Players in housing game have failed

I have to start with the naming of the participating players in this sorry situation and the respective responsibilities of these players.

Player number one, the planning applicant Persimmon Homes. Responsibility is to make as much profit for their shareholders as possible. They have no other responsibility.

Player number two, the planning authority. Responsibility to protect the area from inappropriate development which covers both style and density of housing, and generally to protect we the residents, 'their employers', from the desires of avaricious developers.

Player number three, local council representatives and planning committee members. Responsibility is to ensure that concerns raised by us the residents are given more consideration and, more importantly, that they themselves have sufficient power to influence planning committee members the majority of whom do not come from within the area and cannot possibly have sufficient local knowledge to judge these situations in the best interests of the local community.

Player number four. We the people. Responsibility to try to ensure that when an inappropriate development is proposed, that it is rejected and for us to try to ensure that reason prevails.

The players that failed in this Back Lane planning were players two and three and the planners failed dismally in all areas. There were many reasons why consent should not have been recommended.

The council representatives had, in fact, already failed together with all other councillors in not ensuring that there was sufficient democracy in the council to ensure that local councillors had far more say in their respective constituencies regarding local matters, especially in planning of housing which is such a permanent thing, as housing once built is there for 100 years plus.

The planning committee is only too accommodating of the planners and I am sure they are not given enough time to consider the plans individually. But only they can insist on this situation being changed and not put so much reliance on the so-called planning professionals. And we all read daily of the shortcomings of professionals in all areas of our society.

Our MP, Paul Truswell, is at the present time pursuing in Parliament the possibility of getting changes made to planning laws to enable we the people to have more say in planning matters and to enable us to appeal where necessary.

D Conlon

23 Back Lane,

Guiseley.

SIR, - Otley All Saints Junior School Parents' Action Group has closely followed the recent correspondence in the press, as well as the coverage on radio, concerning the policies of Education Leeds. We note with interest what chairman Peter Ridsdale had to say.

We are heartened, and not at all surprised, by the critical responses submitted by a wide cross-section of the general public. These responses express a deep concern, and echo the issues that the Parents' Action Group has consistently felt since the start of the schools reorganisation process in Otley.

In Otley, we have now lost the school in the centre of our community (All Saints Junior School). This was a school that not only served to teach the 'three Rs' Harold Best MP wrote about in the press on February 11, but also provided a home to a number of clubs and societies which served to enrich not just our children's lives, but those of the whole community.

We now find, as predicted, that legal timetables are being squeezed, and decisions are still being rushed through in order to fulfil Education Leeds' planning timetable of schools reorganisation in Otley. Does Peter Ridsdale's 'trust' then mean passing the law by? Surely not!

Changes in education should be fair to all and be seen to be fair to all, particularly to our children. Democracy depends on this 'trusted' assumption.

Have the decisions for Otley been a mere rubber-stamping of prior decisions by the LEA - if so, is this not deeply unattractive, and can this possibly have been the intention of Parliament or, indeed, of Otley town councillors?

PARENTS ACTION GROUP

All Saints Junior School,

Otley.

SIR - Those who fear being flooded at home by the River Wharfe, especially in Otley, should urge action to reduce the danger.

The action needed is quite simple - lower the height of the weir at the paper mill in Otley. Any reduction, even say 30cm (12ins) would drop the river level by the same amount, from no-flow to storm flow peak, with obvious benefit to those most at risk - the households of Bridge Avenue and Farnley Lane.

It would also reduce the 'dam' effect of the road bridge at high flow rates, which causes the level upstream of the bridge to rise even more, leading to floodwater going round the old cattle mart and blocking road access to and from the town. Obviously, the weir could be lowered by more than 30cm, with corresponding benefit to Otley residents - and probably complaints from strollers in Wharfemeadows Park, anglers, swimmers and perhaps, the papermill.

H F Amende (Mr)

Bridge Avenue

Otley.

SIR, - The next time your correspondent, F Dickinson, (aficionado of opinion polls) sarcastically says we are 'all out of step' to dismiss criticism of Tory Labour, he should reflect on the following:

An opinion poll in the Sunday Times, revealed that New Labour is considered more sleazy than the Conservatives. Quite a feat when one remembers this was the party which promised to 'raise standards in public life'.

But like all Tory Labour promises, this was just electioneering propaganda. The poll showed that 60 per cent of people now considered New Labour sleazy compared with 41 per cent for the Conservatives. It also showed that 79 per cent think Blair gives 'special' help to businesses which are donors to the Labour Party. What does F Dickinson think of that?

F Dickinson should also reflect, that, Blair himself, takes no notice of opinion polls when it conflicts with his Tory agenda. This was shown recently when the BBC ran a day investigating the state of the NHS.

Blair's response to a poll giving a massive majority supporting free long-term care for the elderly was dismisses as "I do not consider this would be the best use of money." Note that 'I' is more important than the 'we'. Once again this demonstrates Blair's arrogance and contempt for democracy.

Blair's priorities are to employ an army of spin doctors at an annual cost to the taxpayer of £4 million. He also prioritises funding a private RAF aircraft to ferry him around the world at an annual cost of £250,000, a new nursery at No. 10 and killing innocent people in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yes indeed, Blair and his cronies can put OUR money to better use.!

The next time F Dickinson uses we 'are all out of step' to describe supporters of Labour Tory policies, he will be right. He also should remember, that the 77 per cent of the electorate who did not vote Labour, are according to him, 'out of step".

Mr M Naylor

21 Grange View,

Otley.

SIR, - Shipmates who served in the Daring class destroyer HMS Dainty at any time from 1953 to 1970 are being sought by an association that represents their varied interests.

There are known to be a number who lived in the circulation area covered by Wharfedale Observer during their period of service, and who have not yet made contact.

A reunion for all who served in this proud ship, and which will include survivors from the previous Dainty which was sunk by enemy bombers while leaving Tobruk in 1941, will be held in October this year.

Anyone interested, or who would like to make contact with former shipmates, is invited to get in touch with myself as the organiser for details at the address below or ring me on (01243) 265901. My e-mail address is peter@seawyvern.fsnet.co.uk

PETER J HILLMAN

15 East Mead,

Pagham,

Bognor Regis PO21 4QT.

SIR, - On behalf of Otley North West Tenants and Residents Association, I am writing to express our thanks to Councillor Phil Coyne for the funding we received from him which has enabled us to regenerate a rundown area of land on Weston Ridge where it adjoins Wilkinson Way.

With the money received from Coun Coyne we were able to buy some good quality shrubs and two rowan trees.

Our thanks are also due to Otley Parks Division for their help and suggestions as to what to plant in such an area, and for their work in preparing the bed and undertaking the planting.

Betty Bevan

Otley North West Tenants

and Residents Association,

4 Wilkinson Way,

Otley.

SIR, -When we hear the Tories complain about the railways, we will remember, I'm sure, former Prime Minister John Major and his cronies gushing about the 'benefits' of a privatised rail system.

But what did it become? A giant gravy train, dividends to shareholders before fixing the tracks - all funded by the taxpayer, not investors.

No, the Tory argument doesn't hold up what with shoddy track, infrastructure, signals, all worse since privatisation. The horses plus the stable door left long before Labour tried to close it.

F Dickinson

Larkfield Road,

Rawdon.

SIR - May I, through your paper, thank all the cast of Aireborough Gilbert and Sullivan Society for their performance of 'The Pirates of Penzance'.

The West Yorkshire Orchestra played brilliantly without drowning any one's voice. The ice cream was nice too!

Elsie K Hudson

Hawthorn Avenue,

Yeadon.