A new antisocial behaviour and noise service is being rolled out by a new partnership service between Leeds universities and Leeds City Council.
The council has reported that a unique service tackling anti-social behaviour and noise has been launched in Headingley, Hyde Park, Little Woodhouse and Burley this week.
The partnership between the council and its two biggest universities, University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University are behind the new service.
The dedicated service is a national first, and involves Leeds Beckett University and University of Leeds funding overnight patrols, seven days a week, by council response officers. The officers will work exclusively on noise and anti-social behaviour issues in inner north-west Leeds including areas that are known for having a heavy student population like Hyde Park, Headingley, Little Woodhouse and Burley.
At present, the LS6 postcode has the highest number of noise nuisance complaints in Leeds: collecting 1,892 complaints in the first half of 2021 alone.
These figures were also collected during various states of lockdown, when many students opted to stay at home and could not return to their accommodation after the Christmas holiday period until restrictions eased.
Reports of car windows being smashed, 72 hour parties and a constant stream of celebrations that eat into the early hours are just some of the issues that local residents have spoken out about.
The new officers will carry out patrols to identify and stop potential issues from escalating while also providing capacity to respond to more calls, more quickly.
The partnership is said to provide additional call-handling capacity at weekends and during peak times throughout the year, including seasons like Freshers’ week and end of assessments party periods.
The partnership is set to monitor and regularly share updates on the performance and impact of the service, and hold termly meetings with residents' association leaders as part of its plan to tackle noise and anti-social behaviour.
Hyde Park is known in Leeds as an area popular with students. / Image: Sugar House
Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said:
“While universities make an incredibly positive contribution to Leeds’ culture and economy, we also recognise that some issues can arise in all communities with a student population.
“While these issues are not unique to Leeds, our response is. The dedicated service is a national first, building on years of partnership and listening to communities.”
Despite of the new dedicated patrol service, there are no changes to how anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance are reported.
Between 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, or if you do not require an immediate response, call 0113 222 4402 or 0113 376 0337 outside of these hours (5pm - 4am).
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Huge new £15m sports hub in Holbeck to be given green light by Leeds City Council
The final go-ahead is expected to be given for work to start on a major new £15million sports hub in Holbeck.
Senior councillors are expected to give the approval next Wednesday 11 March at an executive board meeting.
An agreement will be made on a contractor to complete the work which will bring state-of-the-art sports pitches and a community space to the city.
Holbeck Sports Hub will provide three full-size artificial grass football pitches, two multi-use games areas and a building with changing rooms and a café.
Image: Supplied
Work is expected to begin in August 2026 and is set to be built at the site of the former Matthew Murray High School.
The plan is to also provide a home to a new GP surgery as well as a children’s play area and walking and running routes through the green space which sits off Brown Lane East and Ingram Road.
Image: Supplied
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “We look forward to the work starting on the Holbeck Sports Hub, which will be a significant asset to the local community and residents in south Leeds.
“It will provide affordable and accessible quality sports pitches, providing more opportunities for physical activity and play and spaces to meet up and connect.
“We are also working towards an agreement with a GP practice so that the area can benefit from new high-quality healthcare provision to meet the needs of the community.”
The programme is joint funded by the Football Foundation and Leeds City Council capital funding.
New grassroots music space aiming to make DJing and music more accessible opening in Headingley this month
Clementine Hall
A new grassroots music space is opening in Headingley with a mission to make DJing, vinyl and music culture more accessible.
Meanhood Studios, founded by long-time LS6 residents Jim and Katie Young, will combine a professional DJ rehearsal studio, record shop, performance space and tuition hub all under one roof.
Their aim is simple, "to level the playing field in a scene that has often felt exclusive and gatekept.”
Meanhood started as a guerrilla pop-up record shop in lockdown when Jim started selling records from his personal collection.
Built solely on quality and word-of-mouth reputation, the venture quickly grew into a respected local record spot known for its carefully curated vinyl selection.
Images: Supplied
Jim’s roots trace back to Manchester’s late-90s free party scene, he began DJing at 17 and from Hyde Park house parties to residencies at legendary clubs, he went on to host nights featuring artists who would later become major names in UK dance music.
Katie grew up in rural Cumbria, discovering music through pirate radio, library tapes and out-of-town raves. After moving to Leeds for university, she built a 20-year corporate career while supporting events, fly-posting for club nights and working behind the scenes.
“DJing is so much more than pushing buttons,” says Jim. “You’ve got to love it when no one’s watching. We want to share that knowledge and remove some of the barriers we experienced.”
Meanhood Studios will open on Friday 13 March and will offer access to equipment, rehearsal space, vinyl records and tuition for aspiring DJs and music lovers.
It's more important now than ever to support grassroots music venues, and we can't wait to check out this new space.
Sophie Smith -
1st March 2022 
