Letters to the Editor

"World class economy", "world class community" -- what do these terms mean?

Hitherto, if you had said the words "world class economy" to me my mind would have flitted to ... Japan, USA ... and, yes, Britain, London even -- but Keighley?

Is there a touch of pretension here? Delusions of grandeur? Or is there some realism here -- which is beyond my comprehension as a non-business person?

I can see that many firms in our area trade worldwide (well done) but is this really synonymous with the whole Aire Valley moving towards a "world class economy"?

And the term "world class community" -- I have to confess that this does not actually mean much to me at all.

I can only think of communities that have members from all over the world and operate with universal impact -- the United Nations, for example, and the International Olympic Committee.

But even here the term just does not seem to fit with itself. And whatever does it mean with regard to Keighley and the Aire Valley? And how can supermarkets make "it" happen?

I applaud all planned initiatives for economic growth for our Keighley area, and cultural and community development -- in the right way -- too.

Great, but I still cannot get my head around this "world class" bit. Put it down to my naivety. Ah well!

SYLVIA WALKER

Styveton Way, Steeton.

Sir -- Just where do they get these people from?

Aire Valley would-be saviour Michael Osbourne -- has he ever actually been to Keighley?

"Another store would be suicidal for the town". What that is saying is "more choice and competition would be suicidal for the town". Is it only me who can't see why that should be?

The only people who may get suicidal if Asda comes to town are Morrisons and Sainsbury's, I would suggest. For the rest of us it will be a refreshing change.

As for "losing a good warehouse", you need wares to fill a warehouse -- something we are lacking in the UK nowadays.

And as for the "no transport problems" -- this beggars belief!

Maybe all the much vaunted haulage companies should take their loads on the bus as well eh?

Does Mr Osbourne not know of the massive over-development that has gone on all around the edges of town?

Most of these homes have two cars, with the vast majority having to squeeze through the narrow valley bottom twice a day.

Narrowing North Street, hmmm -- that will improve traffic flow no end, I'm sure.

It's time the people in this town decided on which stores we can accept and which roads to widen/close -- instead of bringing folk in who have nothing to do with the town and haven't a clue about what's needed.

I love the suggested pedestrianising of Cavendish Street, with buses running through it. No perceived safety issues there eh!

Mike Smith,

Westburn Grove

Keighley

Sir -- So, Mr Osbourne thinks that Keighley has no transport problems. It will have if his plan to close Cavendish Street and narrow North Street go ahead.

Keighley is a cross roads, all traffic from Calderdale, Wharfedale, the Yorkshire Dales, Bradford, Bront country and Lancashire passes through.

We should be looking at ways to keep traffic flowing, not stop it up.

One simple and cheap solution would be to paint yellow boxes at the top of Lawkholme Lane and outside the library, making sure that the highway code is enforced.

This would allow traffic to turn right into Cavendish Street when the pelican crossing is in use outside Reid's bookshop, and would allow traffic to turn right towards Skipton when the lights turn green outside the college -- currently blocked by traffic passing the lights outside the library but unable to proceed due to the pelican crossing further along being at red.

I know this won't solve everything Mr Osbourne, but it might help.

Chris Bryant

Parkway,

Steeton

Sir -- I have just read on your front page, and in the editorial, the biggest hyperbole I have read since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Mr Osbourne is acting as a consultant, presumably at tax payers' expense, to deliver what he could hear from any drunk on a Saturday night in the centre of the place he thinks could be world class.

All I can say is it appears he has not travelled and his business advice comes out of a Sixties economics textbook.

Mr Osbourne, Keighley is a backwater of Bradford and, until the town becomes independent, deals with the litter, graffiti, the eyesores and pays attention to the needs of its citizens, we will continue in that situation.

So, whatever your fee, take the money and run but don't expect your words of wisdom to make a scrap of difference to our Bradford-based and biased council.

ROBERT HALLAM

Maister Place

Oakworth

SIR -- Re Mr Osbourne's front page comments KN 20/8/04.

Where does he choose his words from -- "suicidal" for Keighley if we get another supermarket?

In fact, if Asda do get the go ahead as the majority of Keighley people want, it would bring in many more outsiders to the town and benefit the town's central traders.

As to his "amazement" about transport problems, he must be an off-cum-den.Let him try to drive from Church Green to Skipton Road at any peak time then let's hear his comments.

BRIAN RODGERS

Blackhill,

Keighley

SIR -- Further to your letter of August 13, 2004, and our recent telephone conversations, please find the following revised correction for publication in the next issue of the Keighley News:

"In page 8 of the issue of Keighley News for August 13, 2004, we published a letter wrongly purporting to have been from a Mr John Bland. We would like to clarify that this letter was neither written by nor sent in for publication by Mr Bland and that this matter has now been referred to the police. The Keighley News sincerely apologises to Mr Bland and his family for the great hurt and distress caused by the publication. We are happy to put the record straight."

JOHN BLAND

Editor's note: The Keighley News is fully co-operating with the police inquiry.

SIR -- "Marauding youths" in Thwaites Brow.

With regard to Insp Tom Horner's comment in last week's KN stating that no complaints had been made in the past few weeks, I would beg to differ.

From a close source I know a young man was attacked in front of his family on Sunday, August 8. Why? He was trying to protect his vehicle from damage and his three-year-old daughter from the abusive language the three youths were using.

He received seven stitches to his head and had a blood clot removed from his ear after being hit by a plank of wood.

Perhaps Insp Tom Horner doesn't classify this as a problem since it took the police 24 hours to respond to the call.

Residents are fearful enough -- I don't think meetings are the answer -- CCTV and a higher police presence are.

J WRIGHT

Edensor Road,

Keighley

SIR -- The Keighley News has highlighted the campaign to prevent the closure of post offices which are such a vital community asset (06.08.04).

I hope that your readers in their thousands will write to their community representatives -- councillors and MPs -- to express their concern about the plans.

So where have these plans come from?

Dig back to 2000 and the Postal Services Bill, which passed through a key vote in the House of Commons on February 15.

During the debate it was made quite clear by opposition MPs that the result of this bill would be the closure of up to a third of all urban post offices.

Based on their current statements you would have expected to find our local MPs voting against the bill.

In fact, they all voted for it!

By all means let them campaign to keep our posts offices open -- we need all the help we can get -- but do not forget that it was their hypocrisy which put us in this position in the first place and which will now undermine their influence in arguing with the Post Office.

CLLR JEANETTE

SUNDERLAND

Leader of the Liberal

Democrat Group,

Bradford Council

SIR -- Keep Keighley Council independent!

We, the undersigned ward councillors of Keighley Town Council, wish to remind the people of Keighley that we all became councillors as candidates who stood independently of national party politics.

We serve the parish of Keighley as independent councillors because we feel that the politics of the national political parties have no place in local parish and town councils.

We value greatly the freedom which this independence gives us on the town council, to vote according to our conscience, in the best interests of everyone in Keighley parish.

We ask the people of Guard House Ward to allow us to keep this position of total independence, for the good of the whole town.

Cllr Shabir Ahmed

(Highfield),

Cllr Javaid Akhtar

(Lawkholme & Showfield),

Cllr Siobhan Alderson

(Long Lee & Parkwood),

Cllr Zafir Ali

(Keighley Town),

Cllr John Baxandall,

(Highfield),

Cllr Laurence Brocklesby

(Spring Gardens & Utley),

Cllr Michael Burningham

(Oakworth),

Cllr Gordon Earnshaw

(Fell Lane & Westburn),

Cllr George Edge

(Riddlesden & Stockbridge),

Cllr Bob Horrell

(Riddlesden & Stockbridge),

Cllr Brian Hudson

(Fell Lane & Westburn),

Cllr Maureen Hudson

(Bracken Bank & Ingrow),

Cllr Lionel Lockley

(Bracken Bank & Ingrow),

CIlr Glen Miller

(Spring Gardens & Utley),

Cllr Graham Mitchell

(Oakworth),

ClIr David Petyt

(Bogthorn & Exley Head),

Cllr John Philip

(Laycock & Braithwaite),

Cllr Allan Rhodes

(Oakworth),

Cllr Kathrine Roberts

(Bracken Bank & Ingrow),

Cllr Rose Thompson

(Woodhouse & Hainworth),

Cllr Andrea Walker

(Riddlesden & Stockbridge),

Cllr Mick Westerman

(Spring Gardens & Utley),

Cllr Tony Wright

(Woodhouse & Hainworth),

Cllr Amjad Zaman

(Lawkholme & Showfield),

Cllr David Miller

(Morton and Sandbeds),

Cllr Catherine Evans

(Long Lee & Parkwood).

SIR -- Re Casey's Corner.

I had my head shaved on Sunday, raising £160 for Casey's Corner.

It was fantastic to see so many people taking part, from raffle tickets and tombolas, leg and chest waxing, to eyebrow and head shaving.

Well done to the women who worked hard all afternoon waxing and shaving.

And thank my husband for his support, and especially to everybody who sponsored me.

How sad that it takes the death of a child for us all to get together to raise money for a safe place for children to play.

MARIA GRAHAM

Dawson Place,

Keighley

SIR -- The older people's charity, Counsel and Care advises more than 24,000 older people and their relatives a year on their problems with care

We are hosting a nationwide inquiry, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Trust, about the kinds of things that can help older people to stay in their own homes.

Do you know of any schemes in your area to help older people to live an active life at home and stay involved with their communities?

If so, we would be extremely grateful if you could take write and tell us all about it.

Please write to Norma Raynes, Counsel and Care, Twyman House, 16 Bonny Street, London NW1 9PG.

PROFESSOR

NORMA RAYNES