The Carlton Towers in Little London may currently be under demolition, but the surrounding fencing has been saved thanks to Councillor Penny Ewens.

The fencing is covered with street art by local young people and is known for its likeness to the work of Banksy. The art will be moved to the local army barracks for storage and will re-appear in a new location at Carlton Gate.

Cllr Penny Ewens (Lib Dem, Hyde Park and Woodhouse) said:

“Preserving this excellent urban art is something I’ve been fighting for, we have some talented young people in the area and now their art will be saved.

“I would like to thank the adjutant who is letting us store the fencing at the barracks, but they will soon reappear at Carlton Gate for everyone to admire. I’m very much a fan of this type of art as long as it is done in suitable areas. The late Councillor Hussain and I felt this should be preserved. This work will inspire others and it could even be the beginnings of an art career for some people.”

Royal Park Avenue will be closed between its junctions with Brudenell Street and Royal Park Road, from Monday 8 March 2010 for a maximum period of 21 days. The closure is due to sewer repair works are to take place

A diversionary route for vehicles affected by the closure will be available via Brudenell Street, Royal Park Grove, Royal Park Road and vice versa. Access to pedestrians, property and for emergency vehicles and construction traffic will be maintained.

On Wednesday evening, 10th February, I attended a public consultation meeting to discuss the proposal to close the school. Some 300 - 400 people attended - students, old students, parents, staff, governors, local residents. Everyone was against it and all for good reasons.

I have received many letters and e-mails, from many local people, protesting at the closure of City of Leeds School. As a local councillor, a governor at the school, and Children’s Champion for the Inner North West Area, I am in strong agreement with  those reasons expressed

If you wish to comment on it, it is not too late to write or e-mail (details are set out in an earlier message on this website).

All the parties standing in the local by-election on Feb 18th campaigned against the loss of the school and of the benefites it brings to young people and their families in the area. In total, that means that over 2,000 local people voted to Save City Of Leeds.

I, with other governors, will meet with Education Leeds, to consider ideas for further developments or improvements building on City of Leeds’ existing strengths.

If you have ideas for how the school could be further developed or improved please let me know them.

Positives about City of Leeds

• City of Leeds School is a forward-looking, innovative school which cares for each student as an individual. 
• We are already running diploma courses for 54 young people from three different schools
• We have transition classes for those year 7 students who find it difficult to settle in their new big school
• We offer EAL (English as an Additional Language) to those students who along with children from the cluster primary schools have over seventy different languages and dialects as their first language.
• We are well known for our creative and performance arts.
• Parents choose us for their children when practical experience tells them how good we are.

Reasons why City of Leeds should NOT be closed.

• Works against community cohesion
• Forces parents to choose a school which is too far away to walk to
• Increases pollution by putting even more yellow buses on the road
• Reduces the opportunity for young people to avail themselves (with their parents) of extended services in their home area
• Makes it more difficult for parent to attend parents’ evenings, school performances, awards evenings and other events, and to maintain the basis of lifelong friendships which, for many people, start in their neighbourhood primary school. 

Education should be at the heart of social policy, not working against it

The Burley Lodge Centre helps groups get started from scratch, including training, help with fundraising and finding bids, and the chance to meet and share skills with like minded people.

For more about opportunities with existing local groups and ideas for projects go to www.burleylodge.org.uk/homedir/volunteering.htm, and follow the links for the various projects. Or you can find Burley Lodge Volunteer Projects on Facebook

Alex Tyson, Penny Ewens & Mick Taylor

The Liberal Democrats are to outline plans to put 3,000 more police officers on the beat over four years.

Under the plan, funded by savings from scrapping identity cards, all forces in England, Wales and Scotland would get extra money to boost force numbers.

Party leader Nick Clegg will say Labour has “talked tough” on crime but police numbers have fallen in 40% of forces in England and Wales since 2005.

Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

Mick Taylor, Penny Ewens & Greg Mulholland at Royal Park School 

There is a large public meeting to involve the entire community in the project to turn the Royal Park School building into an exciting new community centre for the residents of Hyde Park and the surrounding area.

Location: All Hallows Church, 24 Regent Terrace, Leeds LS6 1NP

Directions: http://www.allhallowsleeds.org.uk/allhallows/directions.shtml

Time and date: 12pm Saturday 13th February Snacks and light refreshments will be provided.**What activities would you like to see in the building?**How might you like to be involved in organising activities in the building?

**Come and have your say, and make your voice heard.

Absolutely everyone is welcome, hope to see you all there.

Since Kabeer Hussain’s sad early death at the end of last year I have attempted to cover all the issues in the ward with which he was dealing; if residents wish to follow up any of these, or if I have missed them, I would be grateful if they would contact me or Mick Taylor (Our details are on the Focus leaflets which have been coming through the doors of Hyde Park & Woodhouse residents). 

Kabeer had recently been appointed a school governor at Quarry Mount Primary School - if anyone knows of a resident who would be interested in taking his place please let me know.

There are many issues, small as well as big, for me always to manage well on my own, and I am delighted that Mick Taylor (who was already working with me in the ward) was selected to stand for the Lib Dems in the by-election which is to take place on 18h February. 
(Applications for postal votes should be in to the electoral office by 3rd February. If you are not already on the electoral register or you would like a postal vote the free phone number to call is 08000251067).

Meantime I am delighted to tell you that work is now proceeding on Cambridge Fields and Lovell Park with money coming from 106 sources; and I  am asking for Benson Fields (below Hyde Pak Close) to be brought up to standard.

As a school governor and as Inner North West’s Children’s Champion I am working with the primary schools in the ward “cluster” to advise Education Leeds on how we see the future of education in the ward. If you would like to discuss it with me, please phone me on 294-6976 and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

I have also asked for an agreed policy for the future provision of grit bins. I’m pursuing this one, and I’ll let you know what is decided.