Wednesday 15 April 2020

Newsome Ward - E-Green News – Coronavirus special – Please share!

Normally we would be out delivering our newsletters several times a year to the 7,500 households around Huddersfield that make up the Newsome Ward. Obviously with social distancing and efforts to limit the spread of the virus mass leafleting of literature is not advised. So  we have produced an e-newslettter. Please share it widely among people you know in the Newsome Ward either by Messenger, Email, Facebook or Twitter. We want to keep in touch with as many people as possible.
If you want to be added to our newsletter mailing list please email andrew.cooper@kirklees.gov.uk with your name address and email address.
Cllr Andrew Cooper with other Party Leaders
All Kirklees Parties working together in crisis

The Coronavirus crisis means Kirklees Council is having to maintain many essential services like bin collections, adult and children’s social care,  schools for the children of key workers and vulnerable children. While many Council meetings have been suspended Kirklees Leaders from all party groups are coming together each week (virtually) with the Council’s Chief Executive on the Public Health Emergency Advisory Group to work together on addressing the crisis. Councillor Andrew Cooper as Green Party Leader is represented on the group,

“ It is inspiring to see political differences being put aside for the common good and it would be good to see this sort of positive working together  continue beyond this crisis. It’s vital that we know from local people how their day- to- day lives could be improved and problems they may be having  that we can help with and so I can feed this into these meetings.”

Coronavirus Crisis – What help do you need?   
£50’000 for Community Action

Kirklees has provided £50k for each of the Council's 23 Wards to help communities deal with issues related to the current Coronavirus Crisis.
Kirklees Green Party Leader and Newsome Ward Councillor Andrew Cooper said,
"This funding provided by the Council at this most difficult of time is very welcome. What Newsome Councillors want to do is get people to give us their ideas. The sort of ideas we are looking for are things that help morale in the community, provide support to vulnerable people  and ensure that we come out of the crisis with local businesses intact. The funding is not limitless but I'm keen to harness the power of local people to help us through this public health emergency. I and my Newsome Ward colleagues have been impressed by the willingness of people to help their neighbours in this most unprecedented of circumstances. These are the people who can see needs that may not be being met and the things that may make life a little better. "

3 month rent holiday for Kirklees Business Tenants

Kirklees Council has announced it will be giving a 3 month rent holiday to its commercial tenants.
Councillor Andrew Cooper said,
" I proposed this 3 month rent holiday to ensure small Independent businesses like retailers, pubs, cafes and restaurants survive this crisis intact. We will need them to bring life back to our town centres and I am urging other councils around the country to follow Kirklees lead".
"There is now a challenge to commercial landlords of Huddersfield town centre businesses. If councils can do what is right to protect the longer-term interests of our local economy so should you. A 3 month rent holiday for your tenants now could well ensure they are your tenants in the future."
  
Local litter-picking  

Getting out and about is limited at the moment but Cllrs Karen Allison and Sue Lee-Richards have been out around where they live litter-picking their local areas cleaning up their own neighbourhoods as part of their Government approved exercise time.
Cllr Sue Lee-Richards said,
“This is something we can all do to improve our local area. It doesn’t take long and with so many of us limited about how far we can go it makes it even more important that the places around where we live are as pleasant as possible.”
Councillors meeting virtually

Green Councillors meet regularly each week but with social distancing rules in force this has to be virtually.
Cllr Karen Allison said, “It has worked really well. We share information we have picked up about local concerns and issues, see how we can help with funding local projects and keep on top of local casework which hasn’t gone away during the Lockdown. We have had Council officers join us for meetings when we have needed them and it has gone better than I expected.”

“Please be our eyes and ears”
Green Councillors ask local people to survey their streets for issues.
Councillor Andrew Cooper has asked local people to let him know of issues and concerns on their street during the crisis
“It’s not as easy or justifiable for us to be out on the streets as much as we would like so I’m appealing to local people to let us know what issues need dealing with on their street. The sort of thing we are looking for is potholes, blocked drains, street lights that aren’t working and large accumulations of litter and fly tipping. Giving us location information e.g. which house, street light number the issue is near is vital as well as photos of the problem”.
Please send to any of your local Councillors.

Help exercising for older & younger people in their own homes

Pilates Instructor Lynne Ellis of Almondbury recently extended her classes to include those who need a more gentle form of exercise by converting her sessions to be done on a chair. This was particularly popular with older people wanting to keep active and healthy. These classes ran in Community Halls and were sponsored by Kirklees to help those with less mobility keep in shape.  The sessions had become really popular bringing the community together, tackling loneliness and improving health.
Then the Coronavirus stopped all group activity!
Newsome Green Councillor Andrew Cooper contacted Lynne and suggested using ZOOM, a video conferencing app, to keep her Pilates sessions going virtually. 

Councillor Cooper said,

“I’m so pleased Lynne’s classes are going so well and that she is able to help so many people stay active even when they are confined to their homes for much of the day. The exercise will not just make people physically healthier but mentally stronger as well by having valuable social time with friends, sharing a fun experience. Who knows I might give it a try!”
Lynne runs six sessions a week, two for those who are looking for a more gentle exercise, exercising from a chair, two for Beginners to Pilates who may wish to learn or who just want to keep toned and in shape, and 2 sessions of the more Advanced/Intermediate sessions for those who really want to work their bodies and have done Pilates/exercise in the past. Membership is just £20 a calendar month and gives access to 2 sessions per week.
For more information email Lynne - lynneel@icloud.com

Volunteer? Or need help?

The Coronavirus lockdown has seen many people in our community at their best. Local people have come forward and offered their help to the more vulnerable and elderly. It has been really inspiring. Kirklees Council has been coordinating offers of help and seeking to link those offers to the people who need it.
To volunteer of to ask for help ring the Kirklees on 01484 226919 OR follow the link below https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/advice-support-and-sharing/covid-19-community-response.aspx


Help from the Kirklees Citizen Advice Bureau

Advice from the Kirklees Citizen Advice Bureau is being delivered by staff working from home who will need to call/email clients back.
            Website www.kcalc.org.uk  direct link https://kcalc.org.uk/contact-us/  (online form)
            Telephone: 0344 848 970 – this will go through to Citizens Advice call centre who can pass details back to us. Though contacting online is the key

Specialist services:
There are full details of services on the website www.kcalc.org.uk
Services can be accessed as above and enquiries will be passed through to specialist teams as appropriate.
            Debt
            Housing (they are focusing resources on homelessness – general/other housing queries should be directed to Fusion Housing) – direct contact telephone 01924 663541
            Community Care
            Discrimination
            Asylum (ONLY – i.e. NOT other immigration advice)
            EU Settlement Scheme
            Employment – direct advice number 01924 868147

Report domestic abuse (from www.gov.uk)

Domestic abuse or violence is a crime and should be reported to the police - there are also other organisations who can offer you help and support.
Call 999 if it’s an emergency or you’re in immediate danger.
The police take domestic violence seriously and will be able to help and protect you.
Contact your local neighbourhood policing team if it’s not an emergency on 101

Other organisations who can help

Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership
0800 052 7222    https://pdap.co.uk/
Kirklees & Calderdale Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre
01484 450040    https://www.kcrasac.co.uk/
Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge
0808 200 0247                 www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Galop (for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people)
0800 999 5428                 www.galop.org.uk
Men’s Advice Line         
0808 801 0327                 www.mensadviceline.org.uk

Rape Crisis (England and Wales)
0808 802 9999                 www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Respect phoneline
0808 802 4040                 www.respectphoneline.org.uk

Community Facebook Groups

Newsome Green Party
Newsome Community Ward Forum
Lockwood &Thornton Lodge COVID-19 Support
Berry Brow Community Action - Covid-19 Crisis
Newsome Community Kindness
Taylor Hill Matters 
armitage bridge neighbourhood watch scheme

Councillor Contact Details


Cllr Andrew Cooper
Mobile - 07721 348619
@clrandrewcooper
Blog – clrandrewcooper.blogspot.co.uk

Cllr Sue Lee-Richards
07976 681354
@sueLeerichards1

Cllr Karen Allison
07816 759868
@greenpartykaren


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