Letters to the Editor

The park has been a conservation area for many years and this monument is enjoyed by many people every day.

We couldn't agree more with Malcolm Hanson that the fountain is in need of a bit of restoration, but we must add that the fountain has been in this condition for at least twenty years.

Unfortunately Devonshire Park has already lost its toilets, paddling pools, tennis courts and rose beds, and we don't want to see it lose its centre piece.

The Victorian Promenade in the park was recently renovated -- funded by the Highfield SRB. The large collection of mature trees from around the world is exceptional and we would recommend any members of the public to come and enjoy our beautiful park and visit our local treasure, the fountain.

Feel free to commission a new sculpture for your new urban space in Church Green, but hands off our fountain!

DINAH and STEVE MACKAY

Laurel Crescent, Keighley

SIR - Arguments re whether A-levels are getting easier or students working harder seem very much to be prompted by a deep underlying grudge older generations have against the students of today, that the latter are getting results just as good, if not a lot better, than they.

This when, allegedly, they are not half as smart, intelligent or hard working as themselves. And it is not beyond possibility that this self-perpetuating grudge would go on to the end of time no matter whatever form in which an exam may appear.

That results are getting better ought to be a matter of great rejoicing and in this respect one must not confuse cause with effect. It means that there's been a progressive evolution and improvement in the standards of instruction with greater emphasis on the characteristics of the learner to absorb, retain and present work in a clear and intelligible way.

In my book it's bouquets all round and thanks to the "hard work" of all concerned to have made things "easier" for themselves. You can't have one without the other.

BRENDAN C MURRAY

Aireworth Grove,

Stockbridge, Keighley

SIR - I wonder if the MP for Shipley would care to address his remarks, about A Levels being "a joke", personally to the justifiably proud teenagers (and their parents and teachers) featured on the same front page.

If he did I would hope he'd offer his professional credentials for the criticism. For what they're worth, here are my own: twenty five years as a secondary teacher and fifteen as an examiner. It isn't the A Levels that form the joke but rather Mr Davies's apparent inexperience in educational matters.

This year's candidates will have taken their preparation very seriously, as will their teachers and the exam boards, and to implicitly denigrate their successes is unworthy of an MP. It's like congratulating a goal (sorry, try!) scorer, and adding "well, the opposition weren't up to much".

I'd need an essay - length space to be able to fully educate Mr Davies on exams, so here can only tell him I've watched standards among the top 25-30 per cent rise inexorably, with the candidates being rewarded appropriately.

That's "standards", as well as "results". It is the bottom and middle order that should give us cause for concern. Far too many pupils still cannot write proper sentences or do extended thinking, while the average ones generally work hard but often struggle in the exam to use sophisticated language acquired from prepared answers off the Internet, but which they don't really understand. While the success stories make the headlines, it is the comparative "failures", because of prevailing lifestyles and attitudes, that get swept under the carpet.

The equivalent generation of today's brilliant youngsters forty years ago would have struggled with the concepts today's candidates handle with aplomb. I ought to know, because I was one of them.

Bob Ford

Exley Grove

Keighley

SIR - I was very sorry to read the comments made by Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, on the front page of the Keighley News.

I was sorry for the students who would be looking in the same paper to see the results they and their compatriots had achieved in the A-Level results section. How demoralised they must feel that their efforts to achieve their best are belittled in this way.

I speak from personal experience. My daughter left primary school at 11 -- she was covering work in science and geography then that I myself didn't cover until I was 13. I pick these two subjects because I can remember what I covered at that age, but I am sure that other subjects would be just the same. This acceleration of work has continued and she is now in her second year of study and will be taking her GCSEs at the end of this next school year.

These students are much more focused than I and my compatriots were at school, they work so hard and I have no doubt that it is this which is paying off.

Mr Davies has a child who I believe is only two at the moment and will therefore not even have started school yet. He will perhaps have more personal experience when this happens. I suppose if the figures rise year on year, and you have no personal experience , you might come to the conclusion that exams are getting easier, but a brief look at an English Literature examination paper would certainly change your mind.

These are bright kids who are working so hard to achieve. The comments Mr Davies makes are not I think true, they are not helpful and they are short-sighted, since these bright achievers of A-Levels in his Shipley constituency will surely think twice about voting for him in the next election, when he defends his newly acquired first Governmental seat.

Tina Matthews

Glenhurst Avenue

Keighley

SIR - I refer to last week's headline 'Tory says A-levels are a joke' alongside the photo of Katie Gledhill and Rachel Patti delighted at their success at 'A' level. What a strange way to celebrate the brilliance of these two young people.

I realise the headline was not intended to put down the incredible achievements of these two, and that the arguments for and against the present worth of A Levels will continue, but perhaps the article would have been more appropriate placed well away from a photo representing such excellence.

Congratulations to Katie and Rachel. You are a credit to your school and I'm sure the whole of Keighley is proud of you.

SANDRA McLEAN

Westfield Crescent,

Riddlesden.

Editor's note: These are just a selection of letters sent on the subject

SIR - Does this all make sense?

People are being urged to come forward with information about drug dealing. Police issued the plea this week. "Their calls are invaluable in helping us build up the information we need to make arrests," they say.

Meanwhile, a number of residents from the Howden Road area of Silsden descended on the council meeting last week to ask for help! Despite numerous 999 calls and providing names, car registrations and photographs of suspected drug dealers to the police, the residents were frustrated at the apparent lack of action taken.

Furthermore, a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "In terms of drug taking in Silsden, we have no evidence that it is on the increase, or that there is a particular problem with drugs misuse!"

Now, the chief of West Yorkshire Police has been invited by Silsden councillors to a town meeting in a bid to curb an escalating drugs problem!

We -- "the people" -- are accused of being apathetic about public affairs - what else can we be when fed such confusing information?

K SWEETING

Skipton Road, Silsden

SIR - I am deeply disappointed by Mr Samuels' attack on Keighley Town Council.

Every town councillor and the staff are working hard for the good of the local community. This is a slur on all that good work.

His suggestion that democracy has become corrupted baffles me. The Asda issue (for one) was debated fully in the town council and all items are properly raised through the agenda system and all meetings are publicised.

The only meetings where press were excluded have involved the privacy aspect of staffing issues.

Meetings in which I have excluded David (and others) include those with estate agents with a view to advancing proposals on town centre properties; meetings with KN staff regarding involvement in the "We're backing Keighley" campaign, and meetings with council staff over a number of issues.

Other councillors also attend site visits and liaise with police, planners, etc. (to which Mr Samuels does not get invited). If issues arise from such meetings then they are brought to the council or its committees - which are in the public domain.

Mr Samuels, if you had stuck around as a councillor for more than a few weeks then you would have learned more about the workings of councils.

I believe that your motives are driven by sour grapes because some councillors took objection to your audio recording without permission. I asked you to request permission to make recordings for personal use. I too was a founding member of Aire-Worth. It was created because Bradford was failing Keighley and events still fail us.

The District continues to ignore the needs of Keighley and prefers instead to spend money elsewhere.

We have a perception that we are still not getting our fair share.

In a period which saw the global terror threat get closer to home, a police station closure and a threat to Airedale Hospital, you choose to whinge with petty generalisations which are without foundation.

David, if you have come out of letter-writing retirement get your pen into some real issues!

Town Mayor

CLLR TONY WRIGHT

SIR _ My mother Mrs Sarah Alice Lee (nee Heaps) is looking for old friends from Keighley.

She lived in the Utley area and attended Sun Street Mission. My mother will be 99 years old on September 19, and has lived for the past two years in Neville House, Gargrave, near Skipton, where she is very fit and happily settled.

She would be thrilled to hear from anyone who remembers her, especially her close friends Mary Knowles, Albert Hefner and Arthur Boreham.

Mum reads the Keighley News every week (without glasses) and is looking forward to seeing her letter.

Norma Ham

Sandholme Close

Giggleswick

Nr. Settle

BD24 0AF

01729 823186

SIR - I would like the opportunity to respond on behalf of Bradford Council about the criticisms made about missed recycling dates in the Keighley News last week.

The Council has changed the recycling collection dates in some areas of the district due to route changes. All households affected by these changes were informed about this change by leaflets delivered to their homes.

It appears that the resident may not have received the leaflet, or may have misplaced the leaflet explaining the change. We have arranged for leaflets to be distributed again to this area of Riddlesden to ensure everyone is aware of the new dates.

The next collection date is today, August 26. If a householder needs their paper bin emptying before the due date, they should call 01274 431000. We apologise if the change in dates has caused any inconvenience to residents, but we have made every effort to communicate this information to households.

Richard Wixey,

Director of Environmental

Services, Bradford Council.