Huddersfield Civic Society Executive Committee Meeting, May 12, 2025
The meeting was held at Westins, St Andrews Road, Huddersfield, at 7pm.
Attendees: David Wyles (DW), Gideon Richards (GR), Geoff Hughes (GH), Ann Denham (AD), Howard Smith (HS), Amanda Boothroyd (AB), Michael Woodward (MW), John Eastwood (JE) Patricia Fuller (PF), Adrian Pitts (AP), Yun Gao (YG), Robert Taylor (RT).
Apologies: Sylvia Johnson (SJ), Bernard Ainsworth (BA).
Introductions: made with Adrian Pitts and Yun Gao welcomed.
Volunteer Chairs for future meetings: Howard (July 14), Ann (Sept 8), Sylvia (Nov 10).
Volunteer editor for members newsletter: Geoff (June 1), Others tba
Minutes of the Previous Meeting (3.3.2025): Approved as version 1.1
Membership (HS)
| Member type | Individual | Joint | Corporate | Total | Changes |
| Totals – ALL CATEGORIES | 120 | 18 | 21 | 159 | 3 |
| Total ACTIVE members | 104 | 16 | 19 | 139 | 3 |
| Paid (correct amount) | 50 | 8 | 13 | 71 | 7 |
| Paid (wrong amount) | 18 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| Free/Rollover | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| New this report | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Not yet paid | 32 | 6 | 4 | 42 | -7 |
| Resigned this Year | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Lapsed this Year | 9 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Deleted (corrected) this year | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
New members since 27 Feb (3): Walker Singleton (Corp), David Wright (U25), Bob Swift (I)
Action: (HS) to send final reminder this week to all non-paying members (32 individual, 6 joint and 4 corporate), saying their membership will lapse at the end of May if subs for 2025 not received by then.
Action: (HS) + (RT) attending Huddersfield BID meeting
Action: (HS) + possibly (RT) and (MW) attending Huddersfield Unlimited event. Tue 24 June 16.00-18.00
Data Protection. Inadvertent use of .cc instead of .bcc. from Chairman id.Apology made.
Interim Treasurer’s Report
£1744 in HCS current account and approx. £15,000 in savings account.
Action: (GR) to complete organise replacing DW as signatory on accounts with ST and GH
Meeting attendees thanked AD for funding publishing of Tolson book and agreed in principle to sharing profits from sales equally between HCS and Friends of Tolson (exact mechanics to be agreed)
Lack of progress on HCS / Kirklees Council meetings (GH):
Great disappointment at lack of progress on many initiatives involving Kirklees Council, HCS work with Council, lack of openness on planning/enforcement issues, not responding to email contacts, not informing re new responsible subject owners etc.
Action: (GH) to lead draft of carefully worded request for cooperation to Steve Mawson, Kirklees Council CEO
Planning report
Action: (RT) Send follow-on email asking re progress correcting omissions from ‘weekly lists’ of planning apps.
Cayton Fields, Edgerton: GH described frustrating cases of tree felling and rights of way closures/diversions.
George Hotel – revised application 2025/91147/8. Much discussion: agreement on need for newbuild to make viable hotel business but concerns raised re some details of materials and appearance of new-build sections.
Action: (YG) send text on architectural issues to RT
Action: (RT) to submit HT planning response
Castle Hill – no further news on outstanding application but serious objections by HE supported.
Action: (GR) – raise with Newsome / Almondbury ward councillor(s) in advance of any Planning Committee
Turnbridge Mills redevelopment proposal (Announced but no planning application yet)
Action: (RT+MW) to use Mill history text to produce ‘good news’ HCS publicity story
Publications
Action: (GH) to liaise with D Griffiths and produce costed proposal for printing + launch of Arts and Crafts book Action: (AB+HS) to work further on updating HCS publicity leaflet, liaison with Andy Hirst suggested.
Linked initiatives
Committee agreed in principle still happy to make contribution towards St Peter’s Gardens Plaque/ interpretation board for grave of Joseph Kaye? (GH)
Action: (SJ) to request firmer costed option(s)
University ‘200 years of Technical Education’ celebration: University book now available
Action: (GR/AD) pursue badging the intended launch of Tolson book within this initiative
HCS Peter Stead Award 2025 with £200 prize
Students’ designs submission by 13 May. Announcements at Preview End of Year Show 6th June 18.00.
Action: (GR/SJ/Susan Lee-Richards) agreed to act as judges
Action: (YG) to liaise with GR and SJ, including sending details of how to access submissions
HCS and Blue Plaques
RT described recent Civic Voice zoom discussion on subject
Action: (GH) to schedule discussion topic for next meeting on whether HCS should get more involved
Future Events
Daphne Steele building – Thu 15 May: 26 currently booked via SJ (subsequently c30)
Penistone town centre walk reschedule – Wed May 21 evening: 19 currently booked via SJ
Sunnybank Mills, Farsley near Pudsey – Thu 12 June: 17 currently booked via David Wyles
‘Mills Transformed’ talk – Neil Horsley (joint HODs with HLHS) +J Lamb intro: RESCHEDULED TO WED 17 Sept (GH)
Tolson book launch talk: Oct/Nov – Action: (AD/GH/David Wyles)
‘Arts and Crafts’ book launch event – Action: (GH) to investigate with David Griffiths
Possible Turnbridge Mills visit – Action: (HG/GR) to investigate with Ian Brierley
AOB
MW stated university now likely to take stones from Chris Marsden garden to incorporate in future building.
Castle Hill talk at Newsome Community Centre on Sat 17 May
Charles Smith talks on heritage pubs at St Stephens, Lindley on Sat 7 June
Geoff invited all to respond to the current consultation on the proposed Kirklees Tourism Strategy https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/culture-strategy/tourism-strategy.aspx?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Orlo&utm_content=Communities+and+Inequalities+#
Future 2025 HCS Committee meeting dates (all 19.00 at Westin House)
Mon 14 July, Mon 8 Sept, Mon 10 Nov
Geoff Hughes 14 May 2025