Letters to the Editor

SIR - I notice that education chiefs are concerned about the level of truancy in the city's schools (T&A, November 10).

They have good cause to be concerned, because most of these children are not entirely stupid.

Children at the moment must be very confused as to what grown adults expect of them.

To use the words published we tell them that councils have the powers to impose £50 fixed penalty fines on parents who "allow" their children to truant.

Quite right, or is it?

They have also been told that they can go to hospital and have a termination of pregnancy without the need for their parents to know!

So, as the law stands, a parent could, in theory, get a £50 fixed penalty when their child goes to hospital for the day, to have an abortion, which is done without the parent's knowledge.

Has the world gone daft, or is it me.

John A Hargreaves, Cooper Lane, Bradford

Here are the facts

SIR - I was bemused by the dulcet and philanthropic tones of Mr Coote (city planner and planning consultant) extolling the virtues of development (T&A, November 5).

Perhaps I could ask if he could justify his assertions by some factual basis such as Urban Capacity Study and Environmental Impact Assessments on key sites. Hardly, since the Council didn't bother themselves.

Perhaps Mr Coote has a crystal ball, since how are we to know how many brownfield sites are available before we use finite greenbelt? Does not Mr Coote agree that sustainable housing targets can be adequately met (if not already surpassed) by using our existing urban resources?

Those unfamiliar with planning jargon will not know greenbelt, unlike brownfield, usually has no clean-up tag or indeed requires payment of VAT, very convenient for developers and planning consultants. Should a government dedicated to the preservation of greenbelt not seek to change this?

I was particularly concerned about Mr Coote's view to building under the 400 Kev electrical pylons on the Royds Hall Farm Site regarding childhood leukaemia clusters. Would he care to comment? After all he was the planner who dealt with the application in the first instance.

Michael Fitzpatrick, Fenwick Drive, Woodside, Bradford.

Well said, Chenai

SIR - I disagree with Darren Simpson (T&A, November 8).

He accuses Chenai of "painting a grim picture of Bradford", yet fails to acknowledge that, via crime and anti-social behaviour being seemingly out of control on our city streets, Bradford is painting a pretty grim picture of itself!

Unlike the sweep-it-under-the-carpet brigade, Chenai was rightly voicing her concerns for her young brother growing up on the inner-city streets of what could be any city in Britain today.

I, for one, applaud her for showing regard and for telling it as it is. Who can blame her for this and wishing to escape to a safer, better life for her beloved family and herself?

Good luck, Chenai!

James Finney, Daisy Hill Lane, Heaton.

Time for real work

SIR - What on earth is Philip Davies up to now? In the six months since his election he has called for the abolition of the Commission for Racial Equality, total withdrawal from Europe, grappled with an elderly Labour MP and now he is having a competition for the best example of Political Correctness.

The dictionary definition of Political Correctness is: "avoidance of expressions or actions that can be perceived to exclude or marginalise or insult people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against" and I for one am ashamed that the MP representing my constituency is not only belittling this but is attempting to abolish it all together.

I understand people do take things to the extreme and I am sure he will find a number of people who have little else to do but enter this ridiculous competition.

He says he is the Yorkshire spokesman for this ridiculous committee but he certainly does not speak for me, or anyone I know, so come on Mr Davies, do what you promised and look after the people of Shipley and get some real work done.

Coun Vanda Greenwood, (Lab, Windhill & Wrose), City Hall, Bradford

Make them pay...

SIR - I would like to thank the driver of the car that hit my wife's car around 5.10pm on November 8 as she drove home from work on Whetley Lane, and decided to drive off without stopping.

I have also been looking at the Court File and found if you do get caught without having any insurance you will receive a slap on the wrist with a paltry £40 fine plus costs.

When will the law protect us law-abiding citizens and fine these illegal motorists £500 and put the money into a kitty so my wife won't lose her 'no claims' bonus?

Paul Bennett, High House Avenue, Bolton Junction, Bradford.

Advice ignored

SIR - What an interesting article by Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe (T&A, November 3) regarding the resignation of David Blunkett.

In accepting that there must be transparency and accountability, he then puts forward points of sympathy in support of David Blunkett which are exactly the same reasons used to make him resign.

This Government, quite rightly, put in place regulatory committees etc, following the amount of sleaze in the previous Tory Government. However, I think that in eight years New Labour has outdone what the Tories took 18 years to do.

I agree with Gerry Sutcliffe that today there is a 24-hour news environment, Parliament lives in a goldfish bowl and that in previous years politicians would not have survived similar attention.

You would think then, Gerry, that David Blunkett would know this better than anyone, in view of his last year.

The simple answer is, that he arrogantly chose to ignore the advice he was given, showing appalling lack of judgement.

Then there was an even worse mistake by Tony Blair talking about him leaving without any stain whatsoever.

Gary Lorriman, North Walk, Harden

Hands off hunts

SIR - Hunts have pledged to go out and hunt within the law this season, to retain the infrastructure of hunts and hunting, and to show the Hunting Act will not stand the test of time.

Where possible, they are also continuing to provide an invaluable pest control service to the farming community.

The Hunting Act benefits no-one, indeed it has adverse consequences for animal welfare and is an unjustified attack on a way of life.

Animal rights extremists have stated their intention of continuing to 'sabotage' hunts. They will continue to show no respect for the law themselves, trespassing and harassing those who are going about their legal business.

In their desperation to secure a prosecution under the Hunting Act 2004, anti-hunt vigilantes - or "hunt monitors" as they call themselves - are wasting valuable police resources by making unfounded allegations against hunts.

Anti-hunting organisations and saboteurs should now stop their malicious, prejudiced attacks on the rural community, understand that hunts intend to act within the law until this ridiculous and badly-drafted legislation is overturned, and stop causing unnecessary trouble.

Richard Dodd, North of England Regional Director, Countryside Alliance.

Diana warning

SIR - I think it's time that those responsible for planning a lake near City Hall should heed what has happened to the Prince Diana Memorial Fountain and stream.

This was described recently by Edward Leigh, chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, as an 'open drain' and 'like a muddy bog'.

What makes councillors think that an ornamental lake will fare differently, especially as vast areas of our city are strewn with litter?

Catherine R Thomas, Grovelands, Bradford.