SIR - I have just returned from Bruges, Europe's 2002 Capital of Culture, a city and people I have known well over many years, to Bradford, a city and people I am coming to know less well as each year passes.

Yet, it is applying for this same respected standard. I greatly appreciate optimism but this seems a gargantuan leap of faith on the part of some Bradford dreamer.

Where is this culture? Who's kidding whom?

Maybe by 2008, Bradford will have changed its cultural direction entirely, will have prevented companies from relocating to Leeds or elsewhere, prevented its most productive citizens from leaving the area, will have cleaned up its act both literally and politically and will have started along the road which will regenerate a black hole in West Yorkshire's otherwise healthy citizenship.

Until then, I think any proposed monies spent on this dream be turned into cash to be spent on what is currently a nightmare - Bradford itself.

Bradford needs people to lead it who are not afraid of facing reality, seeing Bradford for what it is and, frankly for how it is perceived in much of the rest of the world.

Culture is not just an image, it's a way of life to be respected and admired by others. Bradford doesn't come close.

M Watson, Willow Bank, Riddlesden.

SIR - I very much sympathise with the residents of Little Horton who are battling to get their voices heard before a planning decision is taken on whether to install a telecommunications mast in their neighbourhood (T&A, Thursday, February 28).

A similar situation arose earlier last year when a company was given planning permission to process building site waste from premises on Canal Road, Frizinghall. Local residents were not aware of the planning application and the decision went through without us being consulted. The business has since caused a nuisance by producing noise and dust pollution.

The ridiculous thing is that the planners do consult certain organisations (Railtrack in the case of the Canal Road application) but do not consult local residents. The planning rules should be changed to force planners to consult local residents before these planning applications are heard.

Tim Gunhouse, Shipley Fields Road, Shipley

SIR - May I pay tribute to our much-maligned NHS and to the surgical, nursing and support staff of Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale General Hospital.

In 1998 I was nursed and lovingly cared for by the staff of Airedale General Hospital when my cancerous breast was removed. Four years later, I have had the privilege of undergoing breast reconstruction in the Plastic Surgery Unit, Ward 19, of the BRI, where I received the utmost consideration and care from highly skilled and professional medical and nursing staff.

I am grateful that the NHS in the Bradford area is served by such exceptionally dedicated people.

I have seen the problems which beset the NHS make working so hard and unstintingly a seemingly thankless task, but I am also aware that had I been required to pay for the surgery and aftercare incurred by my initial diagnosis, I would never have found the additional resources to finance the breast reconstruction which has given me back by my self-esteem.

The positive aspects of the NHS ought never to be under-rated. Of course we must urge for improvements, but let these not be at the expense of what is, at its best, the finest public health care service in the world.

Ask around, you will be surprised at how often it is "at its best".

Shirley Thompson, March Cote Lane, Cottingley.

SIR - In a T&A report on February 27, "Rioter is jailed on his 21st birthday", reference was made in mitigation that the rioter was racially abused by three or four police officers and "saw red". Mitigating statements often have no corroboration. By their very nature they are usually contained within the last few paragraphs of a report and may lead to a false lasting impression.

In my opinion reports on court proceedings should include the fact that the court having heard the mitigating statement did or didn't take it into account when passing the sentence.

Detectives working on Operation Wheel, the investigation into the Bradford riots, have interviewed more than 3,300 people, arrested 220 people and looked through thousands of hours of video (much of it with audio accompaniment).

There is no evidence of police officers having been verbally racist. Indeed, the defendant himself made no reference to the incident in interviews with the police.

There have been no recorded complaints against the police over their conduct during the mainly peaceful demonstration in Centenary Square and the subsequent riot that followed.

If incidents that we are as yet unaware of did take place, we would wish to fully investigate them and bring the perpetrators to justice. The investigation team can be contacted on 01274 376915 or via our Urdu language line on 01274 376916.

Det Insp Chris Binns, Bradford South CID, West Yorkshire Police.

SIR - Responding to a previous letter of mine, R Halliday (Letters, February 23) writes that "God is not to blame for suffering". Well, I couldn't agree more! Having filled quite a few column centimetres arguing that no such supernatural being even exists, how could I hold him/it responsible for anything at all in the entire cosmos?

The trouble is with fundamentalists such as R Halliday is that they are perfectly happy to sing along with "All things bright and beautiful, the lord God made them all", but when confronted with all things dark and ugly (how about cancer cells for starters?) they shuffle uneasily in their pews, while hastily donning their size 12 blinkers.

Believing that all good things stem from God, but all nasty things have nothing to do with him, really is having your cake and eating it.

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley.

SIR - I am so pleased to note that councillors and council employees are well provided with an abundance of toilets in City Hall. That's more than we taxpayers can expect.

It doesn't take much thought and enterprise to provide toilets for all at a minimum cost, at least in busy towns in the district. But there again, enterprise seems to be a dirty word around Bradford.

The old, tired argument of vandalism is a weak excuse. Craven and North Yorkshire seem well able to manage.

Never mind, once we visit the wonderful Capital of Culture we can all trail into City Hall to spend a penny.

Barry Foster, Gilstead Lane, Gilstead, Bingley.