UDVET (Upper Dearne Valley Environmental Trust)
Registered Charity 1157514 - Established 2014
Chairman’s Report 2022
UDVET is in the process of helping some local groups fund the planting of trees, thereby aiding biodiversity and combating the extremes of climate change, which also joins the "Green Canopy" of Our Late Sovereign Queen Elizabeth II – including the disease resistant 6 metre high Elm tree planted in Clayton West Millennium Green.
For the same reasons we are working with the local CEWG (Climate Emergency Working Group) in helping local residents work for a sustainable future. As part of this we took part in the local authority “Eco-Festival” in Denby Dale Pie Hall, with our particular focus on wildlife gardening.
UDVET cooperates with KORS in its activity supporting local wildlife and the habitats that are essential for the needs of wild creatures.
Monitoring the various developments in Scissett, Skelmanthorpe, Denby Dale and so on also take up some time and energy. Some of these projects are not providing for the actual needs of local residents, ie, affordable housing suitable for young families and also for a growing elderly population.
Unfortunately some of these developments were passed by the local authority before stronger quality conditions to be found in the 2021 House Builders Guide came into law. In fact, due to a lack of staff, often when Kirklees has put conditions on building consent, they do not then follow up the application of those condition. As far as possible UDVET does inform the local authority of contraventions of planning condition permissions. Thus, eg, UDVET has given support to local councillors and residents in their concerns about inadequate drainage on the Cumberworth Road building site in Skelmanthorpe.
UDVET has been particularly concerned with the proposal to build a housing estate in Denby Dale, not only because of the effect on biodiversity, schools, doctors, roads, sewage and drainage, but because this particular development would include open cast mining in the centre of Denby Dale. We supported local residents in their concerns, and have supplied Kirklees with a detailed critical analysis of the application, and kept some statutory consultees informed of matters that they did not seem cognisant of.
Information supplied, or supported by, UDVET, also formed part of the decision of Kirklees to refuse development on Open Green Space in the Denby Dale Ward. We also supported the action to give some protection to Tanner Wood within the Ward. As a result, Tanner Wood has now been awarded ‘ancient woodland’ status.
Various other on-going issues such as, eg, the future of the former Chartist Pub in Skelmanthorpe, the planning conditions required before building on the Greenside “Dawsons” Mills site, and the necessary repairs to the bridge over the River Dearne, and so on, etc, continue to receive our attention.
UDVET welcomes positive support and information from local residents, other local groups and charities, from CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England). UDVET is non-party political. We welcome good relationships with local politicians across party lines whenever possible; and are delighted to have support from people of all shades of political opinion and none.
Though our remit is not providing finance to those in need, we do raise money for UDVET expenses, thus we recently held a successful Pie & Peas and Quiz evening in Scissett Working Men’s Club. Providing such events helps enhance community cohesion, which is perhaps even more important than fundraising for our charity.
Philip Reynolds
Chairman of UDVET
UDVET FINANCE RECORD
MONEY HELD IN CASH/BANK
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DATE DESCRIPTION IN OUT BALANCE
BALANCE B/F 803.90
20/09/2022 WYCOMBE ESTATE - TREE PLANTING 321.60 482.30
31/10/2022 LGP PRINT - COMMUNITY LEAFLET 29.00 453.30
31/10/2022 BEANIE MEDIA - WEBSITE 35.99 417.31
04/11/2022 DONATION - SOS 230.00 647.31
07/11/2022 QUIZ NIGHT PROFIT 252.00 899.31
11/11/2023 QUIZ NIGHT PROFIT 200.00 1,099.31
682.00 386.59
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