There’s a new blog started up by local people in Menston called MenstonLive.  People chat about local issues and compare notes.  Have a look at http://www.menstonlive.co.uk.  They’re keen to get local people talking about:

§         your opinion on a hot topic (aircraft noise?)

§         a moan about something that’s annoying you

§         something important that others should be aware of

§         whatever you’re doing / thinking now

§         local events you’re going to / have been to

§         a review of a local restaurant / pub

§         details of your favourite local walk

So get blogging!

Susan was invited to return to Menston Men’s Forum last week to give them another talk.  She had originally visited last year when she talked about the newspaper industry.  This time she talked about her current employment as Regeneration Manager for one of the Prince of Wales’s charities.  Here she encourages businesses to act responsibly in the communities where they are located.  This includes buying locally, giving work opportunities to local people and getting involved in volunteering projects.  There followed a really interesting question and answer session with the audience.

The Menston Neighbourhood Forum on 3^rd February heard that the Council was in preliminary talks with Barratts about the Bingley Road site.  The Council have already provided guidance to the developer as to what traffic measures they would like to see in the housing plans to mitigate the effects of increased traffic.  The developer is not yet at a stage to submit plans.

A planning application has been submitted to convert Menston Old Hall into 30 two bedroom apartments.  17 of these would be shared ownership, 5 would be rented as social housing and 8 would be sold at market value.  Residents at the Menston Neighbourhood Forum were broadly in favour of Menston Old Hall being used for this purpose however there were big concerns about the height of the development and about the potential of increased traffic.