Well-paid local jobs are what we’re after

Having been personally involved in previous fatal flooding occurrence in the centre of town, this scheme will at last bring hope and peace of mind that such a disaster never happens again.

The investment of £1.2 million from the LEP is the final financial piece of the jigsaw which will now give the green light for this environmental scheme to proceed.

However, it must be remembered and adhered to by decision takers, policy makers and local planners, that the development land which these proposals release in the South Skipton Employment Zone are intended for businesses which will create well-paid sustainable local jobs.

More hundreds of houses were never part of Craven District Council’s plans, nor were low-paid, minimum-wage developments from property speculators and out-of-town superstores. Beware of strangers bearing gifts.

Cllr Robert Heseltine Newmarket Street Skipton l When the floods hit Skipton: Pages 28 and 37 Not reassured Sir - In the Craven Herald of February 5, reassuring comments from Craven planning were reported regarding the Local Plan.

We should not be reassured. The new planning guidelines (the NPPF) were issued as a draft for consultation in July 2011. With hardly any changes, it became law In March 2012 - nearly three years ago.

There are a dozen district councils in the north that are roughly similar to Craven, which is to say that they are mainly rural with scattered settlements.

When it comes to progress on the Local Plan, Craven seems to be roughly in the middle of this group - we are certainly not blazing any trails. This is nothing to be complacent about.

In the meantime, here in Skipton, we have applications in place for Elsey Croft, North Parade, and Granville Street and smaller developments are popping up elsewhere. Now we are hearing of possibly hundreds more in Horse Close, and “Wyvern Park”.

The problem is that the numbers in the plan will be in addition to anything built before the plan is finally adopted. This will apply equally to Ingleton, Sutton, Bentham and the rest of Craven. The Local Plan needs to be in place sooner, rather than later.

It is not good enough to claim that every “t” must be crossed and “i” dotted before the plan is adopted. That will never happen, because the situation changes constantly.

However, there is enough land identified to allocate the plan requirements many times over, so why not fill the plan with the least controversial sites? The other sites may be considered at greater leisure once the plan is adopted.

After all, the plan is supposed to be reviewed annually anyway, so why not use that fact to advantage?

David Walsh Western Road Skipton Not a good idea Sir - The invitation to members of the public to volunteer to join the Independent Justice Panel (which is asking victims of crime to help it consider “out-of-court” methods of dealing with offences) appears to be an afterthought.

The question must be asked why ordinary people were not recruited when this panel was established and loaded with the usual so-called “justice partners” who normally inhabit such committees and play the tune which best suits the body they represent, often leading to chronic collective inertia.

Ordinary people have no experience of such scrutiny and victims of crime may not possess the required impartiality. The requirement to state previous experience not only gives the panel great latitude in selection but it no doubt would condemn anyone perceived to be a threat or troublemaker to be rejected. In other words it could be a sanitised appointment.

Groups such as this usually waffle endlessly and achieve very little and certainly rarely bite the backside of the body being scrutinised with sufficient vigour or focus.

This is the wrong way to scrutinise the use of cautions, etc, nationally. It would be better to have an independent body like the prisons inspector with wide-ranging powers to check on the performance of police forces in these matters, or alternatively the crime commissioner could do it.

The chairman says: “Victim representation is vital.” If it is, why are ordinary people being recruited as an afterthought?

The crime commissioner says: “I want victims’ needs to be at the heart of everything we do.” Surely as part of her duties and supported by her adequate staff the commissioner should be delving into possible over use of cautions, etc, as part of her general responsibilities to the people of North Yorkshire for whom she is the elected representative.

The whole proposal has the whiff of a public relations exercise which will turn out to be ineffective as an appropriate tool to provide the scrutiny so obviously required and an opportunity to perpetuate the present over use of out-of-court disposals.

In short; not a good idea.

Keith Blackwell Devonshire Street Keighley l Call to victims: Page 15 Cyclists accident fear Sir - It was a beautiful day in the Dales on Saturday.

Kettlewell was full of tourists, and local people, enjoying the clement weather,and going about their business. It was not a school day so children were around as well.

At approximately 11am a large group, possibly 30, cyclists rode at speed into the village. The group was spread all over the road, and in spite of several shouts to “slow down” they flew round a blind bend, and over the bridge up the Dale.

This behaviour matters on so many levels.

The road is not closed for these events.

Groups are not allowed to “race” on the highway. They were breaking the Highway Code by their speed and grouping through the village.

The back-up of traffic behind them was immense. No apparent effort was taken to alleviate this.

I am informed that we can expect many more of these events during the year.

This situation was an accident waiting to happen. We are so lucky to have avoided one on Saturday.

Lesley Chamberlain Kettlewell Support dairy farmers Sir - Britain’s dairy farmers produce milk of the highest quality built upon world leading standards in health and welfare, hygiene and environmental protection.

My husband’s family include dairy farmers in North Yorkshire. Relatives include the producers of a well-known Yorkshire brand of cheese.

Sadly, the number of dairy farmers has been falling across the UK.

The price paid to dairy farmers for milk can be below cost price as supermarkets have a milk price war. In some stores milk is cheaper than bottled water.

First Milk delayed their January payments to many farmers.

The dairy sector is under challenge as farmers need to feed, water and warmly house their stock, particularly when the weather is cold and snowy, as recently experienced in North Yorkshire. Tenant farmers need to pay their rent from dwindling incomes.

British farmers have helped create the rural landscape over the centuries. Farming needs to be a viable option for young people like my nieces to carry on family businesses and protect our valuable landscape heritage.

I am backing the NFU campaign to support dairy farming.

Shoppers must be willing to pay a milk price that will enable dairy farmers to continue long term rather than opt for the cheapest deal.

Shoppers should support the UK dairy industry not just by buying fairly priced milk but also other British dairy products like cheese, yoghurt and butter.

North Yorkshire is lucky to have a range of quality local products like Swaledale, Hawes Creamery and Shepherd’s Purse cheeses. It was good news that Brymor Ice Cream production is to continue.

Jacquie Bell PPC Skipton and Ripon Liberal Democrats Belhaven Dunbar Stonewalling issues Sir - I was fascinated to hear that George Osborne was in Grassington campaigning last week. I trust he attempted to get there by public transport, tried the mobile phone reception and tested out the speed of the broadband connection.

Whilst he was in our locality did he also perhaps also get round to explaining why his government was so dead set against Yorkshire getting the Tour de France and why Verity is still waiting for his knighthood? Or why he abolished the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward?

It would have been equally interesting to hear his views on finding the relatively small amount of cash needed to reopen the Skipton to Colne railway? But then again perhaps he was too busy building his drystone wall.

Andy Brown Green Party Main Street Cononley NHS common ground Sir - In March 1943, live from Chequers, Churchill broadcast that “We must [after victory] establish on broad and solid foundations a National Health Service.” Before the 1945 general election, he told Cabinet colleagues to prepare legislation to introduce it.

Churchill saw health in the image of war: “Disease must be attacked, whether it occurs in the poorest or the richest man or woman, simply on the ground that it is the enemy.”

The Tories resoundingly lost the 1945 election, and so Labour introduced the NHS, but the idea was common ground.

Peter Hodge Hebden Police travel concern Sir - I would concur with the unnamed police officer (Craven Herald, January 29) who states that the closure of Skipton’s police cells will result in less officers on the street.

When North Yorkshire Police first stated that the cells were to close, I sought the experiences of West Yorkshire police in Keighley as they already transported all arrested persons to Bingley, accommodating them in the cells there.

Apparently the police in charge of those prisoners lose up to half their shift transporting them to Bingley, booking them in, etc.

Imagine how much shift time would be lost transporting Craven’s miscreants so much further. The police officers would still have to book their prisoners in, take statements, etc, but will have to take three times as long in the transportation.

If Keighley police are losing officers for half their shift can we expect to lose our bobbies for nearly the entirety of theirs?

Stephen Walpole Clifford Court Skipton Doubts over savings Sir - I must say I am in complete agreement with Paul Morley (Letters, February 5) about the closure of the custody suite at Skipton Police station and its moving to Harrogate.

I have been discussing this with two ex-police desk sergeants and both have said that it impossible to say how long it will take for the arresting officers to get their prisoner booked in. It depends completely on how busy the desk sergeant is.

Friday and Saturdays nights will most likely be busy, so if the arresting officers are in the north-west area, say Ingleton or Bentham, and then have to travel to Harrogate and return, the whole process could nearly take two officers the whole shift. Savings or what?

Roger Baxandall North View Cross Hills Presence ‘dwindling’ Sir - In addition to issues raised by the article on the front page of the Craven Herald on January 29 about cutbacks in the police budget, I wonder if anyone else has noticed the absence of officers at the Grassington Police Station.

Originally located in Threshfield, and having a holding cell of its own, this station was moved across the river to the more vibrant and accessible hub of Grassington where it has been manned for many years.

Lately, however, it would appear that the police presence has dwindled significantly. I’m wondering if this is purposeful with a view to ultimately shutting this station down.

If that were the case, what would be the consequences of even fewer police being on hand to serve Grassington and the villages and towns beyond?

Carolyn Dean High Bank Threshfield Step change appeal Sir - On behalf of the Down’s Syndrome Association, I would like to invite your readers to take part in the ‘Big Step Forward’ on March 22.

This sponsored walk will take place across the country and will raise vital funds for the Down’s Syndrome Association.

The charity supports people with Down’s syndrome throughout their lives. People across the country will be putting on their walking shoes to take part in the ‘Big Step Forward’ as part of Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week, which this year is encouraging people with Down’s syndrome to ‘Get Active and Involved’ in their local communities.

I hope that many people will be inspired to take part in this inclusive event; it’s a great opportunity for friends, families and communities to ‘Get Active and Involved’ together.

For more information about this and all other activities taking place during Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week (March 16 to 22) call 0333 121 2300 or go to www.downs-syndrome.org.uk Damon Hill OBE Patron, Down’s Syndrome Association