Huddersfield Civic Society Executive Committee Meeting, November 11, 2024        

The meeting was held at Westins, St. Andrews Rd at 7pm.

Attendees:  David Wyles (DW), Gideon Richards (GR), Geoff Hughes (GH), Ann Denham (AD), Howard Smith (HS), Amanda Boothroyd (AB), Bernard Ainsworth (BA), Michael Woodward (MW), Sylvia Johnson (SJ), John Eastwood (JE) Patricia Fuller (PF), Robert Taylor (RT).

Apologies: None

Minutes of the Previous Meeting (14.10.2024): Approved as version 3 after including correction.

Membership (HS)

  • 2 new individual members making totals of 105 individual, 14 joint and 20 corporate members. Action HS/LW: send agreed subscription renewal letters (£15 individual, £35 corporate, £7.50 Student), including GR referencing protocol re bank payment details.

Interim Treasurer’s Report (GR)

  • Bank balance continues to be healthy.
  • Action (GR): Bank signature addition still underway
  • Action (GR): draft rough 2025 budget and circulate prior to next meeting

Ongoing Initiatives & Submissions:

      Joint Transport Subgroup Report – (GH).

  • GH Summarised Teams meeting held Wed 30 October attended by David Wyles, Michael Woodward, Geoff Hughes with Mihir Benison and Simon Sinn of Arup (plus Peter Steniulis of Kirklees Council) on Huddersfield Station Gateway Masterplan. HCS supported proposed new west-side station entrance, new pedestrian route through to New North Road and a new multi-storey car park but criticized many other aspects, particularly the omission of any means of pedestrians crossing between St George’s Square and the Station Warehouse side. Full details of HCS response circulated to committee members.

Action (GH): to follow progress of Masterplan through to anticipated business case in 2025.

     Town Centre Repurposing Subgroup Report:

N.B. KC has approved further £9.8m spend on George Hotel ‘from Cultural Heart budget’

  • DW and GH held 7 Nov town centre walk with KC Joanne Tansley + David Wildman, highlighting development opportunities (especially residential), poor shopfronts and unauthorised work, street furniture maintenance, areas requiring improvement such as St. Peter’s Gardens and need for greater ‘intelligence’ regarding property ownership.
  • News still awaited on a ‘Place’ sub-group after 18 July and 12 Sept High Street Task Force events
  • No news following HCS responses regarding town centre initiatives.

Action (DW): finalise and circ Agenda for Dec 3 mtg with David Shepherd to review lack of progress re HCS comments on town centre, Cultural Heart/regeneration and planning/enforcement issues.

Planning Report: (RT)

  • RT summarised recent planning updates, incl Clayton Fields housing given conditional approval
  • GH submitted HCS response to St Peter’s Church expressing concerns over potential catering van
  • Kirklees Local Plan: GR informed mtg that KC officers now holding ‘early engagement’ meetings

Action (GH): contact Johanna Scrutton to request Local Plan mtg for HCS

  • No news from Helen Bower re Enforcement issues after July meeting with HCS

Action (GH): to send further reminder to Helen Bower.

Action (GH): to send further email to Lee Stoney re enforcement at 52a Luck Lane.

NB Above three actions (undertaken 12 Nov) followed 14 Nov by offer from Mathias Franklin,  Head of Planning and Development to meet him and his managers Helen Bower and Julia Steadman.

Action (DW): agree meeting date and agenda with Mathias Franklin

  • Town Centre Conservation Area Appraisal ‘consultation’ announced with end date of 22 Nov

Action (DW): submit initial HCS response to Helen Bower, request extension and wider publicity

N.B. Subsequent info from Helen Bower of Appraisal public meeting on Mon 9 Dec

Media & Website Report:

  • Updating HCS Website to include ‘Corporate Members News’ and ‘HCS Committee Mtg Minutes’

Action: (GH): follow through above with Andy Hirst

Action: (HS): consider how best to launch and then use ‘Corporate Members News’

HCS Event Report:

  • 6 Nov talk on Kirklees Heritage Strategy. Carl Hutton stood in for Deborah Marsland, KC Museums and Galleries Manager. Wide range of attendees but Carl unable to answer some questions

Action (GH): Request meeting with Deborah Marsland to follow through on unanswered questions.

  • Brian Jackson Centre – Venue good value for money and good IT but small screen in room used.

HCS Future Events

  • Members Social Event: Wed 15 January 18.30 at Westins. £10/head charge agreed.

Action: (HS): Agree arrangements with Laura West and produce invitation details.

  • Sunnybank Mills, Farsley near Pudsey – Late Feb? (GR)
  • AGM and Historic England talk – Charles Smith, HE (SJ) – subsequently agreed for Wed 26 Mar
  • Penistone town centre walk reschedule – evening late April/May (SJ)
  • Possible small group visit(s) to new Daphne Steele building (BA/GR)
  • HCS agreed volunteers to join steering group of Huddersfield University 2025 initiative: “200 years of professional & vocational education in Huddersfield (appended item 3)
  • Action (GH): notify Tim Thornton of Ann Denham and Gideon Richards as HCS nominees

Future 2025 HCS Committee meeting dates (all 19.00 at Westin House):

  • Mon 20 Jan,
  • Mon 3 Mar,
  • Wed 26 Mar (AGM)
  • Tue 6 May or Mon 12 May (to be decided)

AOB 

  • Action (GH): add to Jan mtg agenda: Should HCS undertake ‘blue plaque’ commemoration activity?
  • DW and Laura West would be meeting Tue 12Nov to receive delivery of HSBC sculptural figures and arrange for publicity photos/press release with HSBC team and Andy Hirst.

N.B. Figures will be stored at Westins until more permanent home identified.