SIR - The next most discussed subject to the Iraqi situation and its myriad consequences is the £1 billion costs to the British tax payer of economic migrants (or asylum seekers).

One migrant can cost twice as much in housing and living expenses as a British single pensioner who has paid into the system for 51 years after leaving school at 14.

My solution is that all migrants would have to repay their living and housing costs as soon as they start working. A British family with children at university have to repay student loans as soon as they start earning more than £10,000 a year.

If we British have to repay costs to the state, why not migrants, especially as they have contributed nothing beforehand?

They would keep their pride and there would be less animosity towards them.

If readers agree, they should write to their MP. Nothing will be done otherwise.

Bryan Russell, Heaton Crescent, Baildon.

SIR - In response to a letter by J P Townsend headed "What about me?" (February 20), I live in a Grade II listed building, listed for the good of the community so I am told (just like all the properties having £4,000 spent on them as we are told are good for the community).

These buildings are private properties, but public money is being spent.

I recently applied for grants to repair a roof. I was told by the Council that there was no grant money for the 6,000 listed buildings in Bradford, except for Saltaire Village, as it would be too expensive.

If this is the case, why are these private properties having all this money spent and are not even graded, when 6,000 listed buildings have no right to grants?

M S Tate, Carr Bottom Road, Greengates.

SIR - I am disappointed that a journalist with the expertise and knowledge of Jim Greenhalf should produce such a shallow and one-sided article on Council Tax ("Is Council villain or victim as it grabs more of your cash?", T&A, February 21).

The article pandered to every populist prejudice, and failed completely to discuss where the money goes, or even the case for locally-raised, and spent, taxes against centrally-raised taxes distributed from the centre.

Instead it gave a brief mention of the bin-emptying service but ignored other services such as libraries, parks, museums and a whole host of other services.

Councillor Mark Blackburn (Shipley East), West Royd Drive, Shipley.

SIR - Come on Bradford Council, start making some good decisions.

Bradford and its environs used to be a city of which we could be proud. Now it is renowned for its litter, vandalism and bad community spirit. We need to pull together.

Leave Bingley Jubilee Gardens alone! Do not destroy what is Bingley's one bright spot.

If you have money to spare, why not spend it on more CCTVs in vulnerable areas and let the police catch the vandals, instead of contemplating changing what is already good.

R Tetlow, Fairy Dell, Cottingley.

SIR - At long last finance has become available for Undercliffe. It has taken the best part of 16 years to my knowledge for the North Area Panel to grab it.

I and the residents of this little village are truly grateful that at last improvements to the roads are in the pipeline and we do hope we will see them come to fruition this year.

When it is all complete perhaps we will put the flags out in honour of the Council and have an opening day. It certainly deserves recognition after this lengthy wait.

PS: Thanks to Councillor Middleton for his comments.

Barbara J Rudd, Roger Court, Undercliffe.

SIR - Further to your report of February 13, I welcome news that the Council is taking action to ensure that the cycleway is to be completed along the former Spen Valley railway line by applying for a compulsory purchase order to buy land situated on the former Transperience site.

However it is not clear whether the Council will merely acquire a sufficient width of land to accommodate a cycleway or the necessary width to protect the existing rail alignment.

It is important that the Council acquires sufficient land to protect the existing alignment so that in the future rail services can be restored on the Spen Valley line.

As the M62 and M1 motorways are experiencing heavy congestion, a restoration of the Spen Valley line would provide an alternative mode of transport to the private car, in the process reducing traffic volumes and pollution.

Alec Suchi, (secretary, Bradford Rail Users' Group), Allerton Road, Allerton.

SIR - Mr Ken Kennedy, one of the organisers of the Bradford Beer Festival, says that about 50 pubs in the district had closed in recent years. Has he not noticed that the city has a large growing Muslim population whose religion prohibits the consumption of alcohol?

Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire.

SIR - Was it not Confucius who said "he who first resorts to violence has lost the argument"?

The violence of Graham Hill's attack on me (T&A Letters, February 21) suggests he has some doubts about university funding.

He has not explained why it can be a basic human right to expect the vast majority of tax-paying wage slaves to pay for the further education of an allegedly intellectually-superior minority.

I suggest that Mr Hill re-reads the proposals where he will discover that graduates will not be required to start paying for their tuition until they are earning well above the average wage.

Thus - and much to my disgust - individuals who study academically-stimulating but commercially-useless trivia could pile up their degrees and never be made to pay a penny.

Brian Holmans, Langley Road, Bingley.

l EDITOR'S NOTE: This exchange is now closed.

SIR - On Friday evening at Meadowcroft Nursing Home, West Bowling, the staff, residents and their families celebrated 30 years of caring even with the pending sale of services hanging over their heads.

It was amazing! The staff were full of hope and the residents all had a wonderful time. There was entertainment and a DJ, dancing, singing, music and for the first time in a long while...laughter!

I feel that it is a real shame that Meadowcroft is to be sold off to the private sector and I have never seen such commitment and loyalty by such a caring team of people as I have done over the past few months from the staff in all of these homes that have been involved in these campaigns.

Bradford councillors are making one of the biggest mistakes they will ever make by continuing with these changes.

Sarah Firth, Mount Pleasant, Buttershaw.

SIR - In the T&A it was stated that five new children's homes are to be built across the district. Where have they got the money from?

Homes for the elderly were due to be closed owing to cost of repairs and running. I think this is discrimination of the highest order.

You retired people must vote the councillors out and let us have a council that does not discriminate against us.

This is the worst council I have ever seen for wasting money and not doing what they are paid to do - look after the elderly.

J R Smith (chairman, Retired People's Action Group), Flawith Drive, Fagley.

SIR - Among the many interesting features of your letters page is the way in which you include an apt quotation to add a little piquant flavour to the mixed ingredients provided by your busy writer-readers.

"Stick close to your desk and never go to sea, And you'll all be rulers of the Queen's navy" is one of my favourites as it encapsulates the tendency of lightweights to rise to the top.

Most of your readers will be familiar with this and, probably, the fact that it comes from "HMS Pinafore" by Gilbert and Sullivan.

But can anyone help with the insult aimed at I believe, the Romans? It goes "You make a desert and you call it peace" or words to that effect.

I can't trace it but I must confess I feel its presence close by.

Sid Brown, Glenhurst Road, Shipley.

SIR - Will Pop Idol II be more "honest" reality TV - with separate voting lines for looks and singing ability, and even a special phone line for Premiership footballers to ring if they fancy a date with a female contestant?

And will the 'stars' be shown getting drunk in trendy nightclubs and snogging celebs?

Probably not! Anticipate more nice people from nice homes - like Gareth (right) and Kimberley - who will not swear at the judges and probably never missed a singing lesson!

Are they typical youth - or just acting a part to please the Daily Mail?

John C Taylor, Park Hill Drive, Bradford 8.