HOW wonderful it would be to have a litter-free Craven and, at the moment, there are several stretches of road which are pristine.
Many secret litter pickers have been out and done the most marvellous job but, now it is done, would everyone please try and keep on top of it.
If you see a lone can or coffee cup, don’t walk by, pick it up, because if you don’t, the next time you pass there will be three or four more items. Litter accumulates litter. A big thank you to the secret pickers on the road from Grassington to Rylstone.
Today, I drove from Grassington towards Cross Hills, passing the Gargrave and Keighley Road roundabouts. The bypass is again a disaster zone. This is the main route from Leeds to the Lakes and has a huge volume of traffic. Many people must think they do not want to stop in Skipton as the people who live there and the council obviously do not care about the environment.
The verges and embankments are wide and not dangerous. Surely, a few could get together and do something about it. We know it is North Yorkshire’s responsibility, but it does not have, and never will have, enough ‘environmental hygienists’ to bottom it and keep on top of it. Also, health and safety could rear its head, and this is always the best excuse to do nothing.
If it could be bottomed, then all it would need to keep on top of it would be a small white van with driver and agile ‘jumper outer’ to go along the bypass, with hazard lights flashing, and pick up the odd pieces. If this could be done every Friday afternoon and every Monday afternoon at 3pm, the litter would not have chance to accumulate. Then we would not feel so ashamed of living in the area. How easy it would be to keep the whole bypass litter free with a regular and consistent twice-weekly collection.
It is said people should not throw litter. We all know that, but for every 100,000 there will be one moron who delights in spoiling the countryside. Thank goodness the majority of people do care and would not dream of being so anti-social. Does anyone know anyone who actually throws litter? I’ve never seen the deed being done, so they must do it secretly and know they are doing wrong.
ROWENA (BUNTY) LEDER
Grassington

MY RECENT letter expressing concern that Craven District Council is providing increased housing for Syrian refugees has certainly stirred up a furore – ‘Council should look after those here first’ (Craven Herald Letters, March 10) – especially among those who believe their consciences confer on them the right to spend Craven taxpayers’ money.
Let’s get a few facts correct here. As a member of UKIP, I have contributed letters to Independence, the UKIP Newsletter, the latest in January, in which I suggested the UK take in at least 300,000 Syrian women and children refugees.
But that was a suggestion. I do not have the right to tell my fellow taxpayers how their money should be spent, and neither does CDC’s chief executive have the right to decide on the number of Syrian or other refugees Craven taxpayers should fund.
The UK, despite being the fifth richest nation, has given more in Syrian aid than any other country in the EU – some 14 times more than France, and more than 60 times as much as Luxembourg. But the decision to send aid, and the decision as to how many refugees we should take, is the job of our elected representatives in Parliament, not the local council’s chief executive.
I’m also a firm believer in charitable giving and raised £20,000 in one year for the Save the Children fund, but that was to support a charity of my choice. I did not demand money with the threat of imprisonment following a refusal to pay, as council taxation does.
So, please don’t tell me – or the other taxpayers of Craven – how their money should be spent. It’s their money – not yours. If you have a guilty conscience then it’s your guilty conscience. Don’t try to make the rest of us feel guilty for wanting to have a say in how our money is spent.
The prime responsibility of our local council is local matters, not international aid.
ALAN PERROW
Bannister Walk, Cowling

I SINCERELY hope the North Yorkshire County Council library service has informed all the parish councillors of the parishes that use the South Craven Library Service, which is based in Cross Hills, that it is withdrawing funding for the running of the library building.
The library users will be expected to fund the running of the premises and provide volunteers to run the service, with a little help from a professional librarian.
The majority of library users are from the following parishes: Glusburn and Cross Hills, Sutton-in-Craven, Cowling, Steeton with Eastburn, Cononley, Lothersdale, Farnhill, Bradley and Kildwick, in order of their usage.
All library users need to contact their parish council/councillors to ask for their support in order to keep the library service operative in South Craven.
Hopefully, the parish councils will realise the value of the library service to all our council taxpayers and their children and work towards finding a practical solution to the problem.
ROGER NICHOLSON
Park Drive, Sutton-in-Craven

ON FEBRUARY 13, on a visit to Skipton, I had the misfortune to be knocked down by a car. As I lay on the road, I was aware that several people had come to my aid, ringing for an ambulance, etc. It was a cold day and I particularly remember a young lady first aider who, even though wearing short sleeves, stayed with me until the ambulance arrived.
I would be grateful if you could pass on my thanks to this young lady and to the other people in Skipton who came to my assistance. I am now home and making a good but slow recovery.
MIKE INGLE
Santa Pola, Spain