​An environment workshop organised by Huddersfield Civic Society looked at key areas that will affect future priorities for the town.
 
Waste expert Dr Elaine Kerrell introduced the recently published national waste strategy and explored its implications for Kirklees Council. 
 
 “There are expected to be new requirements for the council to separately collect food waste and garden waste”, she said.

“Achieving 50% recycling rates by 2020 from today’s rate of 27% is going to be challenging”. Elaine suggested that adding a food waste collection would help to reduce contamination of the green bins. 
 
Coun Andrew Cooper, whose ward includes the town centre, proposed that art installations, children’s play areas and outdoor exercise facilities be used to revitalise the town centre.

He presented examples from his recent visits to Spain and Romania as part of his work as a UK member of the EU Committee of the Regions.
 
Chas Ball, a member of the HCS board, presented the plans for local action on air pollution.

He said that Kirklees Council’s consultation on air quality was due out soon. He described how the health effects arising from diesel vehicles caused 1,000 premature deaths in West Yorkshire. 
 
Chas suggested that council’s draft strategy will feature work in progress to reduce congestion by improving urban traffic control.

It will also announce the installation of 17 rapid chargers (in pairs) for electric vehicles across the borough of which half will be reserved for taxi use. He said the draft strategy would also stress the importance of an effective walking and cycling strategy.
 
The workshop succeeded in stimulating members to consider practical and policy responses to the environmental agenda.

​It follows a successful workshop in October on the 'Future of the Town'. 

More than 60 Huddersfield residents took to the streets for a clean-up of the town centre over the weekend.

Go to Town – the big clean-up on May 10 - 12 was organised by Environment Kirklees and supported by Huddersfield Civic Society and Clare Hill Community Centre. 

Kim Warren, project coordinator said: ‘Kirklees Council does a lot of work to keep the town centre streets clean and volunteers regularly clean up the footpaths by the river and canal – but there are still areas that get missed. 

‘In Go to Town we are tackling the private land, car parks and green spaces that are often left out and contain a lot of litter. Today we have reduced that in the parts of the town centre and its gateway that let the side down.’ 

Volunteers, including councillors from Newsome and Greenhead wards, were issued with tools, litter-picking equipment, and hi-vis vests.

​On Friday and Saturday, the north and south approaches to the town centre were targeted including footpaths on the River Colne corridor. On Sunday the work programme concentrated on the town centre. 

Go to Town was supported by Kirklees Council with funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.   

A trail leaflet that reveals the historic centre of Almondbury has been produced by the Discover Huddersfield Partnership. The trail, the 16th in the series, follows a route through the heart of the village.

It includes:

• The medieval All Hallows' Church
• 16th century Wormall Hall
• Weavers' cottages
• Almshouses
• Public buildings
• Memorials
• Other key features spanning over 500 years.

Almondbury (or Ambry) originated around 625 BC with an undefended hut settlement on the commanding viewpoint of Castle Hill.  Ancient packhorse trails and later turnpikes brought London buyers via Almondbury to northern England’s sheep-rearing areas.  

Edward 1 granted a market charter to Henry de Lacy in 1294.  By 1475 Almondbury market’s cloth sales ranked fourth out of seventeen in Yorkshire.  

King James's Grammar School received its royal charter from the King in 1608. The first National School in the area was founded in 1818 in buildings to the west of the church.  It eventually became the infant school.

The trail is available from local information points, including libraries and the railway station. Others produced by the partnership include themes as varied as Public Art, the Ramsden Family, Historic Buildings, World War 1, Caribbean Heritage, Radical History, Music and Real Ale.

A programme of themed walks, including the guided walk around Almondbury in September, is available from information points or by visiting Discover Huddersfield.