Places for up to 200 cars and coaches in Calder Holmes park have been put forward by traffic consultants, and shocked public and politicians of all persuasions. Other more welcome ideas in the report include the long overdue re-predestrianisation of St George's Square, a 20 mph speed limit and making Bridge Gate, Albert Street and Commercial Street one way.

Coincidentally, the Urban Green Spaces Task Force publish today their report "Green Spaces, Better Places" which warns of the national deterioration of parks and other outdoor spaces. See Ken Worpole's piece in today's Guardian

Any views? Use the Hebweb discussion forum

In a groundbreaking ruling which could have local implications, the House of Lords has ruled that employers are liable for compensation for employees who have contracted mesothelioma - asbestos cancer.

Three people were were appealing against previous rulings by the Court of Appeal and the High Court denying them compensation on the basis that they were exposed to the deadly dust by more than one employer. Two of the families were represented by Hebden Bridge based solicitor John Pickering's Manchester Office. The ruling opens up the possibility for thousands of other claims involving billions of pounds.

Hundreds of people in the Hebden Bridge area have died from asbestos related cancers, mainly contracted from working at Acre Mill in Old Town, the asbestos factory which closed in the sixties. More info

Friday, May 3, 2002

Defections to the Green Party, which polled very well yesterday in the Calder Valley ward, prevented Labour from winning the seat from the Liberal Democrats. In Luddenden Foot, the Labour vote collapsed to such an extent that Jane Brown was able to poll more votes than the three other candidates combined.

Luddenfoot Ward Jane Brown (Lib(Dem) 1,529
Stewart Brown (Lab) 674
Robert Thornber (Con) 551
Steven Hutton (Green) 243
Turnout was approx 34%

The vote for places on Hebden Royd Town Council was won by David Robinson (LD) in the Fairfield ward of Hebden Bridge with 223: Susan Press (L) polled 199 votes. John Frederiksen (LD) won in the Cragg Vale ward with 358 votes: Nigel Yorke (L) polled 138.

Any views? Use the Hebweb discussion forum

Sunday, April 28, 2002

Voting takes place on Thursday, 2nd May for Calderdale councillors. The two wards of which Hebden Bridge are a part are Calder Valley and Luddenden Foot. The candidates for the Calder Valley ward are Julie Dower (Liberal Democrat), Helen Granton (Conservative), Jamie Johnson (Green) and Michael Towl (Labour). For the Luddenden Foot ward, the candidates are Jane Brown (Liberal Democrat), Stewart Brown (Labour), Steve Hutton (Green) and Robert Thornber (Conservative). It is interesting to note that the proposer of the Green Party candidate for Luddenden Foot is a certain Leslie Siddall.

There are also elections for the Town Council. Susan Press (Labour) and David Robinson (Liberal Democrat) are competing in the Fairfield Ward. Nigel Yorke (Labour) and John Frederiksen (Liberal Democrat) are standing in the Cragg Vale ward.

Any views? Use the Hebweb discussion forum

Saturday, April 6, 2002

A Hebden Bridge newspaper journalist is going on strike for better pay. Kerry McQuade, along with colleagues at the Rossendale Free Press, Lancashire, are leading the action by seven papers belonging to Greater Manchester Weekly Newspapers.

Kerry said: 'GMWN is owned by the Guardian Media Group, whose liberal flagship papers - the Guardian and the Observer - often speak out against bad bosses.

'Trainees, with degrees and NUJ training, start on our papers at around £10,500 and can rise to £17,000 as seniors. Trainee McDonald managers, with possibly no qualifications or work experience start at £17,000.

'GMWN managers have refused to negotiate a pay rise more than 2.5%. 'And guess what? Our regional personnel resources boss has just derecognised the union. How liberal can you get?'

For more details about the industrial action, and to find out ways you can support the reporters, which includes boycotting the Guardian on strike days, check out the NUJ's website and the strikers' own site badlypaid.tripod.com. Messages of solidarity to badlypaid@hotmail.com. Or contact kerry@frogsgraphicdesign.co.uk.

Friday, March 29, 2002

In a new production of Wuthering Heights for BBC1, Heathcliff is transformed from a foundling into a young working class woman called Carol Bolton.

Mirroring the original plot, in which the uncultured Heathcliff was brought home by upper class Cathy's father, Carol is in love with her middle class neighbour Andrew Collins.

The pair were childhood sweethearts, but Andrew's parents now believe she is unsuitable and want him to leave her behind and go to university - a reversal of Bronte's plot.

The three part series will be called Sparkhouse, made by Red Productions, and set in the Hebden Bridge. It has been written by Sally Wainwright, the creator of At Home with the Braithwaites.

Saturday, March 2, 2002

Filming is once again to take place near Hebden Bridge. All day, local secondary school age boys havie been going along to see casting assistants at the Trades Club to have their measurements taken, fill in a form and provide a recent photo. They are hoping to be extras in the filming of Nicholas Nickleby. Most of the film is being shot in London, but the section featuring that remarkable school, "Dotheboys' Hall" is being filmed at Gibson's Mill in Hardcastle Crags in a few weeks time.

In this Dickens story, Nicholas starts work as assistant master at the Dotheboys Hall school in Yorkshire run by unscrupulous Wackford Squeers. Nicholas soon becomes disgusted with Squeer's treatment of his pupils and leaves, giving Squeers a sound thrashing and liberating Smike, whom Squeers has mistreated for years.

Big Green Weekend

Hundreds wandered around HB supporting the packed Green Weekend programme which included the unveiling of this Green Man. See A Kind of Love-in (7) for John Morrison's thoughts on the weekend.

The first five yellow buses arrived in the UK by ro-ro ferry at Liverpool docks last month, and two will started transporting the children when they returned to Colden School yesterday. Specially adapted to right-hand drive and to meet all other UK specifications, they will each carry 60 youngsters and in addition serve five other schools in the Hebden Bridge, Heptonstall and Blackshaw Head areas. The service will initially cost 30p a journey, although the youngsters will not have to part with any cash themselves.

The buses, which were shipped from Halifax, Nova Scotia, have the latest safety features and are equipped with radios and mobile phones.

Source: Guardian - full article