Your Leeds local election 2018 A to Z: Burmantofts and Richmond Hill

THE CANDIDATESGrahame, Ron - Labour Party Hollingsworth, David Ewan - Liberal Democrats Holloran, Geoff - East Leeds Independents Party Khan, Asghar - Labour Party Lord, Peter - Conservative Party Marchant, Paul Richard - Green Party Passingham, Alexander John - Conservative Party Ragan, Denise - Labour Party Rogers, Robin Michael - Conservative Party
By The Newsroom
Published 1st May 2018, 16:39 BST
Updated 1st May 2018, 16:41 BST
Rushbond submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council to transform the listed York Road Library in Richmond Hill, Leeds, into a gym. Pic: GoogleRushbond submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council to transform the listed York Road Library in Richmond Hill, Leeds, into a gym. Pic: Google
Rushbond submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council to transform the listed York Road Library in Richmond Hill, Leeds, into a gym. Pic: Google

Burmantofts and Richmond Hill - key issues and numbers

The Burmantofts and Richmond Hill ward straddles much of east Leeds as well as the outer city centre.

It incorporates clusters of some of the most economically deprived neighbourhoods in the city, including the Lincoln Green estate, which is 85 per cent council tenanted.

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According to official figures, four in every five people in the ward live in poverty. Average house prices are the lowest in the city.

Burmantofts and Richmond Hill is one of the city’s most diverse areas. Almost 40 per cent of residents are from BME backgrounds, and are concentrated mostly in Burmantofts. On the other side of York Road, one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares, is Richmond Hill, which is predominantly white working class.

Quality of housing - both private and social - is a dominant concern for most voters, with environmental/cleanliness issues a close second.

But another big bugbear is the rise of anti social behaviour.

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Many voters feel that there is a lack of youth services, and reports of bad behaviour are a regular occurrence, according to those on the campaign trail.

Despite the ward’s inner city credentials, there is some trailblazing work happening. Financial poverty often leads to fuel poverty, but the ward is to be one of the key beneficiaries of a new District Heating Scheme which will see almost 2,000 council homes powered with hot water produced at the Cross Green incinerator (known as the RERF) via a network of underground pipes extending several miles.

The network will cover 31 tower blocks.

Other recent innovations have included a much needed play area in East End Park and plans to turn the closed-down library in York Road into a gym finally coming to fruition.

As well as financial deprivation, the area suffers from health inequalities.

People in the area live, on average, 10 years less than those in more affluent parts of the city.

What will win your votes in Burmantofts and Richmond Hill? Email [email protected].

Related topics:Conservative PartyLeeds