hosting 52,500 visitors.  Overall, the conclusion was that with similar safeguards put in place, the Council would support the event in 2005.   

Of course, the village also benefited by having some 350 residents able to attend at a heavily discounted price, and will have additional funds available for good causes in the village as a result of these ticket sales.  It is planned for the Bramham Community Fund to meet in November to discuss the allocation of this year’s grants.  Applications are invited from individuals and organisations wishing to obtain a grant for projects for the benefit of the community.  Full details are posted on the Parish Notice Board in The Square, and the closing date for applications will be 31 October.  Applications received after this date cannot be considered.

 As the new football season gets under way, the Council extends its best wishes to the recently re-formed Bramham Football Club, who will be playing on the Freely Lane Playing Field this year.  At the same time, the Council has considered those dog owners in the village who exercise their pets on the field.  The Council is reluctant to impose hard and fast rules but is mindful of the need to maintain health and safety of players using the field, and hopes that common sense will prevail.  This suggests that dogs should continue to be allowed to use the field, but that owners should try and avoid them using the football pitch itself.  Of course it is a requirement that owners must clear up any waste left by their pets, and the Council is looking into whether a dog waste bin can be provided in the vicinity.  However, it should be pointed out that dogs are totally forbidden from the children’s playground area.

Crime in the village has decreased over the year, but perhaps could be less if residents were more vigilant.  For example, the one burglary in the last couple of months happened where a front door had been left open at 5:30pm.

Colin Pool

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The planning of the 2005 event has already commenced, and it is expected that Mean Fiddler will make a licence application in January/February next year. If any residents have suggestions that they feel should be considered in this process, please send them to the Clerk in the first instance.

The Council is currently pursuing a large number of relatively small issues that are within the remit of Leeds City Council. These include the amount of litter in the village, dog waste and litter bins, damaged and missing traffic signs and road signs and poor quality road surfaces. It would appear that recently there has been a slowness of response to these issues and this has been attributed to the change in administration following the election of June 2004, and the subsequent reviews of policies and priorities. The Council will continue to press these issues when the Leeds organisation has settled down. In the meantime, Leeds City Council has inaugurated a central help desk for residents to report or follow up any faults regarding highways and footpaths. This includes faulty street lights, potholes, street signs and the like. The telephone number for the desk is 0113 247 7500.

Some residents have again complained about the quality of the road surface in Freely Lane. The Council is sympathetic to these complaints and accepts that the road is in a poor state. However, it has been informed that as part of a projected development of the former children’s home at Bramham House, Freely Lane will be substantially rebuilt in the foreseeable future. It is understandable, therefore, why Leeds City Council are unwilling to use their limited funds in resurfacing a road in such circumstances. This does mean that, unfortunate as it may be, we are constrained by a policy of repairing the worst potholes in the short term.

The Council has been pleased to support the football club by meeting the cost of new goalposts for the Freely Lane playing field.

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