UDVET Upper Dearne Valley Environmental Trust
Registered Charity 1157514 - Established 2014
Chairman’s Report 2023
UDVET was formed by SOS (Save Our Scissett), SCAN (Skelmanthorpe Community Action Network) and KORS (Keep Our Rural Spaces) in June 2014, for the benefit of our local communities, mainly, but not exclusively, in the Kirklees Denby Dale Ward. As described on the Charities Commission website UDVET exists ''for the public benefit, conservation and, where possible, the enhancement of the natural and architectural beauty of the area known as the Upper Dearne Valley, and in particular to conserve for the benefit of those who live in, work in, or otherwise derive pleasure from this area, the open green spaces and flora and fauna, for this and future generations.''
UDVET is in the process of helping some local groups consider the protection and planting of trees, including recommending Tree Preservation Orders, as in our recent support of the "Green Canopy" of Our Late Sovereign Queen Elizabeth II with the purchase and planting 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” at Skelmanthorpe Methodist Church this autumn, with our particular focus on wildlife gardening, thereby encouraging local residents to aid biodiversity and combat the extremes of climate change. We are in the process of creating a “gardening for wildlife” leaflet to be delivered to Denby Dale Ward residents during 2024
UDVET cooperates with KORS in its activity supporting local wildlife and the habitats that are essential for the needs of wild creatures. Thus Tanner Wood in Denby Dale has now been awarded ‘ancient woodland’ status.
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, i.e, 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.
Far too many undischarged planning conditions, as found in Kirklees Planning websites, exist despite building going ahead on many sites. It is possible that developers are trying to save money, in the knowledge that an understaffed planning team will not check that conditions are fulfilled. 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; the potential destruction of mature trees in Wood Street, Skelmanthorpe; and various other developments in the Denby Dale Ward.
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.
Various other on-going issues such as, e.g, the future of the former Chartist Pub in Skelmanthorpe; various other developments in Skelmanthorpe and Denby Dale; 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. We have encouraged and then supported Kirklees Council in a legal case to preventing a potential permanent footpath closure thus ensuring that the footpath adjacent to the Greenside site is preserved for the future. UDVET is investigating the tipping of building waste in the greenbelt.
UDVET welcomes positive support and information from local residents, other local groups and charities, from CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England), to which we are affiliated. 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. We thank all who supported our Quiz Evening including those who kindly brought raffle prizes.
Philip Reynolds
Chairman of UDVET
UDVET FINANCE RECORD
MONEY HELD IN CASH/BANK
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DATE DESCRIPTION IN OUT BALANCE
BALANCE BROUGH FORWARD 824.31
26/04/2023 MEMBERSHIP TO CPRE 36.00 788.31
13/11/2023 QUIZ NIGHT PROFIT 200.00 988.31
200.00 36.00
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