LCC Elections 2019

Understand why your vote is so important again this year!

With a council leadership that is willing to destroy Woodlesford and surrounding areas with HS2 and NPR, this is our chance to hit them where it hurts and force them to reconsider their actions. Read on to understand how LCC has actively brought about the proposed devastation of LS25 and LS26 to fuel their own vanity project in the South Bank area of Leeds.

We invited all election candidates for our area to provide a written statement with respect to their position on HS2 Ltd’s proposed route through Swillington, Woodlesford, Oulton and neighbouring areas. Before you consider their views, continue reading to understand what’s happened and what you can do about it.

How LCC Sacrificed LS26

In January 2013, HS2 Ltd announced plans to build HS2 through our area. It transpired that they had shortlisted two routes prior to publication, one aligned with the existing Leeds station with trains arriving from the west (via White Rose), the other arriving at a terminus on the South Bank with trains via Woodlesford. With the costs and complexity of the two options being much the same, HS2 favoured the first which impacted less homes and had the potential for through services to the North.

LCC, however, expressed a determined preference for the station to be located on the South Bank in Leeds, which dictated the route and directly resulted in the massive blight in the LS25 and LS26 areas of Oulton, Woodlesford, Swillington and Garforth. Leeds Chamber of Commerce, Leeds Civic Trust and other local councils opposed this view but were eventually pressured into agreement by the Labour led executive.

Despite many platitudes from LCC’s leadership, the route remains, the blight has increased, compensation is woefully inadequate and residents are massively out of pocket financially. What’s more, if that weren’t enough, in collaboration with Northern Powerhouse Rail there are now plans to introduce more blight to our area with additional tracks (and even more trains) to connect HS2 with the existing station in Leeds to allow through services… that could have been achieved with the original HS2 option, and NO disruption to our area.

LCC were recently asked by our LibDem Councillors to investigate the impact on our area, to justify the devastation and prove the economic benefit. This formal motion, which had the full support of our local Councillors in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Swillington and Garforth, was voted down by the Labour whipped Councillors at the full Council meeting. LCC know that they can’t justify the impact, and indeed that they can’t justify HS2 by any route.

What You Can Do

This election is your opportunity to fight back. Support those that have spoken out against LCC’s leadership with regard to HS2’s impact on our area.  We need to empower those that may be able to improve our future.  Remember that nationally the Conservative, LibDem and Labour parties all voted for HS2. Locally there is opposition from all, however, our Labour led council have much to answer for and have achieved little, if anything, for us. In reality they are actively working against our best interests, placing no value on our area. It’s all about their South Bank project, at any cost. The recent vote demonstrates that they really don’t care about us.

Have Your Say

Views received by SOWHAT from local residents that make some excellent points:

As far as I can remember Stewart Golton has always voted against HS2. Alec Shelbrooke opposed the chosen route through Oulton, Woodlesford and Swillington and did suggest alternative routes. The Labour MPs and Councillors did not want to risk Leeds being left off the eastern route and did bugger all to help us.

If additional connecting links and supporting facilities are now required to facilitate east/west connections and if these will result in additional costs and increase the impact on communities and the environment, then I would suggest that the whole route to and through Leeds should be reviewed. Leeds City Councillors should now not be worried that Leeds will be by-passed and support a full review or risk not being voted in in the affected areas.

The envisaged effect on the South Bank that the current proposed location for the new station (i.e. the “T” junction with the existing station) provides, would not be reduced if the new station was re-aligned parallel with the existing. The “T” junction does little if anything to help the redevelopment of the South Bank.

There is no reason now why the less damaging and less costly route via White Rose cannot be resurrected and re-costed. It was after all the route supported by everyone but the Council.

The LCC Local Election will take place on Thursday 2 May 2019 – make your vote count!

 

Candidates’ Statements

The responses received from candidates can be found below. Some responses are still awaited – candidates should send their submission to us as soon as possible.

 

Liberal Democrat candidates
Diane Chapman – Rothwell Ward
Mitchell Galdas – Garforth & Swillington Ward
Conrad Hart-Brooke – Kippax & Methley Ward

Elmet & Rothwell Liberal Democrat candidates oppose HS2 Ltd and its route through the constituency. LibDem councillors in Rothwell ward have campaigned against HS2 since the plans were first announced and it soon became apparent that HS2 was not fit for purpose, or accountable to, fully compensating and caring for the communities it affected.

The local MP, and both the Labour administration and the Conservative Opposition groups both support HS2 coming to Leeds. Recognising this, and the publication of HS2’s draft environmental statement, last month Rothwell LibDem councillors proposed a white paper at Leeds Civic Hall (read here) which sought to achieve all party agreement that if those in charge want HS2, they should recognise the huge environmental impact for our area, and not leave it up to HS2 to decide what mitigation they wanted to implement as a result.

The Tory group amended the motion to make it more positive about HS2, then the Labour Group deleted and replaced it with a motion that attempted to blame HS2 on the LibDems, and asked the Council to do nothing (read here) Very disappointing that those in charge ignore the real community need and just sought party advantage.

Conservative candidates
Joe Boycott – Rothwell Ward
Linda Richards – Garforth & Swillington Ward
James Egan – Kippax & Methley Ward

We are standing for election to Leeds City Council because we believe the current Labour administration has let down our area in many ways, not least with their false promises over HS2. We work closely with our MP, Alec Shelbrooke, who has worked with the local community for over five years in order to put forward alternative routes; make the case for better compensation; and to raise key issues that are wrong with the project. Together with the local action group there have been some successes, but also some disappointing outcomes – one such outcome was that Labour-run Leeds Council actively lobbied HS2 for the current proposed configuration of the HS2 station in Leeds, which in turn scuppered plans to re-route the rail line away from Woodlesford, Swillington and Oulton and onto existing transport corridors.

We are aware that our MP has written to the Labour Chair of the Transport Select Committee asking for any investigation into HS2 to include the role of Leeds Council in deciding the fatal configuration of the proposed HS2 station. Moreover, we note that Labour Councillors in Leeds, including the councillors for our areas, voted against a motion calling for a review of the HS2 route and the role of the Council in exacerbating the impact on our parts of Leeds.

Garforth and Swillington Independents
Suzanne Jane McCormack – Garforth & Swillington Ward

Economically and socially HS2 simply doesn’t stack up. 600 million pounds have now been spent before a single foot of track has been laid with still no word or significant progress from the company as to how to address the engineering issues and blight the scheme has inflicted on many communities, including those in our ward.

Furthermore the complete and abject capitulation by the ruling Labour Group in Leeds in order to obtain promised, still spurious and unspecified regeneration in S Leeds is an utter betrayal of the people they we elected to represent.

If devolution means anything, place the money into the North to address our real and urgent transport issues. Better connectivity, track and rolling stock so needed for commuters and industry in our region.

Labour Party
Karen Bruce – Rothwell Ward

A huge issue for my constituents is HS2. I am opposed to HS2 which is why in January I called for a parliamentary select committee inquiry into HS2. My idea has now been backed by other political parties and at the last council meeting I spoke about the devastation HS2 is causing in Woodlesford and Oulton. I demanded action to address the concerns of local people. Thanks to my idea the council passed a motion calling for an inquiry. The Liberal Democrats’ motion was for local council tax payers here to pay for a report that HS2 and the government should pay for and commission.

The Green Party
Ali Aliremzioglu – Rothwell Ward
Dylan Brown – Kippax & Methley Ward

The Green Party opposes the building of HS2 entirely, unlike Labour and the Conservatives. Local Greens have been active in opposing HS2 plans to build a long, high viaduct across Methley and Woodlesford. This proposal will completely change the local landscape and will destroy green space used for leisure activities in those communities. Also, the construction works for it will cause local residents considerable misery for several years.

The For Britain Movement
Michael Edward Bolton – Garforth & Swillington Ward

The For Britain Movement is categorically opposed to H2S as it is a white elephant that will cause disruption to communities along the proposed route and have an enormous impact on the environment. It would be better to upgrade the existing rail network to make it more efficient and cost effective for commuters. I believe that H2S would only subtract minutes from any journeys so it is a complete waste of public money. Enough has been wasted on the ‘project’ which could have been put to better use elsewhere.

The ‘public consultation’ such as it is, is smoke and mirrors designed to give the impression that peoples’ concerns are being addressed. It is a paper exercise (£££££) and will in the long run be ignored.