Today is the last day of the summer examinations.  August will bring the results when 1000s of young people across Leeds will know how they have got on.  But already many young people in Leeds are disappointed because Labour has let them down. 

Labour’s introduction of tuition and top up fees was a betrayal of our future – not to mention another broken election promise. 

Thousands of young people have been put off going to university. Many thousands more find themselves saddled with huge debts that will take years to pay off.That’s no way to start off in life. 

Amazingly, the Conservatives agree with Labour on this issue. They won’t deliver any change for young people and students. 

Only the Liberal Democrats want to abolish Labour’s tuition and top up fees. They believe that a good education should be available to every young person - regardless of how well off they are. 

Liberal Democrats also want to make sure that young people are treated fairly. It’s just wrong that young people do not get the same pay as older people for the same work. Join us in the fight for fair opportunities. 

On Monday 22 June at 10.30am, Leeds  joined hundreds of councils throughout the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man in raising a unique flag to support Britain’s first ever Armed Forces Day.

Flags will be flown the length and breadth of the country from the Shetland Islands to Land’s End and from Lowestoft (England’s most easterly point) to the Scilly Isles. The specially designed flags, based on the Union Jack, will be raised at 10.30am on Monday 22 June, in ceremonies across the country.  This marks the beginning of a week of events leading up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday 27 June.In addition to more than 450 local authorities, over 3000 members of the public, businesses and schools will also fly official Armed Forces Day flags to join the celebrations to honour Britain’s Armed Forces - past, present and future.

Armed Forces Day flags will also be flown where British Servicemen and women are serving overseas, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.

Councillor  Brenda Lancaster, who has been working with Leeds Veterens and was in Normandy for the D Day celebrations, commented:

“It is important that veterans and serving members of the armed forces are aware of the  gratitude and admiration of Leeds people for all that they have done and continue to do for people across the world.

“Leeds as a city is proud to fly this flag in support of all our armed forces – past, present and future.”

An event to celebrate Armed Forces Day in Leeds will take place on Saturday, 27 June at Leeds Town Hall, 1 – 6pm. 

The Breeze International Youth Festival (BIYF), run by Leeds City Council’s Arts & Regeneration Unit, offers an exciting array of events, performances, masterclasses and activities to get young people interested in and involved in the arts this June.

To find out what’s happening at the festival, visit their website at:  http://www.breezeleeds.org/BIYF

Download a festival brochure from:  http://www.breezeleeds.org/pg/6/About_the_festival

The festival begins on Monday 22 June with the BIYF radio project ‘Roundhay Radio’ broadcasting over the airways 12-8pm every day until Saturday 28 June on 87.7fm or online at www.breezeleeds.org/BIYF

From 26 - 29 June, BIYF also opens up Leeds city centre for the spectacular BIYF Celebration Weekend.  As well as fun for young people aged 13 - 19, there will be a whole host of events and performances on offer for the whole family.  The Carriageworks, Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds City Museum, Hyde Park Picture House, the BBC, Northern Ballet Theatre, Yorkshire Dance, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Mediafish and First Floor at the West Yorkshire Playhouse are just some of the organisations involved this year.

You may know some young people aged 13 - 19 who would like to try out a free masterclass with an expert arts practitioner.  To see what’s on offer, download the Festival Masterclasses brochure from here:  http://www.breezeleeds.org/pg/6/About_the_festival  To book a place, call (0113) 247 8305.

Finally they will be welcoming international guests from around the world on Monday 29 June. The young people are paired with local high schools, giving them the chance to work with Leeds young people on a range of activities and also learn about eachother’s lives, education and culture.

If you would like any other information about the festival, please call the BIYF Team on (0113) 247 8305 or visit the website.

If you would like to attend one of their ticketed events, please contact Ann Wishart on 0113 2478049 by Wednesday 24 June to reserve your seats.

As part of our pedestrian crossing scheme we intend to carry out works at the above location.  The works will consist of the construction of a new zebra crossing. 

The work is planned to commence on Monday 29 June 2009. The contractor’s working hours will be from 0930 to 1530 Monday to Friday and the works will be completed in approximately 2 weeks.  

Pedestrian access will be available at all times and every effort will be made to maintain access to your property throughout the working period, however there will be occasions when access by vehicle is restricted. Your co-operation in ensuring your vehicle is not parked on the carriageway during the works would be appreciated.  

We would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience and assure you that every effort will be made to keep disruption to a minimum.  If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact The Highways Helpline on [0113] 2224410.

New Generation Transport (NGT) Position Statement - Date:  May 2009

Metro and Leeds City Council are working in partnership to develop a bus-based rapid transit system for Leeds known as NGT (New Generation Transport).  The NGT scheme represents a major investment in the City of Leeds aimed at providing a high quality public transport system to support the Leeds’ economy, improve the local environment and relieve congestion.  It aims, along with other transport and public transport measures, to provide a step change in the way public transport operates within the City.

Following the cancellation of the Leeds ‘Supertram’ in November 2005 by the Secretary of State for Transport, Leeds and Metro were encouraged by the Department for Transport to consider more economical and flexible bus based systems rather than a tram network.  The NGT scheme is being developed in response to this advice.  The system would transport people into Leeds City Centre and along key radial routes.  Dedicated lanes and priority at junctions would make journeys from park and ride sites at the City’s edge and key destinations faster and more reliable.

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