Morley Borough Independent Councillor Terry Grayshon took Morley's Post Office campaign to Leeds City Council Full Council Meeting last Wednesday where a decision was taken to mount a cross Party Campaign to prevent Post Office closures across the City Council area.

All parties on Leeds City Council agreed to take up the campaign with all eight Leeds MPs and to look at other ways of bringing new business to local Post Offices.

Councillor Grayshon said “It was important to get across the point that Post Offices are a vital social service for many people, especially pensioners. Government policies such as the removal of the right to have your pension paid by order book at your local Post Office, the ability to pay your road tax on line and the removal of the option to renew your TV license at the Post Office have hit local Post Offices hard. What we need is less rhetoric from the Government and an action plan that will bring new business opportunities for Morley's Post Offices.”

Councillor Grayshon said “Our campaign is not just about preventing closure but to come up with practical ways of supporting local Post Offices, making sure they are financially viable in the long run. We will be working with all interested groups to keep Post Offices local.”

Morley Borough Independent Councillors joined members of the Public in a community clean up at Corporation Street Morley, on Saturday 27th January.

Councillor Terry Grayshon, who attended the clean up said "Corporation Street is one of the main roads into Morley Town Centre and needed a litter pick and general tidy. We collected quite a number of bags of rubbish and even some garden fencing and a dead tree.  The area looks much better now."

Councillor Robert Finnigan added "The banking on Corporation Street needed a major litter pick, but because of the steep incline it is rather difficult to negotiate.  I am pleased to say that we accessed the banking and removed the litter and rubbish for collection and disposal.  I think it's a job well done."

Local residents stopped to chat and discuss problems with their Councillors who were pleased to be able to offer help and advice whilst the work was being carried out .

Morley Borough Independents have welcomed the news that the Glendale House site on the Glen Estate could be the location for new affordable family homes for Morley Families after is demolished. The demolition of the site has commenced and a new Government policy could mean that it provides the location for family homes for Morley residents.

Councillor Judith Elliott said “The Government have developed a new approach called a “Special Purpose Vehicle” which means that Council owned land can be offered as a contribution to developers in return for affordable homes for local residents. This is a new approach to providing affordable homes and we will be working hard to make sure Morley gains from this new policy."

Councillors were informed that the “Special Purpose Vehicle” could be appropriate for Morley and would provide for new homes for local families on low incomes. Options would include homes to rent and shared equity options where low-income families can buy a property jointly with a housing association or the Council who retain some of the equity in the property.

Councillor Terry Grayshon said, “It is still early days but if we are aiming to offer housing opportunities to those Morley Families presently on the housing waiting list. Glendale House was no longer acceptable because of its poor layout but we will make sure that Morley families gain new housing opportunities when it is demolished.”