Headway

Headway aims to let local residents know which way we’re heading in & around Headingley. Local community associations have got together to share & circulate information – Cardigan Triangle, Far Headingley, Headingley Network, Kirkstall Valley, Moor Parks, North Hyde Park, South Headingley & Turnways. We’d be pleased if other associations joined us. Everyone is invited to send us any news that matters to Headingley. Headway is an initiative of Leeds HMO Lobby, the collective campaigning for local housing balance.

New Rules on HMOs?

Now is our moment! The government is thinking of changing the rules on HMOs (houses in multiple occupation, or shared houses) - and they are asking us what we think! Now we have a chance to tip the balance in favour of residents.

Headingley’s problem is HMOs. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with sharing a house, as such. But there’s something seriously wrong with a neighbourhood where most of the houses are HMOs. This is now the case in the neighbourhoods in and around Headingley. Few live in HMOs for very long, so what this means is a constantly changing population. Constant change breaks the links on which communities depend. As HMOs increase, community spirit decreases. There are now over a hundred streets in Headingley where temporary tenants outnumber residents. The results are all too obvious in the changes that have overtaken these neighbourhoods in the last decade or two.

But it’s not only our area which is affected. Most university towns now have concentrations of HMOs. And not only these - there are huge problems in seaside towns where guest-houses have been turned into HMOs, and in many market towns gangmasters have bought up HMOs for seasonal workers.

As a result, groups from all over the country have joined the National HMO Lobby, a network of community associations pioneered by Leeds HMO Lobby. We have campaigned for ten years to get government nationally to bring in legislation which will enable government locally to resist concentrations of HMOs. The Lobby helped to bring in licensing of HMOs with the Housing Act 2004, and Leeds is now in the forefront of HMO licensing.

But licences don’t resist HMOs - for this, new planning legislation is needed. At the moment no permission is needed to convert a family house to a HMO - so anyone can do so, landlords, buy-to-let investors, student parents … There’s nothing the Council can do without new powers. So the Lobby has been campaigning for a change to the Use Classes Order, the relevant regulation. Colleagues in Loughborough, Nottingham and Southampton have shown ministers what the problems are in their areas. So last year, we got the government to commission a report on HMOs - and this recommended consultation on new legislation. This year, in May, the government published a consultation paper, online at www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/housesmultipleconsultation.

The consultation paper agrees that concentrations of HMOs cause problems. It suggests three courses of action, and is seeking the views of the public on these.

Option 1 is to rely on existing ‘good practice’, like the things we’ve done in Leeds to try to tackle the problem - but we know it doesn’t work! (Headingley has been independently identified by Sheffield Hallam University as having the worst community cohesion in the country.)

Option 2 is to change the Use Classes Order, so that HMOs need planning permission - this is obviously what is needed, and what we’ve campaigned for so long. On its own it won’t solve the problem, but it is essential to prevent it getting any worse, here and elsewhere.

Option 3 is a complicated proposal to allow HMOs anywhere at all - except where the government agrees to give special powers to councils in limited areas (Article 4 Directions). This is basically unworkable.

We have until 7 August to persuade the government to act on Option 2.

What can you do? Turn to page 2 !

HMO Consultation - What you can do

Leeds HMO Lobby will be writing to the government of course. So will all our community associations. So will Headingley Development Trust. So will the Council. So too can you, the more voices the better!

= First of all, enclosed with this copy of Headway there should be a model letter to send to the government. All you need do is add your address, give an idea of some of the problems you have had - and sign and send it!

= If you would like to write your own letter or email, please do. Contact the Lobby for background info (or if the enclosure is missing).

= Also, encourage you neighbours to write. Ask your local councillors to write. And lobby your MP. Contact the Lobby if you need details.

The email address for replies is UCOHMOConsultation@communities.gsi.gov.uk (subject: HMO Consultation), the postal address is Susan Turner, Planning System Improvement Division, Department for Communities and Local Government, Zone 1/J10, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU. The deadline is 7 August 2009.

The Natural Food Store

The Natural Food Store is a co-operative owned by over 200 people – most of them local but at least one member based further afield, in fact in Brussels! With over 3000 lines including organic bread, eggs, dairy, teas, olives, and a vast selection of delicious foods for special diets, it is a high class grocers as well as stockist of ethical cleaning products, remedies, shampoos, bubble baths, toothpaste and other goods for personal hygiene. It also stocks organic baby products. In fact it’s a veritable Aladdin’s cave for the discerning shopper – where you can also pick up wonderful recipe sheets with ideas for lovely seasonal dishes. At the moment there’s a special offer of a gorgeous red hessian bag free if you spend £40. As a co-operative owned by its members, it warmly welcomes new members - for info, contact info@naturalfoodstore.coop or visit the website www.naturalfoodstore.coop

Linda Robbins, Natural Food Store

New Polling Station for Headingley

The Council is periodically required to review polling station provision to ensure that there is a fair spread in all parts of the City. Some wards in the City have as many as 26 polling stations, whereas others have as few as 6 (Headingley!). When all wards are the same size in terms of population, it is clear that something has to be done! Barring last minute objections, Headingley will have a new polling station at Shire Oak Primary School for residents who live in the area between Grove Lane and Wood Lane. Previously, the polling station for this area was Headingley Community centre, and we felt that with many elderly residents as well as families with children living in this area, it would be better if they did not have to cross the busy A660 to vote. The station will be in place for the local elections next May.

Cllr Martin Hamilton, Headingley Ward

Headingley in Bloom

Waiting for the lights to change by the newly revamped Arndale Centre gives a chance to enjoy the spectacular display of flowers yet again provided by the Headingley in Bloom flower beds. Children from Shire Oak Primary School have extended these well established perennial beds with lovely summer bedding displays, sponsored by Crossleys Newsagent.

Ÿ Bus passengers will be aware of the small shrubbery planted towards the bus stop which is slowly coming into its own. Ÿ By the Shaw Lane traffic lights is the newest planting, a very attractive bed sponsored by Salvos and fronting the Salumeria. Ÿ The window boxes on the community centre on North Lane were looking rather straggly after their spring display and have now been replanted with petunia, lobelia and nasturtiums to brighten up a rather vulnerable corner.

Brenda Frater, Headingley in Bloom

Headingley Farmers’ Market celebrates!

Headingley Farmers’ Market has much to celebrate. In the Spring it gained accreditation by FARMA as a bona fide farmers’ market – which means that stallholders are the primary producers and that all produce comes within a specific radius from the market (Otley is the only other market in the Leeds area to have this recognition). And on 12 September (the same weekend as Celebrate Headingley) the market will be three years old. Since its start it has expanded on to the grass and now has a greater range of stalls, with seasonal produce such as asparagus, soft fruit and English apples complementing the regular staples. The aim is to enable people to stock up on their food needs for a whole month, supplemented by visits to the Natural Food Store and Harris’s, of course! It’s a great place to shop, meet your friends and neighbours, and listen to some great music performed by local players. Contact info@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk

Helen Seymour, Headingley Farmers’ Market

Summer in the City 2009Local residents celebrate their communities!

July: Kirkstall Festival, Kirkstall Abbey, Saturday 11 July 2009

Kirkstall’s Annual Festival will once again be held in the beautiful grounds of Kirkstall Abbey, 11am-5.30pm. A full day’s entertainment is planned, with something for everyone, including more than ninety stalls, music stages, children’s entertainment, fairground, singers, dancers, majorettes, - the list goes on!

John Liversedge, Kirkstall Festival

August: Hyde Park Unity Day, Woodhouse Moor, Saturday 1 August 2009

This year’s community event, organised and run by local volunteers is coming up soon. The community and local information stalls have always been a key part of our celebration of the local area. It’s a great way to advertise your community group, working in or around Hyde Park, and you can reach thousands of people in one day. There is also space for commercial stalls at a reasonable cost. For more info contact Emma at emma.bosworth@yahoo.com. The site this year will be smaller and more compact. There will be the usual eclectic mix of music styles and activities for everyone of all age groups. The children’s area, theatre tent, Proper Dodgy/ Asian tent and permaculture area will be alcohol free zones.

As always, the final programme depends on the number of local people willing to get involved. Please come along to a team meeting, held every Wednesday at 7.30pm in Wrangthorn Church Hall, Hyde Park Terrace. There are many ways to contribute, including helping with fundraising, being a steward on the day (we need 50) and setting up the site (guaranteed to improve your fitness).

Contact Amit Roy, Unity Day, on 2933698 or unityday@live.co.uk

September: Celebrate Headingley, Central Headingley, Sat-Sun 12-13 September 2009

The usual programme is planned - ceilidh, barbecue, library events, art & craft events, music, etc - to bring the residents of Headingley together, old, young, permanent, temporary, contact 275 6652.

Rachel Harkess, Headingley Network

HEART Update

Well, we have now got underway with the HEART project, after the good news in March that the council would agree to transfer the building to us. There is a lot to do, of course, and we haven’t delayed in appointing architects and other professionals to advise us on the building refurbishment. We hope to have finalised the plans soon, and then they will go to planning for approval and we can then tender for contractors to do the building work. In the meantime, there are people working on liaising with the community centre, to make sure that the transition will not inconvenience vulnerable and long-standing local users of those facilities. We have also started the process of working out what kinds of arts can take place in the building and how they will be organised. The upstairs business centre will be starting to take (virtual) shape soon too, and we will be looking for people who want to be members and start their own businesses. Finally, we are beginning to decide who will run the café. Anyone who is interested in helping with these strands of work, please contact us. We hope to share more news with you soon, and will make plans available as soon as they are finalised, for members to see.

Lesley Jeffries, Chair, HEART

( info@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk or 0791 206 8300)

Union Community Representatives for LUU & LMUSU!

Since September 2008 the two Union Community Rep schemes at Leeds University Union and Leeds Met Students’ Union have run in parallel, keeping in touch and working together. Both are relatively new, but the schemes grow from strength to strength. New Reps are being recruited over the summer so that they can begin in September. Their role is to help the Unions in their commitment to supporting and representing students in the community. As well as identifying and feeding back issues affecting students’ lives in Leeds, the Reps will strive to improve communication and understanding between students and more permanent residents by active involvement in local groups, committees and projects. The two student unions are also working together on Leave Leeds Tidy, its aim is to reduce the impact of the student changeover on the local community, while reducing the amount of useful items going to landfill. For more information please visit www.leaveleedstidy.com.

Rose Hampton, Leeds University Union, and

Andrew Morwood, Leeds Metropolitan University Students’ Union

Neighbourhood News

Inner NW Area Committee Meetings open to the public, all at 7pm, on Thursdays 2 July and 17 September, venues tba.

Café Scientifique = Monday 6 July, Glyn Wainwright, ‘ Stable Plaques – Unstable Membranes’ At 7.45-9.30pm, New Headingley Club, 56 St. Michael’s Road, admission £2. Hosted by HDT. For details and mailing list, contact ann.clarke17@yahoo.co.uk

= Café Scientifique is then taking a break over the summer, and will resume in October.

Little Woodhouse Community Forum 7pm Tuesday 7 July 2009, Civic Hall, Chair: Councillor Penny Ewens, main item is Housing in Little Woodhouse

Kirkstall Festival 11.00-5.30, Saturday 11 July, at Kirkstall Abbey

Farmers’ Market is at 9.00-12.30 on the second Saturday of each month, 11 July, 8 August and 12 September , in the Rose Garden, North Lane (opposite the Community Centre). Organic vegetables, smoothies, cheese, bread, free-range eggs, baked goods, jams, honey, fish, meat (farm reared and organic). All these are local and sold by the producer. Also, guest stalls every month.

Cardigan Triangle Big Lunchstreet party Sunday, 19 July, more info at www.headingley.org/triangle

Woodhouse Ridge Action Group (WRAG) Action Days, 10.00-2.00, on Sunday 26 July and Sunday 27 September, meet at Ridge Terrace. For further information, see the WRAG website www.woodhouseridge.org.uk

Unity Day Saturday 1 August, on Woodhouse Moor

Celebrate Headingley Weekend of 12-13 September, in Central Headingley

Planning Problems? Just ask Jade! For advice, contact Jade Corcoran, Community Planning Officer, on 247 8027 or at jade.corcoran@leeds.gov.uk

Buying or Selling in Headingley? To find a family buyer, g o to HeadingleyHomes! Ring Manning Stainton in Headingley on 274 8646.

Contact Headway by email at hmolobby@hotmail.com. To join your local association, for Headingley Network (central Headingley) contact Lesley Jeffries (tel: 274 1011), for South Headingley contact Sue Buckle (tel: 278 2296), for North Hyde Park contact Martin Staniforth (tel: 274 7837) , for Far Headingley contact Donald Hood (tel: 275 5575), for Kirkstall contact John Liversedge (tel: 278 5987), for Moor Parks contact Kate Henshall (tel: 274 1550), for Cardigan Triangle contact Peter Spafford (tel: 275 4199), for Turnways contact Lee Davidson ( turnways@headingley.org ).

Keep up-to-date by checking the Headingley Community website at www.headingley.org. Anyone can post content on the website once they have registered and got a password. Internet access is provided free at Headingley Library, where help is available if needed.

Headway is also available online at www.headingley.org/headway

Headway is published by Leeds HMO Lobby, c/o Cardigan Centre, 145 Cardigan Road, Leeds LS6 1LJ, website www.hmolobby.org.uk/leeds,

it is supported by the North West (Inner) Area Committee, covering Headingley, Hyde Park & Woodhouse, Kirkstall and Weetwood,

and it is printed on recycled paper by Edwin Harmer, 67a Raglan Road, Leeds LS2 9DZ, website www.harmerprint.co.uk

The next issue of Headway is due to be published in October.