SIR - I read, with some incredulity (T&A, October 30), that the Council is going to spend in excess of a quarter of a million pounds, albeit some 50 per cent being donated by the Millennium Commission grant, on a 2001 party!

Are there not more deserving ways of spending a vast sum of money in this once great city?

Better lighting and cameras in our tatty subways would be my personal way of spending the money, and no doubt, thousands of your readers could also think of a far better use of it.

Cannot the public of Bradford provide their own entertainment for celebrating the New Year without being wet-nursed?

Being labelled party-poopers must have really stung the Council into action.

It's a pity that more serious criticisms of some of its policies on education, housing and leisure activities have not resulted in a knee-jerk reaction.

"Pathetic" and "vote-making" are the two phrases that readily spring to mind over this latest example of folly.

Donald Firth, Harrogate Street, Undercliffe.

SIR - I am concerned that the report "More attacks on education service" (T&A October 30) may have led some of your readers to believe that the dire state of the education service referred to in the article related to the present state of affairs.

The comments were in fact taken from Pricewaterhouse Coopers' (PwC) review of the service that they carried out sometime ago following the publication of the equally damning OFSTED report.

I believe that in many respects the situation identified by OFSTED and PwC has already improved, but there is still a very long way to go.

The role of politicians is to provide our schools with the resources and support they need to deliver quality education provision.

Sadly this has clearly not happened in the past but I do believe that there is a commitment from all the political parties on the Council to bring about the changes that are now needed.

Councillor David Ward (Liberal - Idle), Education Portfolio holder, Clara Road, Wrose.

SIR - When planners brought Wilsden's new medical centre to its present site, did they really take into consideration what they were creating?

A residential area is now a main route for traffic to that centre. Many patients have to struggle uphill for treatment - infirm, pushchairs, elderly - and that is in fine weather.

What will those patients do when confronted with the winter conditions?

I feel many patients will not be able to risk those periods in safety there and back for treatment.

J Clapham, Spring Hill, Wilsden.

SIR - It's that time of year again and I wish to thank the generous people of Bradford for their continuing and dedicated support of our appeal.

The Bradford Junior Chamber of Commerce is co-ordinating the Christmas Tree Appeal 2000 (which launches on Saturday, November 25, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Bradford), which has now run for over ten years.

The appeal collects presents for needy children from all over the Bradford area and collected over 3,000 presents last year.

For our members, the most comforting aspect of the appeal is the generosity and good nature of our people of Bradford.

The Bradford Junior Chamber of Commerce is made up of young people who live or work in Bradford. The Christmas Tree Appeal is one of those most worthwhile projects that help the community by giving a deserving child a little happiness on a very special day and helps our members with their project and management skills.

If anyone would like to volunteer helping out for a few hours at our collection stand on a weekend in the Kirkgate Shopping Centre, Bradford, then please do contact me on 07989 306 272.

Philip Cavalier-Lumley, Bradford Junior Chamber of Commerce.

SIR - After reading the report this week about all the scientific tests carried out to make sure new drugs are safe, the first one that comes to mind is Thalidomide, then all the different contraceptive pills which were found to be dangerous, several of which were taken off the market.

And now I've read about a tablet to stop smokers and many who took those had epileptic fits.

The NHS refuses to use homeopathic remedies because they haven't been properly tested, but many have been in use over 100 years.

There are very, very seldom any side effects, and if used they would save the NHS a substantial amount of money.

But I suppose it's really the drug companies who are against them being used.

Taking aspirin every day, we are told, is good for the heart, but everyone knows that they can cause severe stomach ulcers.

M Balka, Springcliffe, Bradford 8.

SIR - When my uncle worked as a binman, he had to lift the bin completely full, take it to the wagon, empty it and replace to where he found it.

No-one complained about the job and all were fit and healthy.

So why all the fuss about a bag of rubbish? If these men are not fit, why do the job? After all, most of the work is done by the householder who pays for the service yet only gets half of it.

B Burnett, Great Horton Road, Bradford.

SIR - So Haworth Parish Church graveyard is "believed to contain up to 40,000 Souls," according to Phil Lister (T&A, October 28). And there was I, thinking all these years that graveyards contained dead bodies!

Mrs A Callaghan, Hall Road, Bradford 2.

SIR - I suggest that the well-known TV programme be renamed "Who Wants To Be Ripped Off By A Millionaire".

My daughter has rung the programme at least five times, but alas after answering the test question correctly has not been invited to the studio.

A friend has spent no less than £14 in phone calls, again without making the ten contestants at the ITV studio.

Alan Shorrock, Park Wood Drive, Skipton.