I attended a recent planning meeting with residents and our local Action Group to oppose the Lindley Moor planning application to build on our Green Fields. I have always worked with residents and groups to oppose any building on Lindley Moor.

A Conservative Councillor abstained in a crucial vote on the Lindley Moor planning application which meant the proposal to build on our Green Fields went through. All Lib Dem Councillors on the planning committee voted against the application.

Had enough of the overdevelopment of our area? Have your say here: http://signme.org.uk/929

The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice has added Lindley Community Group to its Celebration Wall as a thank you for the £1000 donation it made following last year’s Lindley 10K and Fun Run and in recognition of the £100’s donated to the Hospice by participants in the charity running events.

Pictured at the celebration wall (picture left to right) are Cllr Cahal Burke (Chair of Lindley Community Group) Gaynor Bearder (Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice), Jane Potter (Lindley Community Group) and Martyn Cooper-Jones (Lindley Community Group).

People who want to support the work of the Hospice can pay to have a block engraved with something memorable or special from their lives. People can find out more here: http://www.forgetmenotchild.co.uk/wall-of-celebration

Lindley 10K and Fun Run is happening again this summer on Sunday 29th June 2014. People wanting to take part should visit www.lindley10k.org.uk. This year the official Charity is Whizz-kids which provides disabled children and young people with vital mobility equipment, opportunities and training but people can raise money for any cause they would like to choose.

Cllr Cahal Burke, Chair of Lindley Community Group which organises Lindley 10K and Fun Run and Lindley Carnival said:

“It’s a real honour for Lindley Community Group’s name to be on the Hospice’s Celebration Wall. The 10K and Fun Run organisers were delighted to be able to donate over a thousand pounds to support the Hospice’s work which is so important to many local children and their families. If people are looking for an interesting way to support the Hospice, they should consider paying for a block in the Hospice’s Celebration Wall – it’s a good way to lend support to a fantastic organisation.” — with Jane Potter and Martyn Cooper-Jones at Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

Residents’ complaints about the state of Greenfield Avenue in Oakes have resulted in £55K to tackle its worst stretches.

Cllr Cahal Burke (Lib Dem, Lindley) had been contacted by numerous families about the state of Greenfield Avenue over the past 12 months and subsequently agreed to put forward the road’s case for investment and repair on their behalf.

Following protracted negotiations with the council and other councillors, Cllr Burke secured the £55K needed to improve the worst sections of road and pavements early in the New Year.

Officers have now confirmed that workers will be on site in early May to resurface the highways and footpaths on the section of Greenfield Avenue running from its junction with Hollyfield Avenue past Tanyard Ave and into the cul-de-sac. The majority of the curbs and channels will also be replaced.

Works were originally due to start in April but have been subject to a slight delay.

Cllr Burke (Lindley, Lib Dem) said:

“Ideally I’d like to have had all of Greenfield Avenue resurfaced – along with a number of other roads – but this is the most I can get the council to do at the moment. Not many roads are getting resurfaced currently so we’re quite fortunate to secure this funding. Hopefully we can look at getting more of the roads and pavements in this area of Oakes and across the ward improved in the near future. I’d like to thank all the residents for getting in touch and setting out their case, it helped me to convince the council and other councillors that the work needed to be done. I am fully committed to working to improve all the roads in our area.”

Lindley Junior, Lindley Infants, Moorlands Primary, Reinwood Infants and Reinwood Juniors.

I am continuing my work with our schools, Lindley Neighbourhood Policing Team Officers, PCSOs, Traffic Wardens and the Council’s Mobile CCTV Unit to make the roads around our schools safer.

This is only the start, there is a lot more to do.

http://kirkleeslibdems.org.uk/en/article/2014/778177/action-to-tackle-dangerous-drivers-outside-lindley-schools-launched

The Calderdale and Huddersfield Hospital Trust are proposing changes to A&E. One of the proposals means that HRI will LOSE its specialist A&E.

I am campaigning with Lib Dem colleagues to keep specialist Accident & Emergency services at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

I believe it is vital that the HRI keeps its full A&E.

Sign the petition now now to keep A&E at the HRI.

http://signme.org.uk/939

-Will fight re-election campaign on record of local action and achievement.

Lindley Liberal Democrats have selected current Councillor Cahal Burke to fight to retain the Lindley Ward seat for the party at the May 2014 Local Elections.

Cllr Burke, who was elected to the council four years ago, received the unanimous backing of Lindley Ward members in recognition of his outstanding work in the Lindley Ward area during his term in office.

Formally a special educational needs teacher at a secondary School, Cllr Burke left that position to focus on his ward and council work shortly after being elected in 2010.

Presently Cllr Burke is the Chair of Lindley Community Group which delivers Lindley Carnival and the Lindley 10k charity running event of which he is one of the founders. He has completed several half and full marathons during his time in office raising £1000’s for Yorkshire Cancer Research whilst also attracting £1000’s of funding to the area to pay for local improvements and projects.

He has also led several high profile campaigns helping residents tackle officials from the council and private companies on matters relating to local land development; road safety outside the local schools; permit parking charges; changes to letting arrangements at older person’s accommodation and the setting of the areas Local Development Framework.

Cllr Christine Stanfield, Kirklees and Lindley Lib Dem Member, said:

“I am delighted to support Cllr Cahal Burke as the Lib Dem candidate for the Lindley Ward in May. He has kept up our tradition of hard work and enterprise. The Carnival continues to be a great ward event and his innovation of the Lindley 10K not only challenges local runners but brings in a large donation to charity. He is dedicated and passionate and the right choice for Lindley.”

Cllr Cahal Burke

Cllr Burke lives in Lindley Ward with his wife and his two children said:

“I made the conscious decision when I got elected to leave my job as a teacher – which I loved – so I could focus my time and energy on the ward and my work as a councillor. I am really pleased with lots of things I have achieved, especially the way the Carnival has developed and the 10K but what pleases me most is that people know that I work hard for the area. That’s what I will be running by re-election campaign on, my record. The opposition might run negative campaigns but that’s because they haven’t done anything positive for the area to tell people about.”

If you want to help please get in touch now.

www.cahalburke.co.uk

Seasons, a non-profit community group based in Oakes, Lindley Ward, re-launched its Community Centre Café after carrying out renovations funded via a £2000 grant from Huddersfield Area Committee. Th…e Seasons Community Centre is based in the old caretakers building on Willwood Avenue, next to the local Reinwood Schools.

In addition to the café, which will be open to the public every Friday morning during term time, the Community Centre also offers after school clubs, educational courses for parents, meeting room and event space, “Knit n Natter” and surgeries with the local police.

Local Councillor Cahal Burke, who helped Seasons secure the renovation funding, was at the launch event. Cllr Cahal Burke (Lindley – Lib Dem) said:

“Local Community Centres like Seasons are important because they provide a place where people can access resources, learn new skills and make connections with other people living in the area. The Community Café will provide a place where local residents know they can come each week and be certain of a warm welcome and friendly chat. Social isolation is terrible problem for people of all ages and I fully support more communities starting up similar initiatives in their own areas. A thriving community centre can really make a difference to people’s lives and I fully support the work Seasons are doing in the Reinwood area, I am certain they will go from strength to strength.”See more

Over 300 parents and residents living in Mount have signed a petition asking that Kirklees Council makes Moorlands Road part of it priority gritting route.

Inclusion on the route would mean that Moorlands Road would be among the first local authority roads that are visited by council’s gritters during spells of wintry weathers.

Moorlands Road links New Hey Road and Lindley Moor Road, as well as being home to Moorlands Primary.

Cllr Cahal Burke organised the petition in response to complaints from local parents, residents and the School.

Cllr Burke (Lib Dem, Lindley) said:
“Local parents, residents and the School have made it very clear that Moorlands Road needs to be gritted as a priority. It’s a busy stretch of road, linking two other busy main roads, with houses and a school. As you can imagine, there’s lots of activity especially early and late in the day and its simply no good keeping the school open and telling parents to come when they can’t get to the door safely. We also need to make sure residents can get to work and to the shops and that their ability to do so isn’t affected vehicles stranded on the road. I have been in discussion with highways officers about Moorlands being included on the priority list and I know it’s entirely possible if Cabinet Members takes on board what they are being told by local people through the petition. It is essential that the Council changes it plans to avoid the problems we have had there in the past.”

A petition opposing the introduction of annual charges for residential parking permits in Lindley has been signed by over 500 residents.

Lib Dem Councillor Cllr Cahal Burke who organised the petition presented it to decision makers at the meeting of Kirklees Cabinet.

Cllr Burke spoke against the Labour plans on behalf of residents which he describes as “unfair” and “victimising people based on where they happen to live”.

Cllr Burke said:

“Like residents living on the roads near to Huddersfield Royal I am first and foremost against this policy. It is unfair to choose to charge some people for the ability to park outside their own homes based on where they happen to live. If the Council needs to generate income, it needs to focus its attention on others areas of enforcement such as misuse of bus lanes, fly-tipping and littering.

“If the Cabinet forces it through they should exempt roads near the HRI due to the unique situation residents find themselves in, living next to Huddersfield’s largest 24/7 , 7 day a week front line public sector service provider. In addition, all vulnerable residents across the whole of Kirklees should certainly be exempt, full stop. Forcing a charge for visitor permits on the elderly, disabled or ill would encourage social isolation and increase the risk of injury and death. It would also make the jobs of social care providers, carers and family members much harder and we, as a council, need to do all we can to support these people.”

“I am very concerned about the Cabinet’s approach to coming up with this policy. They say that they need to recoup £160k a year admin but they aren’t they looking at ways to bring that cost down so they don’t have place a burden on residents in the first place.
There are other options and the fact that they are not being considered points to a lack of creativity on behalf of the Cabinet and that it is a policy purely about brining in revenue which I am against”.

http://kirkleeslibdems.org.uk/en/petition/no-to-parking-permit-charges

Lindley 10K charity running race that took place for the first time in June 2013 has received funding to help it run again next year.

Organised by Lindley Community Group, with the support of local schools, community groups, businesses and volunteers, the inaugural race took place on Sunday 29 June 2013, the day following Lindley Carnival. The charity event saw 250 runners taking to the streets to take part in the 10k race or the shorter 2k fun run in support of their chosen charities.

The principle charity for the first Lindley 10K was the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice who received a £1000 after the event.

Following the same format as last year, in 2014 the race organisers will hold the 10k on the same weekend as Lindley Carnival with the event taking place on the Sunday.

There will again be a 10k race for the over 16s and a fun run for children under 16. The route is the same as last year and the run will take place on Sunday 29th June 2014 at 9:30am.

The 10k event will cost £5000 in total and organisers are in the process of fundraising and seeking sponsorship for the remaining £3000 needed.

Cllr Cahal Burke, Lib Dem Councillor for Lindley and Chair of Lindley Community Group said:

“Lindley 10K last year was a real success and a great addition to the Carnival weekend.

“It was backed by the public and local businesses who gave money and time to make it happen and we are really pleased to be able to do it again.

“We need to raise another £3000 to cover the costs and are already fundraising and looking for sponsors. Fortunately, some of our usual supporters have already said they will back us again but we always need more and invite anyone interested to get in touch to discuss how they can help.

Running is an inexpensive activity that can be done by all people of all ages which supports better physical and mental health. The event itself also gets the whole community out together helping us to build bridges and relationships with one another.

The Carnival and the 10K are two major local events that rely on Area Committee funding. I want to see that support maintained next year because the events themselves are great value for money returning two big local events supported by 100’s of volunteer hours, increased footfall on the high street, improved health and better community spirit all for a very small investment for the council considering what it actually gets in return.”

People who want to get involved in the 10K as an organiser, supporter or sponsor can find out more at www.facebook.com/Lindley10k

ENTER ONLINE NOW AT: http://www.runbritain.com/RaceDetail.aspx?eventid=78ba0dc85c65&raceid=7eb906cb5c66