A Natter Bench has been installed in a Horsforth park in a bid to help tackle loneliness after lockdown. The 2.4 metre bench will allow for socially distanced chats and is the first of its kind in Leeds. Horsforth ward councillors Jonathon Taylor, Dawn Collins and Jackie Shemilt have secured funding for the bench, which has been put in place in Hall Park ready for the end of the current lockdown period. If the scheme proves successful councillors hope others could be put in place across Leeds. The idea came from a Facebook community group, where residents discussed noticing more elderly people sat alone as lockdown restrictions were eased last year.
COUNCILLORS have allocated £4,000 from a Covid relief grant to support Horsforth Children’s Services and their work with local families. Leeds City Council has provided £10,000 in funding for Horsforth ward Councillors to use for wellbeing purposes. This is being used to fund Covid related projects in the area, to best address local needs and vulnerabilities related to the virus. The Horsforth ward members pledged £4,000 in funding to help horsforth children’s services deliver 400 art and craft activity boxes to local children, supporting families whilst children are self-isolating and over holiday periods. Councillors Jonathon Taylor, Dawn Collins and Jackie Shemilt said:“We were really pleased to support this project, as the effects of the pandemic have had a real impact on so many of our local young people who have had to stay at home and keep away from their friends.
Plans to build a large detached house on the site of a former plant nursery have been approved by Leeds planning chiefs this week. The former Chevin Nurseries site in Carlton Lane, Yeadon, is subject to an application to build a single two-storey five bedroom house, with some people writing into the council to support the scheme which would see the derelict site redeveloped. However, local councillor Colin Campbell (Lib Dem) called the plans in for decision-makers to review, claiming they may cause traffic problems and adding that the site is in the green belt and should not be developed.