Your Leeds local election 2018 A to Z: Kippax & Methley

THE CANDIDATESBrown, Dylan - Green Party Calvert, Chris - Conservative Party Fawcett, Nicholas Peter Philip - Conservative Party Galdas, Mitchell - Liberal Democrats Harland, Mary Elizabeth - Labour Party Lewis, James - Labour Party Shippey, Sheila '¨- UK Independence Party Smith, Tina Janette - UK Independence Party Spivey, Paul Anthony - UK Independence Party Wakefield, Keith Ivor - Labour Party Wheldon, Tess - Conservative Party

KIPPAX & METHLEY - KEY ISSUES AND NUMBERS

Kippax and Methley ward sits in the outer east area of Leeds and includes Allerton Bywater, Ledsham, Ledston, Micklefield and Mickletown within its expansive boundaries.

The ward is the third largest (by area) but the seventh the least populated of the 33 electoral wards in Leeds.

The population density is just five people per hectare, according to an official ward profile prepared in Autumn 2017.

The estimated population is 20,800, with that being made up of 9,800 individual households.

The life expectancy is 81, and the average age in the ward is 40.7.

Housing shortage is the really big issue, with one resident telling the YEP that “kids can’t get a house and lots are sleeping on their parents’ sofas”.

Lack of affordable housing is especially acutely felt in the area.

Despite this, the backlash against housing development on the green belt is as strong as in other parts of the city, where village identities are vital to locals .The ward is getting a significant amount of housing earmarked as part of the Site Allocations Plan,

It’s not just about housing though. The closure of the decades-old Radshan GP surgery, run by a couple well known in the community, has left a real hole in health provision, one candidate on the campaign trail told the YEP.

It was initially taken over by a multi-national private practice, but struggled to recruit GPs. A petition was run to save the surgery - which ran from a converted big house - but its future remains in doubt and the YEP earlier reported that it could close by the end of this month.

The turbulent period of change has left a lot of local people displaced, it is claimed, with many elderly patients with a variety of health problems having to travel to other surgeries. They are often relying on bus links to get there, but these are considered inadequate anyway, with some services running just once an hour.

> What else matters to voters in Kippax and Methley? Email [email protected].