Street light plan for pupils route to school
Hemsworth Town Council are consulting residents and Grove Lea Primary School on whether they would like some more street lights on Grove Lane as it is used by primary school kids walking to and from school.
COUNCILLORS are fighting for street lights to be put up on a dark lane used by primary school children.
A ginnel just off Grove Lane, Hemsworth, is used by children and their parents to going to and from Grove Lea Primary School.
And with winter drawing in, councillors at Hemsworth Town Council are concerned that children will soon be left walking on the lane in the dark.
The council voted to carry out a public consultation with residents and the school at a meeting last week.
Councillors have raised the issue in the past but no plans or decisions were made by Hemsworth Town Council.
And Coun Jim Kenyon again alerted councillors to the issue after receiving comments from parents.
But speaking at the meeting, chair Tony Upson, said that when the issue was first raised residents did not want any street lighting put there because it encouraged youths to gather there.
Councillors voted to carry out a full public consultation with residents and the school before any decisions are made.
After the meeting Coun Upson said: “We will spread the consultation as wide as we can in that locality and it will involve all those who may be affected.
“It has been stated that the school children use the lane for going to and from school so we will be including the school too.”
Coun Upson added that following the consultation the feedback will be analysed and the council will take the action which the majority want.
He added: “We want to take on board the views of the local people but there will be some people that point us to other areas which need lighting so that’s something we will need to be aware of.”
The land is owned by Hemsworth Town Council which would mean any lighting would have to be funded by the town council.
Coun Upson said that Wakefield Council only have a budget of £14,000 for the whole district .
Ian Thomson, service director for planning, transportation and highways at Wakefield Council, said: “We have looked into who owns the land and it is Hemsworth Town Council.
“We frequently receive requests for additional street lighting and to make sure we use the money we have available fairly, we use a system that gives points on a range of criteria including land ownership.”
The consultation is expected to take between two and three weeks and Hemsworth Town Council will then collate the feedback before making any decisions.
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Weather for Wakefield
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
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