SIR,- The statement in the 'comment' column of the Wharfedale Observer on January 10 has not gone unnoticed. You said that the plans to extend three separate Otley primary schools had gone through at breakneck speed.

Well, on January 17, The Wharfedale Observer further reported that the plans for the reorganised schools, including Westgate Infant School - a fine, listed building, and one of only two still remaining as schools in Otley (the other being the doomed All Saints Junior School) - were conditionally approved.

Checking with the Department of Planning and Environment confirmed that the panel actually met on January 8. The formal notice in the press said that interested persons had the opportunity to make representations to the council within 21 days of the stated date of December 20, 2001.

And yet, within 19 days (which included the Christmas and New Year break), the council had apparently received and taken into account all the public's representations, prepared their report, and the panel councillors (including an Otley ward councillor) had made the decision you reported.

What on earth are we to make of the credibility of Education Leeds, Design Services Agency and any other name Leeds City Council calls itself? Is it not just more of the same insanity that all those affected by the hasty schools reorganisation have had to suffer since last February?

Planning, then permitting disfigurement of a listed building as indicated on the submitted (and now apparently approved) plans through the addition of haphazard, cheap, flat-roofed, tacked-on lean-tos of no architectural merit whatsoever, without proper public consultation, is nothing short of architectural vandalism.

Ian Andrew

11 Ramsey Terrace,

Otley.

Forum's first

SIR, - In response to local requests, the first meeting of Weston Estate Neighbourhood Forum is to be held on Tuesday, January 29, at 7.30pm in the main hall of Ashfield School.

The issue for discussion at this first meeting is policing and community safety. Other issues will be discussed at later meetings. The forum will give residents living on the Weston Estate (including the Newall Estate) the opportunity to express their views on local issues and to influence the delivery of city council and other services in the area.

All residents are welcome to attend the meeting and make their suggestions on how to improve things. The meeting has been organised by Otley and Wharfedale Community Involvement Team (CIT) as part of the city council's strategy to make the council more responsive to residents' needs.

Phil Coyne

Chairman,

Otley and Wharfedale CIT,

8 Newall Mount

Otley.

Charity switch

SIR, - I am writing to you as I hope to reach as many of my customers as I can through your newspaper.

My daughter, Sharon, was due to take part in a sponsored cycle ride in Vietnam, to raise money for a charity called Whizz-Kidz which provides electric wheelchairs for disabled children.

Unfortunately, due to some personal problems, Sharon has reluctantly decided that she will not be able to take part. As we have had an overwhelming response with donations from my customers, Sharon and I have decided that we will both take part in another sponsored event, which is organised by Marie Curie Cancer Care, and donate the money raised to the two charities.

The event is a Ladies Driving Challenge and it will take place in May. I would like to thank everyone for their generous donations and the support we have received.

Sylvia Thomson

Sub-Postmistress,

Newall Post Office,

Weston Lane,

Otley.

Houses not new

SIR, - I feel I must write to correct an error in your article about Pool-in-Wharfedale, on January 17. The caption with the picture of Arthington Lane, remarkably devoid of traffic, says 'new houses', but those houses have been there for more than 30 years, are set well back from the road with a large grassed and tree lined area between them and the road, so do not illustrate how the recently built houses look.

A better impression would have been given, if you had photographed the congested development next to the village hall, where the property boundaries actually adjoin the pavement, or the development further on, towards Arthington, where the size of the buildings and their proximity to the road hit you as you come round a bend.

Mrs O Neale

2 Park Mews,

Pool-in-Wharfedale.

Double thank you

SIR, -I would like to say thank you to the Wharfedale and Airedale Observer for our tickets to see Pater Pan at the Grand Theatre, which I was lucky enough to win in a competition in your newspaper.

My husband, Brian, our two grandchildren, Simon and Michael, and myself thoroughly enjoyed the show. It was a real treat and fun was had by all.

Mrs P KELLETT

32 Fieldhead Drive,

Guiseley.

SIR, - Many thanks for the prize with regard to The Full Monty competition. I am delighted at winning.

The breakfasts soon disappeared - my husband and two sons made short work of them. I can listen to my CDs in peace.

KATHLEEN BENTLEY

28 Rumplecroft,

Otley.

Play it again

SIR, - The bleeding hearts are with us again. Those poor captives in America, how they must be suffering.

Well, the only concern in most people's minds is whether the terrorists will get what they deserve. Those who died on September 11, had none of their rights respected so why care about people who are not prisoners of war.

The label 'POW' is a token of respect which they certainly do not deserve. To the captured Taliban, hard luck (like the IRA and Loyalists).

Where are your uniforms? Play it again Sam! Uncle Sam that is.

F Dickinson

48a Larkfield Road,

Rawdon.

Victims' thanks

SIR, - On behalf of my wife and myself, I would like to express our gratitude and warmest thanks to all members of the emergency services and local residents who came to our aid, after a car accident on the Otley to Bradford road on Tuesday, January 15, at 1.30pm.

Happily, we are both now recovering but at the time of the accident were unable to express our sincere thanks.

Mr and Mrs Tennant

8 Back Lane,

Guiseley.

What's the point?

SIR, - The letters from your correspondent, F Dickinson, are always brief and enigmatic. One is often left wondering what point he is trying to make. Does he support or oppose New Labour's Tory policies?

There is never any explanation or reasoned argument. However, did his latest letter give the game away by giving thanks to Blair for converting the Labour Party into the Conservative party Mark II? Or is this just sarcasm?

Is he a Tory hiding behind New Labours hypocrisy? Perhaps he would care to tell us.

If he is one of New Labour's Tory converts, it is not surprising he is unphased by having to choose between two Tory parties at the next election. He may well be pleased with the 'heads I win, tails you loose', voting system.

He also may well be right that ' there won't be a left wing socialist in sight at the next election' but fails to ask, or explain, why. Perhaps he understands why, but prefers not to draw it to our attention.

At present, Tory Labour and the Conservatives have got a nice little job sharing scheme going between them. Both parties are Tory and both have the same fundamental philosophy. The electoral system is set up to create barriers of entry to anyone else who might rock the capitalist boat.

And with a mostly capitalist controlled media, with rare exceptions like the Wharfedale Observer, the public are brainwashed into believing there is no alternative. We have party political broadcasts which are biased against minority parties and papers which support, exclusively, one or other of the two Tory parties.

Fortunately the public are NOT all fools but do feel impotent to do anything about it other than withhold their votes. Which is exactly what they did at the last election.

I will be joining the NONE OF THE ABOVE SOCIETY and marking by ballot paper accordingly. If we had a sincere democracy there should be a place on the ballot paper for this option. To win a British election you have to have money, and to have money, you have to be a capitalist. It is a catch 22 situation.

Mr Dickinson should for once, use a little more ink and paper and MUCH more thought and be more lucid in his arguments. He should at least consider the validity of our 'sham'ocracy and its influence on the Tory Governments we always get and perhaps deserve.

Malcolm Naylor

21 Grange View,

Otley.

Autism plea

SIR, - I am a student at Heriot Watt University in my honours year of BSc Computing for Industry. For my dissertation I am trying to create software to help predict and diagnose autism and related disorders in children.

To do this I need information from the families of sufferers from this condition. I would be grateful if any one who has a child with this condition or any of the similar disorders (eg Asperger's, Tourettes etc) would go to my web site at http://sequinn.topcities.com and fill in the online questionnaire there, or download it and either e-mail it to me at nazreel@hotmail.com or by post to the address below.

Susan Quinn

c/o Mrs Christine Taylor,

Heriot Watt University,

Scottish Borders Campus,

Netherdale,

Galashiels.