Letters to the Editor

The greedy Western economies of Europe and the US are already hugely wealthy and can easily accommodate the transfer of some commercial activity to the currently less favoured nations. By setting up operations in the "Third World", these companies are actively aiding the development of the target countries, helping them to gain the value of education investment and providing hitherto unknown levels and consistency of income to their people.

From these incomes, taxes will be taken, further helping their national infrastructure's development. This is not charity or governmental hand-outs. It is real development, soundly based on commerce, helping real people where they need it.

At a simple level in a global economy, we have two choices: we either "bring the workers to the work" or "take the work to the workers".

And in a city often struggling with the long-term consequences of the former, perhaps the latter is not, on balance, such a negative option after all?

Graham Hoyle, Kirkbourne Grove, Baildon.

SIR - I totally agree with Mr Webster (Letters, July 16) about the dearth of buses on Woodside and more especially Abb Scott Lane, the lower end of which is a bus-free zone.

This makes an unacceptable position worse. It is enough there is no bus service to the bottom end of Abb Scott Lane and Common Road; now there are fewer buses to the top part of the road.

The "getting around Bradford" map makes it quite clear the people of Abb Scott Lane are unable to get around Bradford. Yet most of the residents need a bus service as they don't have cars.

They have bus stops but no buses, so how do they get to the supermarket, to the post office or to town? They walk half a mile.

Is this acceptable or safe? Remember many are elderly or mums with young children and it's a busy road - too many cars!

WYPTE take the council subsidies to provide a service. People would use the buses instead of cars if we had reliable, realistic services, which arrived on time and went where people need to go.

Councillor Rosie Watson, Fenby Avenue, Bradford.

SIR - We are the parents of an 11-year-old autistic boy and have been fighting for a place for him at Haycliffe Special School for the last year.

We are told the school is full and there is a waiting list of other children whose parents desperately want them educated at Haycliffe.

Having visited many mainstream and special upper schools in Bradford, Haycliffe shone out as being the only school which could meet our son's needs. It is a vibrant, caring community led by a dynamic head teacher and staffed by dedicated professionals.

The school's involvement in the arts and sport are a definite strength and the achievements of the students are evident from the impressive array of trophies, medals and certificates in the entrance hall.

Above all, the students at Haycliffe are happy and confident with high levels of self-esteem.

Why Education Bradford wishes to close such an exceptional and oversubscribed school is beyond comprehension. If the LEA's plans go ahead, only children with severe learning disabilities will be educated in the proposed new special schools. The children with moderate learning disabilities (MLD) will be placed in mainstream schools, and this will be disastrous as many of the MLD children currently in special schools are there because they have had horrendous experiences in mainstream schools.

Liz Davies (teacher) and Kevin Davies, Pinebury Drive, Queensbury.

SIR - As chairman of Governors for Brackenhill Primary School, I am most concerned at the freeze in the educational psychology service.

Mark Pattison states that "as the number of statements come down, the need for assessments which are the role of educational psychologists will reduce."

I have to point out that statementing is a function of administering the funding for children with special psychological needs, and that changing the way the funding is "divvied up" does not make any difference to the number of children needing help in this area.

Brackenhill School prides itself on working with children with behavioural/psychological difficulties, to keep them in schooling and help them to progress.

None of this is possible without the help of the professionals employed by Education Bradford, and I have serious concerns that a reduction in the service offered to schools will lead to a reduction in the quality of support we are able to offer to our pupils.

Helen Clipsom, Stoneleigh, Queensbury.

SIR - Brian Holmans (T&A, July 17) and John Hall (T&A, July 9) both failed to answer my simple questions about the EU and the euro.

Mr Hall didn't answer my question about sovereignty but did assert that "sovereignty... is irrelevant to currency". If that's true, why aren't the Commonwealth nations still using the pound Sterling?

He dismissed my question about freedom of labour movement in the euro-zone by saying it doesn't exist even though it is necessary "according to some textbooks".

Mr Holmans didn't answer my questions either, but said that an EU superstate of "350 million people would be in a position to impose a settlement" on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.

Having been in El Khudz/old Jerusalem on the day the second Intifada began and seen a tragedy unfold, I wish that he was right.

He said that the US 'Road Map' will be undermined by the suspicion that the Bush "administration favours Israel". Does he really believe that the EU he describes as "giving financial assistance to the Palestinians" will be seen as an honest broker by the Israelis? Finally, does he really believe that the best way to secure a free Palestine is to abolish the free United Kingdom?

Councillor Colin Gill (Conservative, Bingley), Crownest Lane, Bingley.

SIR - Conservative MP Henry Bellingham has dared to voice the opinions of the general public and has been discussing with Tony Martin ways of bringing about a law change.

Turning the page we have the headline "Boy badly injured in stolen car crash," and I said to myself: they ask for all they get.

My sympathy has long gone for these morons who do not fit into society and are prepared to "shoot themselves in the foot."

However, the police and authorities are turning a blind eye to the source of the problem when the law-abiding public are having to protect themselves, and become criminals, as well, in the eyes of the law.

Susan Ratcliffe, Middle Lane, Clayton.

SIR - It is regrettable that you expose the likes of Alan Gleeson to ridicule by publishing letters that clearly show they are blinded to reality by their faith (Letters, July 22). My entire point was that just as religion has no place in the English State it has no place in the state church which should concentrate on the vapid ceremony it does so well and leave dogma to the happy clappies.

David Simpson, Hirst Avenue, Heckmondwike

SIR - I am not surprised by the amount of rubbish on the streets of Bradford. Since the Council introduced charges for collection of domestic waste, wood, kitchen units (the list seems endless) more and more people will look for the cheap solution, dumping it on the streets.

When people do put rubbish out, it sits in the garden, and can take quite a while before workmen can come round to pick it up. This is obviously a fire hazard, and if it is windy, rubbish gets strewn around.

The problem is partly due to businesses and residents not being tidy, but some of the blame should be apportioned to the Council. Drop your charges, and work together with people for a cleaner environment.

A Khan, Little Horton Lane, Bradford.

Richard Wixey, Bradford Council's Director of Environmental Protection and Waste Management, said: "The Council's cleansing team are collecting more and more litter. Last year we picked up 13,300 tonnes from the district's streets, 21 per cent more than the previous year.

"We recently introduced a double shift for street cleaners to ensure the streets are swept from dawn until dusk and have extended weekend and evening cover to help us keep on top of the rubbish hot spots.

"The Council runs a bulk refuse collection service and last year it made 28,200 collections. Residents can use the service free of charge four times a year and have up to five large items such as sofas or ten bin bags removed.

"There is an average charge of about £30 for taking away fitted kitchen units and bathrooms. Residents should use this service or hire a skip to dispose of their waste properly.

"Residents and traders should act responsibly when getting rid of their rubbish and help us make Bradford a cleaner place in which to live and work. Dumping rubbish on the streets is unsightly and causes problems for local communities and we would ask people to report any incidents to the Cleansing Department on 01274 431000."