Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Harewood Parish Council would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas.

In view of the rapidly rising cases of the new coronavirus variant Omicron, it was a sensible decision by the Village Hall Committee to cancel the traditional village pantomime.  If you bought tickets in advance please contact the treasurer, Olga Hanbury, Tel 07496 725356 or email hanbury88@btinternet.com

Let’s hope 2022 will be a better year for all.

Harewood Recreation Area

Our adult gym equipment was installed around the tennis court in early October. The Parish Council are delighted that the new facility now offers something for all Parish residents regardless of age or fitness level. You can take some gentle exercise on the Twister or go for a more energetic workout on the Spinning Cycle or Cross-Trainer, or you can play a game of tennis or simply sit on a bench and relax.

After due consideration, we have decided to close the tennis court and remove the net for storage during the winter months.  There is no lighting on the court and fewer people are playing tennis at this time of year.  The court will re-open at the beginning of April.  We would welcome feedback on this decision as this will help to inform our plans for next year. Email chair@harewoodparishcouncil.gov.uk to let us know what you think.

Maintaining the cemetery and recreation area

The Parish Council employs a contractor to cut the grass and maintain the planting in the cemetery, the memorial garden and the recreation area.  The contract is up for renewal in March 2022.  To achieve best value for money, the contract will be put out to tender. The tender document is available on the Parish Council Website (follow link Tender Document ) and is open for any landscape or gardening contractor to offer their services.

The recreation area is provided by Harewood Parish Council for the use of Parish residents.  A caretaker has been appointed for the recreation area to inspect and maintain the equipment and the tennis court, empty the rubbish and keep the play area and adult recreation facilities tidy.  A slight increase in litter being dropped around the playground and tennis court areas has been noticed particularly baby wipes and plastic bottles.  If you are using the recreation area, please put all waste in the bins provided.  Dogs are not allowed in the play area and should not be exercised on any part of the recreation area. If you are walking your dog on Malt kiln Lane, we kindly request that you take dog waste home and dispose of it in your black bin.

Please note that skate-boarding and cycling are not permitted on the tennis court as these activities will damage the painted surface.  Be vigilant and if you see any misuse of the area, or damage being caused, let us know.  Contact details for the Parish Clerk are displayed on the sign on the play area gate and on the adult gym welcome sign or you can email chair@harewoodparishcouncil.gov.uk

Local crime

Fortunately, the incidence of crime in our Parish is low. The crimes that have taken place are mainly thefts of pets and pedigree dogs but financial scams are also on the increase, both online and by telephone. Check carefully before responding to messages or alerts that appear to come from sources like banks, the Royal Mail or the NHS as scam messages can look very authentic.

Regular meetings are held in Wigton Moor United Reformed Church for members of the public to meet with local police community support officers. A Ward Councillor and Parish Councillors are usually also in attendance, so it’s a good opportunity to talk to your local representatives too.  Check our website in the New Year for an update on the date and time of meetings.

Tree works in a conservation area

Harewood village is a designated conservation area. Most people are aware that this means there are additional restrictions on planning for new building development and alterations to existing property. What is less well known is the fact that the conservation status also applies to mature trees. Any proposal to fell a tree or to reduce its height or remove large branches must be submitted for approval to the planning department of Leeds City Council before work commences.  Proposals are published on the Leeds planning web site. This gives the opportunity for any objections to be considered. All planning notices, including tree works, are routinely scrutinised by the Parish Council and any comments we make are considered along with those coming from others, particularly from neighbouring properties, before a decision is given. Fines of up to £800 can be imposed on property owners who cut down or significantly alter trees without prior permission.

Parking in Bondgate

The Parish Council chair met with Ward Councillor Matthew Robinson, a group of local residents and officers from Leeds City Council’s Highways and Housing departments, to discuss the parking situation in Harewood village.  Bondgate has several parking bays on land owned by Leeds City Council and signs have recently been erected to designate these as spaces for residents’ use only.  There are also plans to create 4 to 5 additional bays by removing part of the grassed areas.  Further measures are also being considered such as creating permit holder zones throughout the village where demand for parking is high, for example Bondgate, Spring Gardens, Church Lane and The Avenue.  This type of restriction takes longer because it requires a Traffic Regulation Order. In the meantime, we ask you to avoid parking vehicles on the pavements if you can as this can endanger pedestrians, particular the elderly or those with children, by forcing them to walk in the road.

Sharing the news

Please tell your friends and neighbours about our newsletter. They can easily subscribe on the Parish Council web site: www.harewoodparishcouncil.gov.uk or by sending an email to vicechair@harewoodparishcouncil.gov.uk

Don't forget to include your name and email address.

You are receiving this newsletter as you provided us with your email address in order to receive news and information from Harewood Parish Council.

If you wish to unsubscribe, please send an email to vicechair@harewoodparishcouncil.gov.uk and we will remove your address from our list. Please be assured we do not share your contact details with anyone and we will only send you information relevant to parish or city council business.