CAMPAIGNERS and local politicians are launching a big push to save Yeadon s sailing centre. The Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre at Yeadon Tarn has fallen victim to a round of cuts by Leeds City Council. The council is facing a £119 million black hole in its finances, against a background of Covid costs and a decade of government funding cuts. The campaign group Save Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre has been working alongside Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel and Leeds City Councillor Ryk Downes to find ways of ensuring the centre survives. They are calling on practitioners, businesses, community organisations and social enterprises to join them in forming a bid for a community asset transfer.
OTLEY people are being urged to have their say on a major housing development for the town. A consultation has been launched on the East of Otley development which includes 550 homes.The scheme has sparked controversy amid concerns over its impact on local green space and infrastructure. Now councillors and the town’s MP are urging residents to make their views known before a planning application is submitted. Town councillor Mick Bradley is encouraging all Otley residents to take part. He said: This is not the formal Leeds consultation, which will follow the planning application, expected late February, but it does provide a useful opportunity, now, to tell the ‘Otley East Consortium’, including the developer, Persimmon and Leeds City Council, what existing residents want and expect from this major development, which eventually will include at least 550 homes.
Councillors Colin Campbell, Ryk Downes and Sandy Lay are urging residents to speak out against proposed cuts PEOPLE in Otley and Yeadon are being urged to speak out against planned cuts to services. Leeds City Council is proposing to cut opening hours at libraries and community hubs in the two towns and will also reduce floral planting. The suggested cuts are being put forward as part of the council s 2021/22 budget savings proposals as it faces a shortfall of £119 million. The council has launched a public consultation on its proposals this week and is asking councillors and local people to make their views known and to give feedback on when they would like to use the services.
AN OTLEY councillor is calling on Otley residents to act fast to save the town’s swimming pool. Chippindale Pool has been earmarked for closure under wider cost-cutting plans by Leeds City Council as it tries to balance its budget, and plug a multi-million pound gap, for the year ahead. Although not owned by the council the pool, which is based at Prince Henry’s Grammar School, is supported by the local authority. The council says that ending that arrangement would save it £37,000 in 2020-21, plus a further £50,000 in ‘other service areas’. The school and local politicians, however, have branded the proposal - part of a package of cost-cutting measures that also includes plans to close Leeds Sailing & Activity Centre, at Yeadon - as devastating.
The price paid is considerably more than the reserve, which is good news. I hope Leeds honours previous commitments and releases some of the money from the sale back to the local community. A spokesperson for campaign group Otley Civic Hub Support said: We look forward to seeing who the new owners are and hearing about what they have planned for the Civic Centre. Our focus will continue to be on getting a new community hub created in Otley to compensate for the loss of this important community asset. We will be asking the community to support us in a future-focussed campaign once we have drawn up a case.