NEWS

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News after December 1998

Whitewood and Fleming, an established theatre and music company with a strong reputation for producing imaginative high energy performance and arts projects are seeking to develop their pool of freelance artists. The company is undertaking a series of projects in Calderdale working in a variety of community settings (schools, children's homes, youth centres, community groups) using drama, music, video, combined arts.

We are hoping to extend our team and are keen to hear from artists who are interested in working in a community context. CV to Whitewood and Fleming Theatre and Music, Millroyd Mills, 17 Huddersfield Road, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 1NP

HBW News
Saturday, July 18, 1998

A PROPOSED 11-22 ACRE motorbike and four wheel drive events development could produce a danger to both human and animal health claims the Save Stansfield Moor Campaign

The development site at local beauty spot Dukes Cut, Blackshaw Head runs alongside a Department of Environment designated site of triple scientific interest (SSSI). It has also been classified under Heritage and Moorland Protection Schemes by the South Pennine Moorland Association.

The group who have been monitoring the site for some time have already recorded declining numbers of curlews and red shanks and other wildlife as a direct result of the increased activity on the site. The developer has used earth moving machines on large areas of the moor completely stripping it of grasses, heather and peat leaving an unstable surface. This will be further eroded the more this site is used for its proposed purpose.

Fax 01422 846795, E-mail moor@osbornehart.co.uk or write to Campaign Headquarters at Tops Riding Centre, Lower Blackshaw Farm, Blackshaw Head, Hebden Bridge

HBW News
Tuesday, July 7, 1998
The forthcoming Arts Festival debate on drugs and prohibition has become topical and relevant with the jailing this week of 2 well known Hebden Bridge men. They were convicted of bringing more than two kilos of marijuana back with them from a trip to the south of Spain. Max got 3 years and Niven 18 months. New Scientist's Special Marijuana Report provides excellent information for this debate.

Friday, May 22, 1998
Hello, my name is Barbara Malpas, I am from the Rural Development Commission based in York, my responsibility area is the West Yorkshire Pennine district.

In November 1996 The Rochdale Canal Partnership were awarded a grant of 1 million to make improvements along the canal, these included a balancing pond at Mayroyd, Market Site move, Canal Management and Interpretation Centre, Cyber Cafe, cycle route, all of which were targeted on Hebden Bridge. In addition other plans for projects are to take place along the canal between Luddenden Foot and Wallsden.

To date little of this money has been spent. The Market Site is eligible for the most support. The grant was offered in good faith and at the time received community support. I gather, unofficially, that this is not now the case but would like to receive your feedback. The money has been allocated towards the above schemes. Do readers have a view on the implementation of these schemes and the distribution of the funds? I welcome all comments constructively and may use them to support further action.

Regards
Barbara Malpas

HBW News
Friday, May 8, 1998
Labour lost to the Liberal Democrats all four seats being contested in the Hebden Bridge area. Julie Dower and Michael Taylor took the Calder Valley seats while Jane Brown and Christine Bampton-Smith took the Luddenden Foot seats. A year ago, Labour had 50% of the vote in Calderdale. Yesterday, it was 29%. Labour just retains control in Calderdale but only on the mayor's vote.

Calderdale Council's record in education will have been a major factor. Apart from the threat to Hebden Bridge schools, Calderdale has threatened to close the schools of music and sport, and to remove the grant to the Saturday drama school. At the same time, local schools have failed inspections, and the general level of attainment continues to cause serious concern.

HBW News
Wednesday, May 6, 1998
Councillors last night voted to keep open all Hebden Bridge primary schools - just in time for tomorrow's local elections. Campaigners were celebrating after mounting a strong and effective campaign. Councillors have decided to consider reducing the capacity of Central Street and Riverside Schools. Any proposals will be subject to further public consultation.

HBW News
Friday, 10th April, 1998
See digital pictures of the traditional Good Friday Pace Egg Play as performed by the Heptonstall Players in Weavers Square - in the cold, wind and sleet.

HBW News
Thursday, April 2, 1998
The Hebden Bridge Times interviewed local author, John Morrison and a feature article was prepared about his latest publication, View From the Bridge which has been serialised on the Hebden Bridge Web for the past year. At the last minute, the Editor pulled the article. Reporters at its sister paper, the Halifax Evening Courier have been ordered not to talk to John Morrison. As regular visitors to the Hebden Bridge Web will know, the book is irreverent, satirical and attacks some of the icons of small town mentality. Please read it yourselves and let the Editors of the local papers know what you think.

HBW News
Saturday, March 28, 1998
Windsor Road is a quiet street at the edge of Hebden Bridge, trees at the back and a green to the front. Today, for the second time in a month the police have used CS gas to arrest an apparently disturbed young man. Three weeks ago, a man jumped naked out of a 4th story window after having the gas used upon him. Miraculously, he survived but is still in hospital very seriously ill. Today, police dressed in riot gear used gas again and then smashed in the front door to arrest another young man. Residents have contacted the police and asked for an explanation as to why gas is so readily being used in preference to other methods.

HBW News
Friday, March 20, 1998
The campaign to protect local schools continues to gain momentum. Calderdale Council is holding a public consultation meeting at the Birchcliffe Centre on Monday, 23rd March at 7.30pm. The Save Our Schools (SOS) is urging people to come to the meeting where questions may be put face to face with local councillors

HBW News
Monday 9th February, 1998
A second vigil about the Iraq crisis.
** Friday 13th February from 5-6pm at the traffic lights in the centre of Hebden. Bring candles in jars, banners, placards.

HBW News
Saturday, January 31, 1998
Hundreds of parents, children, teachers and friends joined the demonstration today in the centre of Hebden Bridge, protesting against the threatened closure of local schools - see below. A human chain was made from Stubbings School all the way to Riverside and traffic was stopped. TV cameras were present and Chris MacCafferty, the Calder Valley MP addressed the demonstrators in St. George's Square.

See digital camera pictures of the demonstration

HBW News
Friday, January 23, 1998
Parents in Hebden Bridge are worried by proposals made by Calderdale Council to close down one of the town's three primary schools. Both Riverside Junior and Central Street Infants Schools currently have surplus places but the most likely candidate for closure seems to be the full Stubbings Infants' School which recently received praise from OFSTED.

A petition to save Stubbings School has been launched and is available for signing in many local shops. There is a meeting to discuss the plans at 7.30 pm in The White Lion on Tuesday 27th. January. Next Saturday, 31st. January a human chain from Stubbings to Riverside and Central Street Schools is planned, first meeting in St. Georgešs Square at 2 pm. People are also invited to a mass lobby of the Council on 4th. February at Halifax Town Hall at 5 pm.

COMMENT - Toilet closing

L Sullivan, Boston, USA
Sun, 11 Jan 1998 21:25:52 EST

I am from America but, occasionally visit Hebden Bridge. One of the things about the area is that an auto is not necessary for tourism so, like many tourists, I arrive at the bus stop. The first sight of town is the closed toilet. It was bad enough when it was usable. Could it not have been instead improved? Though at first glance it would seem that there are better uses for limited resources, such things add up in the mind of the visitor, who does in fact provide some of the income that pays for facilities used year round.

HBW News
Wednesday, 24th December 1997
Hundreds packed into St. George's Square in Hebden Bridge for the annual Christmas Eve carol singing - in spite of the gales and heavy rain. However, this year the singing only lasted just over a half an hour.

St George's Square, Hebden Bridge, 24th December 1997

HBW News
Tuesday, November 18, 1997
Once again, education in Calderdale is giving cause for concern. Most Calderdale Secondary Schools failed to improve their GCSE and A level results, according to Government figures published today. Although results at our local secondary school, Calder High were a little better, the school's results remain just below the national average. Given the catchment area, this is disappointing.

HBW News
Monday, November 3, 1997
Over 100 people, many holding candles, gathered tonight in the centre of Hebden Bridge to mark the third anniversary of the murder of Lindsay Rimer who was 13 when she was killed.

Many of those there expressed concern that this terrible crime is still unsolved and that someone in Hebden Bridge must know, or have strong suspicions, about who the killer is.

School Closure Threat

HBW News
Friday, October 24, 1997
Calderdale Council auditors have reported that there are too many empty places in schools in the Hebden Bridge area and have recommended that schools be closed or merged. Rumours of a possible merger of Central Street Infants School with the nearby Riverside Junior School have as yet not been confirmed.

HBW News
Monday, September 29, 1997
The Ofsted Report into Riverside School is now available online. As the document is a pdf file, you will need an Acrobat Reader or a pdf plugin for your browser.

'H Gregg'
Wednesday, September 17, 1997
Help! We think that Lounge Lizard clothes are being counterfeited. We want to use the Internet to try to find those who are doing it. A customer came into the shop and said that she had seen our clothes being sold on the Costa Blanca. I am e-mailing anyone I can find in the area to ask for help. Here is a copy.

HBW News
Monday, September 15, 1997
At a crowded meeting at Riverside School this evening, parents angrily demanded answers from Ian Jennings, Director of Education, Michael Higgins, Chairman of the Education Committee and other Council representatives. Why had the Council not acted earlier to do something about the problems at the school? What help was the Council going to provide? In spite of many excellent, impassioned comments and speeches from parents, the response was generally bureaucratic and legalistic offering nothing tangible.

When asked directly if he personally felt any responsibility for the school failing the inspection so badly, the Director said "I have to shoulder my share of the responsibility."

Many parents hadn't realised until the meeting that the Special Needs help at the school, which was one of the few areas praised by the Inspectors, had since been cut.

Margaret Boyle and John Rhodes
Saturday, September 13, 1997
We are not prepared to gloss over the very serious failings reported by the inspectors. If unsatisfactory teaching is occurring in 46 per cent of classes, progress in lessons is generally unsatisfactory in all lessons except history, music and religious education and the general school ethos is unsatisfactory etc. then we have little to be complacent about.

We have written to the chairman of governors to request an urgent meeting to be called of all parents as soon as possible to involve us in the process of putting together an Action Plan to develop and improve the school. This means all interested groups, teachers, pupils, parents, governors and the wider community working out a real partnership approach. To do this, of course, we have to accept that much is wrong and needs to be debated openly and fully.

from the Ramblers' Association,
Thursday, September 11, 1997

On Friday, 12th September, Countryside Minister, the Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP will join members of the 121,000 strong Ramblers' Association and others on a walk across forbidden moorland in West Yorkshire. The Minister will hear the views of ramblers in advance of its consultation paper on freedom-to-roam across uncultivated land. The landowner has given his permission for this one day only: thereafter the "Keep Out" signs will come back into force.
See Boulsworth pages

from B J Boland, Thursday, September 11, 1997

The August half yearly report from Orange now claims 95% coverage of the population with 2900 masts They are planning to increase these to over 6000 by early 1999 with considerable expenditures still planned beyond that. The technology is also being advanced so that full internet facilities will be available from their wirefree system.This they acknowledge will be further extended as they apply for the next generation of licences.

The reason then for more than doubling the number of masts is to capture the remaining 5% of the population and to allow our rural areas to be accessible to lone travellers.It seems that every nook and cranny then of every Yorksuire Dale and Moor, the remote areas of the Lakes, Mid Wales and Scotland are going to be invaded by masts, most of which will be highly visible. Is this what we really want, now that the main areas of population have been covered? Let us rethink the strategy and curtail the destruction of country side.

Tim Swift - a former Hebden Royd resident and Town Councillor
Thursday, September 11, 1997

Shame on everyone for all the nonsense about the closing of the toilets in Hebden Bridge!

A black mark for local residents, who seem to have the knack of getting tremendously agitated about relatively trivial issues (viz the previous campaign about charging 20 pence to park a car) whilst staying silent about, e.g. the Council's plans for huge increases in home care charges.

But a black mark too for the council - if there is only going to be one public toilet in each area (which is defensible) how can an authority which is trying to claim green credentials keep open the toilet by the car park and close the one next to the bus stop?

News after December 1998