Letters to the Editor

who can continue good work in the village

SIR, - In a recent issue of their newsletter, the Chairman of the Menston Community Association anticipates the creation of a Menston Parish Council. The leading article states that the Association ".....exists as an inevitable response to the lack of a truly local representative Parish Council, which Ilkley Parish Council could never be.....".

Ilkley Parish Council has always had elected or nominated councillors from Menston who, over the years, have very ably represented the interests of the people of Menston. Further, the interests of Menston have been looked after by the Parish Council as a whole, just as the interests of the whole parish have been served by Menston Councillors.

Over recent years, Councillors from Menston have brought great experience and knowledge of local affairs to the council and have provided a total of seven chairmen of Council, Planning and finance and General Purpose committees. They have helped save several areas from development in the village and generally kept Menston green. They have had concerns with up-dating Menston Station and have had inputs into the High Royds development and many enquiries and appeals.

The existence of a Community Association is a sign that a community is developing and maturing politically as in the case of Burley. It was an initiative by the Burley Community Council which has led to the case for a split in the Parish Council with no clear case being made by Menston except of having to go along that route.

I sincerely hope that when the time comes to elect the seven councillors required for the Menston Parish Council that sufficient people come forward of the calibre of the people from Menston that I have had the privilege of working with on Ilkley Parish Council.

Brian Mann

Chairman

Ilkley Parish Council

Fact finding

SIR, - There have been several letters over the past weeks about the Burley Bridge, all of them long on opinions but short on facts. The opinions have been backed up by figures allegedly taken ballots on the subject, unfortunately none of the figures seem to agree with any other. I have lived in Burley for nearly 20 years but I can't recall ever being balloted about the bridge, and I don't even know who organised them. It would help me, and perhaps other people if the organisers of the ballots could tell us when they took place and what form they took; were they by word of mouth, by a show of hands or in written form by post? In each case can the organisers tell us how many people were balloted, how many were Burley residents and how many were outsiders: How many replies were received, how many were for and against the bridge and how many came from Burley residents? And, finally, who independently audited the results? Such figures might at least clarify part of the controversy although it may not affect the opinions.

Michael Wayte

Whitecroft

Bradford Road

Burley in Wharfedale

.

Spinning a line

SIR-, I was not surprised that the Labour letter writing team swung into action to re-write history after the last Otley Town Council meeting. What did surprise me was that their letters were so inaccurate.

'The town council is to sell Otley Civic Centre', not true. The town council does not own the Cvic Centre so could not sell it.

'The council has been prevented from discussing the Civic Centre', not true. The town council discusses the issue at almost every meeting and will continue to do so.

Rather than refute the remainder of the mis-information perhaps it would be better to say what is true.

Over the last 20 years the Labour party closed the Civic Centre, subsequently refused to maintain it and are now attempting to hide their neglect of Otley by turning this into a political issue.

At the last council meeting, when it could not get its own way, the Labour members threw a temper tantrum and stormed out of the meeting.

Coun Colin Campbell

11 Prince Henry Road

Otley

I'm no anarchist

SIR, many of your readers will know that we have recently suffered a family tragedy, and I would like to thank everyone for the kindness they have shown. I would particularly like to thank the residents of the Danefield ward, who I represent on the town council, and to assure them of my continued work on their behalf. Over the last few weeks I have obviously been 'out of action' and their understanding has been much appreciated. As a result of recent events I haven't been able to attend town council meetings and this has meant that I was not at the recent special meeting which was called at the instigation of the Labour councillors. I, indeed, was a signatory to the letter seeking a special meeting. The Civic Centre is a big issue within the town and I am amazed that Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors refused to discuss the matter, but instead hid behind a standing order to stifle proper democratic debate. What I find more appalling are the words attributed to Councillor Jim Spencer - who seems to imply that my colleagues and I are somehow a 'threat to democracy' and are a 'bunch of anarchists.' I find this statement utterly offensive and not a little distressing. I realise that, as local politicians, we can sometimes get a bit carried away, but to label fellow councillors in this way - particularly those who are trying to use the democratic process to debate issues of local concern - is totally unacceptable. For this to be uttered by the leader of the Lib Dem/Tory coalition means that Coun Spencer has diminished his standing.

Coun Neville Birch

St Clair Road

Otley.

Safety first

SIR, - With reference to Phil Gomersall's letter dated August 26, I agree entirely with his comments regarding the Green Lane/Harro-gate Road junction.

In fact, I had already discussed the junction with officers. Sadly, though, there is not enough land to provide all the signal phases necessary to upgrade the junction satisfactorily.

The issue he raises about a safe crossing point across the Harrogate Road for pedestrians using public transport is being addressed and there is a plan for a crossing to be put into place.

This should also have the benefit of reducing the speed of traffic along Harrogate Road and allowing traffic a slightly easier exit from Green Lane.

I accept these are not perfect solutions, but they are certainly better than inaction, and are the best available for the junctions given their layouts and land ownership.

Coun Ryk Downes

Liberal Democrat,

Otley and Yeadon Ward

Clean them up

SIR-, I have written and sent photographs to Leeds City Council and I have spoken with my local councillors to no avail.

Can we please have the dirty, filthy old toilets outside Yeadon Town Hall demolished and cleared away as they have been disused for some 25 years?

Can we also have the dirty filthy old stone bus shelter on the main A65 New Road at the junction of Henshaw Lane dealt with in the same way?

And the scruffy dirty open patch of ground at the junction of Harrogate Road and High Street in Yeadon needs to be tidied up and planted.

Norman Copsey

Whackhouse Lane

Yeadon.

Car park fears

SIR, - We note with great concern a report about car parking in last week's Wharfedale Observer which stated it is the intention of Leeds City Council to introduce Pay and Display to the free car park on Burras Lane. Not only will local traders suffer as people will shop in towns offering free parking, it will also also have a knock-on effect on nearby residential streets which will fill up with the cars of shoppers who are trying to avoid the 'pay' car park. We, the residents of Mount Pisgah, are already experiencing enough problems parking outside our own houses without this happening to aggravate matters further. Our visitors have to use the Burras Lane car park as there is no room to spare for any extra cars along our street. Why should they have to pay? In addition, once a week we all have to move our cars off the street to allow the large refuse wagon to enter, otherwise the refuse collectors cannot empty our dustbins, therefore we use the Burras Lane car park. The one in Westgate, near The Cross Pipes, is not an option as vehicles parked there overnight have often been vandalised. For these reasons the free parking facility at Burras Lane should remain.

Evelyn Friend (Miss)

Chairman, Mount Pisgah

Area Association,

Mount Pisgah,

Otley,

Note: Plans to change Otley's car parks are currently being considered by Leeds City Council in discussion with ward councillors and Otley Town Partnership. Nothing has been decided yet.

Browned off

SIR - Watching Gordon Brown's speech at the Labour party conference, as he ranted and raved at the audience, was reminiscent of Hitler at the Nuremberg rally. He sounded more like a dictator than a Prime Minister. It must be understood that should Labour win the next election, it is odds on that Brown will take power. Brown's reputation is based solely on economic performance. Whenever the economy does well, the Chancellor claims the credit. But when it goes wrong, world conditions are to blame. Brown's success is purely fortuitous. It is based on his willingness to appease the capitalists and revenues from North Sea oil as the price escalates. It has nothing to do with competence. As North Sea oil runs out and we become increasingly dependent on Middle East oil and more and more jobs are exported to cheap labour in Asia, we will see how good he really is. The message of Brown's speech was simple. Forget the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Forget the thousands of innocent people who were killed. Forget the lies the Government told to take us into war. Forget the genocide in Sudan. There is not profit there. The only thing that matters is free market capitalism and economics. Brown temporarily suspended his hatred of Blair in deference to their mutual ambition to get elected. Until the election is over, there is a truce. Regardless of how much he hates Blair, the last thing Brown wants it to be the leader of a party in opposition for the next five years. What the public should understand is that there is no difference between the policies of Blair and Brown. They are both Establishment capitalists. The only difference is, one has got the top job and the other one wants it. So pensioners beware. If Labour is elected, we will get the elbow, again!

Malcolm Naylor

21 Grange View

Otley