![fish-and-chips[1]](http://www.sllife.leeds11.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/fish-and-chips1-300x184.jpg)
A wide variety of issues from takeaways and health to domestic violence and the area’s street cleaning services were discussed by local councillors.
The meeting of the inner south area committee, held at Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre in Middleton, saw councillors from all three local wards discuss important issues.
Councillors discussed obesity in the area and Cllr Paul Truswell raised the issue of the number of unhealthy hot food takeaways, particularly down Dewsbury Road.
Cllr David Congreve said it was difficult for the council to oppose new plans and stop the spread of takeaways, as applicants were appealing to independent planning inspectors if the council refused the plans and winning the appeal.
He said:
“We rejected one application on the grounds there were 34 takeaways within a square mile in Beeston and that they were damaging the area – not just from a health standpoint but that their shutters are down all day and it looks bad. It doesn’t help the area’s shops.
“Anyway, they went to appeal, got planning permission and the council got £12,000 costs awarded against us.”
Cllr Congreve said educating people not to eat a lot of takeaway food was important.
Councillors also heard of efforts to reduce the amount of domestic violence in the area. Domestic violence accounted for a third of all violent crimes in City and Holbeck Division in 2011.
A full report of the meeting will be in the next issue of South Leeds Life magazine, whoch is out later this month.
The next inner south committee meeting is on Wednesday, Feb 13 at Leeds Civic Hall (6.30pm). Residents welcome to attend.
What do you think? Are there too many takeaways in Dewsbury Road and in South Leeds in general? Have your say in the comments below.
I believe this is to provide employment within minority groups.
If you think there are so many available, they can not all have large profit margins. However by working many individuals will then be able to claim many in work benefits such as Tax credits, (soon to be replaced by welfare reforms) these seriously increase the individuals income.
Makes area look a right dump to be honest…..ridiculous multi-coloured signs,plastic and paint jobs and many look very unappealing.Brings down the whole area.
On takeaways I think there are two issues. Who uses them? Maybe we need some research so that interventions pointing out the bad effects of living on fast food and targeted courses on healthy eating could be provided? What other businesses are going to be viable? The only sector that seems to be growing locally is charity shops. One of the problems is that we have too many shop premises for the current market…
I think that the other issue referred to above is more important. It may be that the high proportion of violent crime being domestic violence indicates more incidents are being reported which must be positive. Clearly a reduction in domestic violence is what we want to achieve but the first step may be an increase in its reporting and an increase in people’s (mainly women’s) confidence that they can report it, it will be treated sensitively and victims don’t have to be victims – they don’t have to put up with it.
If anyone is worried about obesity in the area the council should re-open South Leeds Sports Centre and ensure the golf course remains open beyond one year. Takeaways are preferable to empty shops. i like to see people in our community, whoever they are making a go of things even if it is a hot food outlet. I admire their courage to do so in such hard times. Of course I would love to see ‘real’ shops but this will never be achieved if we allow any more large supermarkets to move in and monopolise trade.