Why I resigned, by the Mayor of Skipton Sir - May I, with your indulgence, address your readers in Skipton on a matter which may be of some interest to them.

Almost three years ago, you re-elected me top of the pole as a councillor to represent you on Skipton Town Council and I use these columns to apologise to you for failing you in your legitimate expectations by my resignation as mayor of Skipton and as a member of the council.

I have done my best to serve you and during my seven years in that position I have never used a single penny of council taxpayers money for my own benefit. Every official meal I have eaten I have paid for. Every event I have attended has been at my own expense.

The reader will therefore appreciate that I take it very seriously when town council staff put in for an unprecedented 12 per cent increase in their pay.

At the council meeting on Thursday, March 13, the matter was to be discussed and a decision made. As chairman I ruled that it would be inappropriate for staff to remain in the meeting and perhaps influence the decision making process and the decision.

The staff refused to concur wtih the ruling from the chair and solidly remained in place.

Politically motivated councillors failed to support the chair and I had no option but to bring the meetnig to a premature close with agenda business unfinished.

It is not possible to remain as chairman without the fullest support of members and acceptance by both staff and members of the authority of the chairman of the meeting.

It is for this reason and with a heavy heart that I resign from Skipton Town Council having failed the people who voted me into office.

John Kerwin-Davey Skipton Thank you volunteers Sir – On behalf of Hellifield Parish Council, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the army of volunteers in Hellifield, who contribute so much, adding to the quality of life in our community.

Hellifield is blessed with a number of voluntary organisations and countless individuals who give their time, labour, skills and talent for the benefit of the community.

Without volunteers there would be no institute, Wesley Centre or social club.

Without volunteers there would be no drop ins, youth group, sports teams and clubs; no concerts, gala or coffee mornings; no village bonfire or beer festival; no walks or trips for young and elderly; no funds raised for events and facilities; no reassurance of the first responders or a lift to hospital for the sick.

Without volunteers there would be fewer plants in public areas, but more litter and dog mess. Without volunteers the grass would be longer, the war Memorial unkempt, the village shabbier.

It would be an impossible task to name all volunteers and their contributions.

Those activities listed above simply represent a flavour of the way in which volunteers make a difference.

However large or small the contribution made by individuals, collectively they build the strength of our community.

So whatever part you play as a volunteer, our sincere thanks as a parish council and as a community.

Brian Hugill Chairman Hellifield Parish Council Food bank question Sir – Week after week your paper prints news and requests to support Food Banks, the latest being the letter from Annie Neligan last week.

I read these and they do bring out the sceptic in me. It would be interesting to ask the question of the recipients of this free food, do you own a mobile telephone?

I am sure in most cases the answer would be yes, most people seem to think it is their right to own on , but they cost a lot of money!

People do not get their priorities right, but there again it is so easy when financial problems arise to put your hand out and shout help and expect prompt aid.

Richard Wellock Calton Sexist article Sir – Somebody needs to break it to Simon Smith that we have entered the 21st century and it is no longer acceptable to comment on the gender of referees for rugby matches, or to describe them as “strikingly-attractive” if they are female (Craven Herald, March 13).

He claims that it was “a first for me and I suspect for everyone present” to witness a match refereed by a woman, but it’s hardly surprising when they are described so patronisingly as “competent” and judged on their appearance in a way that no man would ever be.

It may come as a surprise to Simon Smith that women have been refereeing rugby matches for several years now, and playing the game for over a hundred (although you’d hardly know it from the male-centric sports pages of The Craven Herald) but surely the editorial process should weed out such blatantly sexist reporting.

Mrs J A Shaw Embsay Editor’s note: We would like to apologise unreservedly for this article and any offence caused.

Skipton Rugby Football Club, which provided the copy, would also like to apologise, and said there was no intention to cause offence.

The club would also like to stress it is a keen supporter of women’s rugby. Well done Skipton Sir – I would just like to say, well done Skipton, by coming the best place to live in Britain (Sunday Times, March 16).

I was born in Skipton in 1951 and went to St Stephens until I was 13-years-old. Then we moved away.

I now live in the Ukraine with my wife, but at the moment, things in the Ukraine are a bit unstable.

I still have connections with Skipton, as my godparents still live there, and lots of my friends.

Once again well done and keep up the good work.

Mr John Kosschuk Lviv Ukraine Traffic light anger Sir – After reading Alan Munnery’s letter regarding filling in a pothole himself (Craven Herald, March 13), I'm thinking of doing the same by the entrance to Mearbeck on the A65.

The traffic lights have been there over five weeks with no sign of any workforce in all that time.

On Sunday the queue was past the roundabout and up the bypass. No work has been done, so the lights could be taken down leaving the road as it was for months before.

Denis Widdop Langcliffe