Grange Moor Community Association
Grange Moor Matters
LATEST NEWS FROM AROUND THE VILLAGE
JUNE 2024
GENERAL ELECTION – THURSDAY 4 JULY
You will probably, by now, be aware that there will be a general election on Thursday 4 July, so don’t forget that if you voting in person, you will need photo ID with you or you will not be allowed to cast your vote
This election will see Grange Moor in a newly created Parliamentary Continuance, Dewsbury & Batley, and also means that we will be getting a new Member of Parliament as the MP elected for us at the last election, Mark Eastwood, is standing for re-election, but in another newly created constituency, Denby Dale & Ossett.
This newly created constituency sees much of urban Dewsbury and Batley brought into the new constituency with our village at the southernmost tip, geographically. With the majority of the voters being located in the two main urban areas, smaller rural areas such as Grange Moor will have to wait and see just who our new MP will be and how much time will be available for us and our needs
Our newly created constituency, Dewsbury & Batley has 6 candidates standing for election, in case you are not already aware
Simon Cope - Green
Heather Iqbal -Labour
Iqbal Hussain Muhammed – Independent
Jonathan Thackery – Reform Party
John Edward Rossington – Liberal democrat
Lalit Suryawanshi – conservative
GRANGE MOOR MINIATURE MEMORIAL PARK
MINIATURE PARK OPENING EVENT – SUNDAY 23 JUNE - We are looking forward to seeing you at the Miniature Memorial Park Opening Event on Sunday (23 June), with Kirklees Councillor Bill Armer and Parish Councillor Marjorie Wheelhouse making the formal opening of this refurbished local amenity.
We will be serving free refreshments, prosecco and strawberries, and want say a huge thank you to all the local businesses who have donated bottles of prosecco for this event.
And for once the weather is looking okay for and outdoor event in Grange Moor!
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE
MEMORIAL STONES - We spotted a post on Face Book suggesting that we might like to take up an idea of placing painted memorial stones around the Park. We had a look at this at the Community Association April Meeting and I am really pleased to let you know that we thought this was a good idea and will be taking this up over the summer. Please look out for further information on how we are going to do this, and if you are interested in providing a memory stone, please let us know.
If you are going on holiday this year and will be on beach why not pick up one or two pebbles and bring them back as a “memory” of your holiday as well ?
MEMORIAL WALL – Unfortunately we are experiencing difficulty in sourcing the right piece of stone for this, hence the delay in setting this up. We are being helped out by a local quarry, but have not yet been able to find the right size and shape of stone for this memorial wall. Sorry for the delay, and we hope to bring you some more positive news shortly
This will be placed on your left as you enter the park by the two benches there
Residents will be able to have a plaque remembering a loved one, cost will be approximately £35 for a 130 x 75 mm (5” x 3”)
Please get in touch if you would like to place a plaque on the Memorial Wall, contact details at the end of this e-mail
WILDLIFE GARDEN – We now have plans in place to create the Wild Life Garden behind the fence in the Miniature Memorial Park. Offers of help to complete this will be appreciated, thanks to those residents who have already offered their help. We hope to be moving forward with this in the near future
1ST WHITLEY SCOUTS – NEW TIMES BELOW GONG FORWARD
Beavers and cubs: 6.30-7.45pm
Scouts: 7.45-9pm
KIRKBURTON MOBILE POST OFFICE
The Mobile Post Office Van will continue to visit Grange Moor every Wednesday morning between 11.00 to 12.00
Please continue to support this, a wide range of post office facilities are available from the friendly and helpful staff who come with the van. We are told that Grange Moor is one of the busiest locations for their Tuesday and Wednesday visits
There will be the odd occasions when for reasons outside of our control the van will not be able to come into the village. If we become aware of any such occasions we will try and let you know
BEDFORD AVENUE SHOP
As we have already reported, the Council have now decided to change the shop premises to living accommodation as there was no interest received for re-opening a retail unit in this location
We are waiting for the submission of plans for this
OUR GREAT LOCAL PUBS AND RESTUARANTS – NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
The hospitality sector has suffered a big downturn in business since Covid with fewer people eating and drinking out (the need to regularly empty the recycling bins in the village being an example of the latter!) and the local pubs and restaurants are not exempt from this trend.
Please support our local pubs and restaurants and help to keep them going, more and more pubs are closing down, so please think about visiting one or more of our locals, USE THEM OR LOOSE THEM!
ST BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH
St Bartholomew's Church on Liley Lane supports a food bank in Dalton. Members of the church bring tinned and other non-perishable food items, as well as toiletries like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, nappies and sanitary products, and we put them in an orange basket in church. When the basket is full, we take it to the food bank at the Greenfields Centre in Dalton. If you would like to contribute to the Greenfields Centre foodbank, you can take your items directly there (they are on Dalton Green Lane, just opposite the junction of Dalton Green Lane and Cross Green Road); their phone number is 01484 300970. Alternatively, you can bring your items to St Bartholomew's between 10am and 10.20am, or between 11.45am and 12 noon, every Sunday, and the Church will ensure that your gifts get to the food bank. Thank you.
MIDDLESWTOWN MEDICAL CENTRE
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
The Patient Participation Group (PPG) at Middlestown Medical Centre is Meeting again and is active in surgery life at Middlestown Medical Centre
The PPG is the representative voice for patients at the Surgery and works closely with the Practice and other surgeries in Wakefield NHS to look after the interests of patients. I, Brian Coleman, am Vice Chair of the Group and am aware that the surgery has a large number of residents in Grange Moor registered as patients at Middlestown. If anyone has any issues concerning the Practice that they would like raising with the PPG please get in touch with me using my bdc01@btinternet.com
e-mail address, telephone numbers the same as shown for the Community Association. (Brian Coleman)
The Practice now has a new web site up and running, do go and visit it and find out more about the Practice
The NHS app has now been updated and is available for you, go to your App Store and download and see for yourself
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Thank you for your support for our events and activities, we have more planned for the rest of the year, full details will appear on our monthly Events and Activities update
Coffee @ The Pavilion – come and join us on the third Wednesday of the month for coffee, conversation and company. Each month we have an invited guest joining us to share in our conversations and provide information and insight on a variety of topics, see our Events and Activities updates for more information.
The May Coffee @ The Pavilion saw a new face joining us, Ian Stevenson from the Huddersfield & District Family History Society with a fascinating insight to Family History which was enjoyed by the residents who joined us for this
The June Coffee @ The Pavilion saw our annual fun day with a chance to try your hand at Crown Green Bowling, expert guidance available, but this will have taken place when you read this, sorry if you missed this
The July Coffee @ The Pavilion sees another new face joining us when Laurance Rose joins us. For more information about this, see our Events and Activities update which will follow in a few days’ time
COMMUNITY FISH & CHIPS, our latest delivery was on Thursday 6 June when we delivered 55 meals in 26 home deliveries, bringing the total number of meals delivered, since we started in June 2020 to 1,854 in 738 home deliveries!
Our next delivery is planned for Thursday 25 July and we will open for requests and nominations on Monday 8 July, more details in our Events and activities update
If anyone would like to make a donation to help support this fabulous project, please do get in touch. Our costs increased during 2023 and are likely to increase further over the coming year, so any help we can get to maintain these deliveries will be much appreciated
Grateful thanks to everyone who has donated in the past, your help is much appreciated
We are also really proud that this service appears to be unique to our village, as we are aware no other Community Group is providing “Community Fish & Chips”!
The RESIDENTS LUNCH CLUB – The Resident’s Lunch Club are now looking forward to our next meal in June when we will be visiting Garda Italian Restaurant for an early evening meal (5.30pm) on Wednesday 26 June. Bookings for this meal will have closed when you read this and thank you to everyone who has booked, look forward to seeing you next week.
Missed out? Why not sign up as Lunch club Member and receive advance notice of our plans and have priority booking for each meal
We have further Lunch Club meals planned
September – Afternoon Tea in The Church Hall
December – Christmas Lunch at The Kaye Arms
More detailed information in our Events and Activities update which will follow in a few days’ time
The Grange Moor Residents Lunch Club is primarily aimed at bringing residents, who are regularly around the village during the week, together over a shared meal as part of our programme of bringing people together
LOCAL HISTORY TALK – MONDAY 15 JULY
Local Historian John Lyte will be back with us for another presentation on Monday 15 July
John has already exhausted the information he has on Grange Moor, so this year his presentation will be the story of the house that he and his family bought in Briestfield with an insight into the history of it’s occupants and a look at social history over the life and times of the property
We would love to bring you another local history presentation covering Grange Moor, so if you and your family have pictures and memories of times past, please get in touch so that we maybe can look forward to another local history talk, perhaps in 2025!
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MEETINGS – Meetings are usually on the first Tuesday of the month in The Bowling Club Pavilion at 7.30 pm, but in April we changed to the First Monday in the month for the Bowling Club Season. Except in April and May when both these dates fell on a Bank Holiday and we met on the Second Monday in these months. Please see more detailed information in the Events and Activities update during the spring and summer months
Our next Meeting will be on Monday 1 July
LITTER & FLY TIPPING
We are aware of concerns of litter left around the village raised on the Community Face Book, although we have not received any direct concerns over this.
We want to thank individual residents who are helping to keep our streets clear of litter and would ask residents not to drop any litter, please take your litter home and put it in your own bin and help to keep our streets clean and free of litter
LET’S KEEP GRANGE MOOR CLEAN AND TIDY
We finished 2023 with just 8 reported incidents of fly tipping in and around the village, a big fall on the 2022 figures, and with a sense of relief that we had been spared a little last year
2024 has, however, already brought a number of fly tipping incidents, mainly in the fly tippers favourite spot, the lay bys on Wakefield Road
We have now had 5 reports this year, in less than three months, but things seem to have quietened since the early part of the year
It appears that we will not be getting much help from the Council in prevention of these incidents in Grange Moor. We apparently “have relatively little problem” when compared to other areas of Kirklees and with reductions in staff and resources across Kirklees Council there are fewer staff to deal with this ever-increasing problem! Please, however, keep reporting these incidents so that we can at least try and get them cleared up as quickly as we can
PLEASE KEEP REPORTING ANY INCIDENTS OF FLY TIPPING THAT YOU SEE AROUND THE VILLAGE
BUS SERVICES TO MIDDLESTOWN
The service operated by South Pennine Community Transport has now been running for getting on for 2 years and as far as we are aware is providing the useful link to Middletown for the Doctors there, Horticentre and The Mining Museum
We have not had copies of the printed timetable from the bus company but have some printed copies extracted from their web site, if anyone would like a copy please get in touch
We will be really pleased to hear from any of you using this service of your experience, please get in touch
DENBY DALE CENTRE / TIMETOGETHER
A reminder to visit their web site (www.ddc.org.uk) and see what services are available, and what help and support may be there for you, or someone you may know
Please also remember that, the Transport Service offered by TIMEtogether is available to those of you who may need help with transport to reach appointments or go shopping, visit their web site for more information about this or ring them on 01484 860077
If anyone out there is able to offer their service as a Volunteer Driver for their Transport Service, please get in touch with them, they are looking for volunteers in our area to provide this service for our residents and those who live nearby. We understand from them that they have received some offers of help from local residents, so a big thank you to them
TIMEtogether is the operating name of The Denby Dale Centre to reflect the expansion of its activities to much of Kirklees and well beyond the original base area of Denby Dale.
BOOK BOXES on Ben Booth Lane
Thank you to everyone who has used and supported this, we will continue whilst there is demand and support from you, the Residents of Grange Moor. Please leave any books you wish to add to our collection in a plastic carrier bag by the boxes or against the gate at 2B Ben Booth Lane. In 2023 we received 109 bags of books, contents vary from just a couple of books to as many as 10 or 15 books, thanks to all concerned for their support. So far this year we have received 56 bags of books
The Book Boxes have now completed 4 years, a really great achievement when you consider that this has been only been made possible by you the residents of Grange Moor (and we know there are some from further afield who also come and join in with this!) who keep on bringing new books and returning books that have been read. Many thanks for this
We had a very unusual incident on the morning of 21 May, when 1 box, and the contents of two other boxes, disappeared between 09.30 and 10.00am. The missing box and books then re-appeared at around 10.30 am, and a white van was spotted by the boxes at the same time. The driver had “mistakenly” thought the books and 1 box(?) were free to be taken away, he apologized for his “mistake”! He obviously had not read the note attached to the box he took which read PLEASE NOT REMOVE THESE BOXES.
A big thank you to the residents who spotted the van driver and “persuaded” him to return the books which he duly did.
We have found that the books you mainly want to read are crime and historical novels, romance novels, children’s books and hard back novels, so please keep bringing them coming in. We are getting low on children’s books, if you could bear this in mind when clearing out your children’s book this will be much appreciated
In the last 4 years we have had one box taken by a Charity Collection, YES the box and all the books in the box were taken! Another was smashed into tiny pieces by a delivery van and the lids of several have now suffered from the weather and shattered and have had to be replaced
Consequently, we do not put the boxes out when a charity collection or bad weather is expected, and sadly we have had plenty of bad weather last winter, so sorry if anyone was disappointed by their absence on some days. With summer now with us, we can, perhaps be hopeful for better weather although there will be some times when the books are on holiday, taking a well earned rest from visiting some many homes to be read and returned
The boxes will stay out for the hours of day light and will now be staying out later in the evening each week for the summer
FACE BOOK AND WEB SITE
Our own Face Book, and web site now carries information about all our events and activities, and other issues affecting the village together with Public Service Information, so please pay a visit and let us know what you think
You can also message us with information with your concerns about issues affecting our village through our Face Book page and also the web site, as well by e-mail
NEW RESIDENTS
We continue to welcome new residents into the village,
With house sales now slowing down and fewer houses up for sale there are fewer new residents
moving in , please let us know when someone new moves in next door
We have prepared a welcome pack to help new residents settle into the village, and can deliver this to them. One of the things we do is offer an invite to take part in the next Community Fish & Chip delivery as a welcome to our village)
ANTI -SOCIAL BEHEAVOUR
We have not received any further reports this month
KIRKLEES COUNCIL
KIRKLEES COUNCIL CUT BACKS AND REDUCTION OF SERVICES
We are now starting to see changes in the levels of service that the Council is able to provide, and expect this to be norm for this year and the coming years.
FLOODING – The heavy downpour on Tuesday evening this week again highlighted the two main trouble spots with reports on Face Book mentioning both Ben Booth Lane and Denby Lane being badly affected. The video showing the flowing water on Denby Lane again highlighting the problems with this particular spot.
POT HOLES - Councillor Bill Armer has provided an update on reporting pot holes and reminds residents they should initially follow the approved route, that is to go the website
(https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/transport-roads-and-parking/report-a-pothole.aspx) and fill in and if nothing has been done within 28 days people should contact me with any reference number they have been given, the best location they can give (in this example, perhaps "outside house No ** Bedford Avenue" or "adjacent lamppost No ** Bedford Avenue") and the date reported.
the form there. Best I can do is repeat that advice, but add that if nothing has been done within 28 days people should contact me with any reference number they have been given, the best location they can give (in this example, perhaps "outside house No ** Bedford Avenue" or "adjacent lamppost No ** Bedford Avenue") and the date reported.
We have no further news on this
GRASS CUTTING – We now understand that grass cutting will now be done less frequently, and from the comments that have appeared on the Community Face Book the standard of the work actually being done leaves much to be desired.
Update from councillor Bill Armer (3 June )
I have been asking about grass cutting around the area all last week. Shelley seems to be particularly badly hit, but as I drive around the ward, most of the grass verges are badly overgrown. Certainly not just a Grange Moor issue. Last information I had (this morning, about Shelley Rec.) was that Parks (who also cut verges) are behind schedule but trying to catch up. Where grass has been cut, it looks to have been done with a knife and fork. Terrible finish.
We have also reported on the concerns over the cutting back of the verge at the junction of Ben Booth Lane and Wakefield Road was finally done and the sight lines for exiting Ben Booth Lane are clear and safe again
PLAY AREA CONSULTATION – The Council have now published their long-awaited consultation on the Play areas in the village, information has been circulated to you. Similar information has appeared on face Book, so everyone should now be aware of the proposals. If you have not already submitted your views on this please do so, this is your chance to have a say on what you would like to see happen with the play areas!
THE DEADLINE FOR THIS CONSULTATION IS FAST APPROACHING (SUNDAY EVENING) SO IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY MADE YOUR COMMENTS YOU HAVE ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT TO DO SO
TREE CUTTING – nothing further to report this month
DOG POO – We want to thank the vast majority of dog owners who clean up after their beloved pets, sadly there remain a few who have no regard for the community in which they live and fail to do the same thing. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO CLEAR UP AFTER YOUR DOG HAS DONE HIS BUSINESS
SPEEDING ON LILEY LANE & BRIESTFIELD ROAD - We have heard no further reports of any incidents on Liley Lane or Briestfield Road
Please let us know of any experience you have of using this road
SID – SID IS BACK! Re-appeared on Briestfield Road on Thursday 9 May
VEHICLE MEETS ON JUBILEE WAY – No reports of any further activity recently
LILEY LANE TRAFFIC NEWS –
CARERS COUNT - We have an updated “Keep Connected” with more information about Carers Count, copies available on request as too big to include here
GRAMEEN SPICE CAR PARK & RE-CYCLING BINS
The bins remain on the forecourt of the Grameen Spice building, on the of the pavement and road side, it is even more important now that glass is not left if the bins are full, as glass left on the ground will now be regarded as fly tipping. It is a busy corner and used by lots of people, including dog walkers so please help to keep this clear of glass
PLEASE BE PATIENT IF THE BINS ARE FULL AND DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BAGS WITH BOTTLES, come back later, contractors usually come along quickly and empty the bins.
The contractors have put a note on each bin that if one bin is full you can use one of the other bins that are not full
Please ring the contractors, 01226 727298, if the bins are full and need emptying. DO NOT WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT! They usually do respond quite quickly and empty the bins
NEWSLETTER
Our next Newsletter is due out at the end of August and If you would like to include information about an event or activity happening in September, October or November please let us details by the end of July
We want to say a BIG THANK YOU to our team of volunteers, for helping us to get the Newsletter to you, and will be really pleased to hear from anyone else out there who would like to help. The more helpers we have the easier it will be to make deliveries with shorter rounds. Thanks to those of you who have already offered help.
We currently deliver to 438 homes in the village, as well through other village organisations, shops and pubs, and some by e-mail
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
The Council are making changes to their planning application process, the following appeared in the Council weekly News recently, we are repeating this from last month to remind residents of the changes that are coming
GRAMEEN SPICE – no further news has come to hand about this long outstanding case
DENBY LANE PLANNING APPLICATION – YORKSHIRE COUNTRY PROPERTIES
Thanks to those of you who posted comments on the Council Planning Web Site.
We are waiting for further news on this planning application as further discussions are taking place after Meetings between the Planners and the developers, and we are waiting for further news on this
NEW PLANNING APPLICATIONS
There have been no further new planning application posted on the Council Web Site this month
You can visit the Kirklees Council Web Site, Planning Applications for more information on planning applications
WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE
The West Yorkshire Police team covering Grange Moor are part of the Dearne Valley Rural Policy Team
There have been changes in the Police Officers covering us in Grange Moor
PC Newsome is now the local wildlife police officer full time
PC Emilie Curry is now our Ward PC Manager, I am currently awaiting contact details and will include these when available
Please continue to use the 101-telephone number, this can be a little difficult, so you are advised to use the on-line reporting form at westyorkshirepolice.uk which (we are told) will be dealt with quicker than the telephone service. There is also “live chat” available from the web site, this is manned is 24 hours a day. (PC Caroline Newsome 20 July 2022)
How to Contact us
E-mail us gramoorca@btinternet.com
Via the web site
Community Association Face Book
If you want to leave a written note, please use the post box on the gate at 2B Ben Booth Lane
Or
Ring Brian on 0793 539 0673 or 01924 840731
Community Association Meeting are usually held on the first Tuesday of each month in the Bowling Club Pavilion at 7.30 pm, except during the summer months when Meetings will be held on the first Monday of each month, more information on 2024 dates will be found in Events and Activities updates each month and on our web site. Please check these dates as they may be changed when circumstances beyond our control arise
The next Community Association Meeting will be on MONDAY 1 JULY 2024 in the Bowling Club Pavilion at 7.30 pm
All residents and business in Grange Moor are welcome, do come along and join us
Take care and stay safe