Letters to the Editor

Clock to be questioned

SIR, - .As I read with dismay the placards around the town proclaiming the cost of the repairs to the clock (£100,000 plus), I wonder who these people are who arrive at such figures one or two things stand out to me.

Why was the iron bonnet not removed to the ground and taken for repair months ago when the faults first became apparent.

Many years ago I helped with a repair to the clock and, if my memory serves, the iron work is bolted on. The cost of weeks of scaffold hire would be saved as this then could have been removed.

It would be interesting to find the cost of the scaffold hire after this amount of time. As for the condition of the stone work, this town is blessed with many very capable stonemasons and the two I have spoken to are absolutely amazed at the statements coming out by people who have no idea of stone structures and say it seems to require very little work.

So much money is wasted on reports and paperwork. I remember when Otley had an engineer who would get off his bottom and get up there and sort it out.

Iinstead we have a eyesore in the middle of the town and at the beginning of the summer - this a town that so wants visitors.What kind of messaged does this send? So instead of arguing who owns the clock and whose responsibility it is just get on with it or get a local firm to sort it as I understand none has been asked.

I bet there are many skilled men in this town glad of the chance to repair it - but I bet they don't get a look in.

H M Charnley

45 Newall Close,

Otley.

Tarn plea

SIR, - I read with interest that Leeds City Council has spent a considerable amount of money to improve facilities in Roundhay Park.

Yeadon Tarn used to be kept up to standard by the old Aireborough Urban District Council, but since becoming part of Leeds City Council, some 30 years ago, facilities have been allowed to deteriorate.

There used to be several shelters surrounding the tarn which became dilapidated, and, rather than repair them, they were demolished.

In order to pacify the natives, these were replaced by a bandstand, which is big enough to hold a quartet but nothing larger, and as far as I am aware has never been used.

The banks of the tarn have been eroding for years, the footpath is now full of pot-holes and water, which used to drain under the footpath into the tarn, now flows over it and wellies are required.

About three years ago, a council employee painted a series of numbers on the footpath around the dam, which led the locals to think that something was about to be done. We have waited that long that these numbers are now eroding away and require repainting.

The problem now is that boundary changes have linked Yeadon with Otley, and if any money is allocated to repaint the numbers around the tarn, they will probably appear in Otley market place.

I sometimes think that Leeds City Council would be quite happy if the plug was pulled out of Yeadon dam.

C M Harper

Banksfield Avenue,

Yeadon.

That clock...

SIR, - If a tile were to slip from my roof I would employ a roofer to effect a repair. If he were to find other tiles which were in imminent danger of falling, I would ask him to fix them also.

He, being an astute businessman, might suggest that whilst he was about it, he could, at a price, replace the whole roof, an offer which I would refuse because I could not afford it.

I am not alone in this, the majority of responsible people would take the same attitude. It is called 'living within one's budget'.

This is a concept which appears to be completely alien to the members of Otley Town Council. In my opinion they seem to be suffering from some sort of collective madness to even consider spending £100,000 which they don't possess on the repair of the Jubilee Clock, though I suppose it's easy to spend money when it isn't your own pocket from which it comes.

For that amount of cash, they could buy every citizen of Otley a watch and get change! They should act in the manner I would use with my roof, namely make only those pressing repairs necessary to keep the clock working safely and start saving for a thorough repair job sometime in the future.

Of course, there are some dishonest people who, faced with the roof problem described above, would wait till the autumn gales came along when they would pull tiles from the roof in the hope of getting a new roof paid for by the Insurers. Now if it could be arranged for a council lorry to reverse into the clock.....

Vic Heffer

18 St David's Road,

Otley.

£5,000 raised

SIR, - On behalf of Redeem, the mobile phone and printer cartridge recycling company, I would like to say a heartfelt 'thank you' to everyone who has given their support to our recent Tsunami Recycling Appeal.

Your readers have helped us to raise more than £5,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee's Tsunami Earthquake Appeal. Those who donated were one of more than 100 companies and more than 1,900 individuals who helped out the appeal.

We asked the public to send us their old mobile phones and empty printer cartridges to be recycled - and in return we pledged to give money to the DEC. We are delighted with the response so far, with our total currently standing at £4,300 - and as a company deeply committed to its charity work, we have contributed a further £700.

This money will go to areas affected by the disaster via the DEC's member agencies, with the DEC ensuring it reaches those who need it most.

The Disasters Emergency Committee is appealing for outstanding donations to be banked, so if you requested a freepost bag to donate a mobile or cartridge, please endeavour to return it as soon as possible.

Although the Tsunami Recycling Appeal is coming to a close, there's still plenty of opportunity to help charity and the environment through recycling. Why not recycle to raise funds for one of our other partner charities?

Many of the UK's charities felt an impact on their funds when public attention was diverted to the tsunami disaster - so now's your chance to help them out.

Our partners include Marie Curie Cancer Care, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Children's Hospice Association Scotland, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, Northern Ireland Hospice Care and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

All you have to do is visit www.recyclingappeal.com and choose a charity, or call 08712 50 50 50.

Rob Morton

Corporate Responsibility

Executive,

Redeem Plc .