THANK you to all those of you who have contacted me about Wyvern Park to share your concerns about around the impact on the local community and conservation area of the poorly thought-out road and infrastructure plans.
We have a council that cannot agree a plan and appears to think that adding 250 homes to Skipton each year will be about right. We all understand the need for more homes, but what I do not understand is the council’s continuing failure to consult with residents impacted by each of its new schemes.
Pig Field is the newest example where not only the local residents but also the town council have been ignored – Housing plan set for the go-ahead (Craven Herald, January 14).
I feel lucky to have lived in a beautiful home in a wonderful town for 16 years. I would like that to continue but I fear moving may be the only option to avoid seeing the conservation area in which I live ruined by a minimum of an extra 1,000 journeys every day up and down Carleton Road.
The traffic plans around Wyvern Park are based on an out-of-date and erroneous consultancy report and the plan for Wyvern Park itself, based on the original planning approval, may well now be in doubt due to the recent flooding if CDC follows its own rules correctly.
If CDC would wake up and consult properly, we may be able to avoid Wyvern Park and Pig Field turning into another Granville Street-type disaster.
If anyone wishes to contact me about Wyvern Park and Carleton Road, you may do so via e-mail to tim@timforman.com – it would be so nice if one of our local councillors would make contact at a time other than when they want my vote.!
TIM FORMAN
Skipton

FOLLOWING recent letters regarding lighting along the canal towpath – ‘Don’t leave canal towpath in darkness’ (January 7) and ‘Can’t be that hard’ (January 14) – during the past couple of months we have observed children and adults experiencing difficulty in negotiating the path between Aireville Park and Brewery Lane Bridge in late afternoon/early evening.
The path has been particularly perilous with deep puddles and areas of slimy mud. On a few occasions, we have witnessed people almost sliding into the canal; a potentially dangerous situation.
We also have grave concerns regarding the lack of lighting on around the Brewery Lane Bridge during darkness. We ourselves have experienced problems when driving over this bridge, slowly, in noticing pedestrians wearing dark clothing and head gear approaching, or crossing, the towpath end of the bridge. The lack of lighting on around this bridge is an accident waiting to happen.
Many cars speed down Brook Street fully expecting to ‘shoot’ across the bridge, and on five occasions when walking across the bridge in the dark, we have almost been knocked over or squashed against the railings by such motorists. We have also observed motorists driving across the bridge whilst schoolchildren were crossing. This situation is totally unacceptable.
Surely, it isn’t beyond the powers of the council and Canal and River Trust to reach some agreement to rectify the very real dangers posed to the public using this bridge and towpath during the hours of darkness.
GRAHAM AND GILL THREADGOLD
Hall Croft, Skipton

I WOULD like to raise an area of concern regarding use of the roads in Skipton.
My partner and I live off Shortbank Road and our route into and back from town – on our bicycles – entails negotiating the pinch point under the railway bridge.
Most of the time this causes us and other road users no problems. However, there are occasions when drivers coming down the road, towards town, do not give way to cyclists coming up the road.
Having checked – at great length – with both the Police and North Yorkshire Highways, we can confirm that any vehicle coming towards town must give way to cyclists coming from the direction of town.
We have an equal right to use the road.
It is most intimidating and somewhat demeaning to be treated with such disregard when vehicles choose not to give way.
We are experienced cyclists and choose to use our bikes in favour of the car. This is beneficial to both ourselves and to the town as we are not increasing the volume of traffic nor are we using up parking space. We also wish to encourage people to cycle but understand their reluctance when the behaviour of the few drivers gives great cause for concern.
CHRIS ROSE and RICK SMALL
Hurrs Road, Skipton

I WRITE in support of the view on the need for renewable energy expressed by your correspondent Sandy Tod – Environmental costs (Craven Herald, January 21).
Though no longer resident in Craven, I know, through having stood shoulder to shoulder with Sandy Tod for many years when I did live there, what he is up against. The opposition to measures designed to slow climate change is rooted in parochial self-interest and short-termism – the besetting sins of English public life since the 19th century.
It is against these that Sandy Tod has pitted himself. He is a champion of community renewable energy, not because he stands to gain personally from it, but because he knows we face a problem so grave that individual interests have to be set aside in order to combat it.
In more enlightened societies, where there is acceptance of the fact that the common good must sometimes prevail over personal interests and preferences, the ‘issues’ that Sandy Tod raises are not issues.
In Craven, with its lamentable record on renewable energy, his views are regarded in some quarters as outlandish. Sandy Tod should be supported and celebrated as a community leader, although I confidently predict that my opinion will be deemed inadmissible for no better reason than that I no longer live in the area.
GLYN TURTON
Emeritus Professor
Green Acre Close, Baildon

COUNCILLOR Jeffels needs to be congratulated on a refreshingly optimistic letter about North Yorkshire County Council – Humbled by our caring community Craven Herald, December 31).
One of the most prosperous counties in the sixth richest nation on earth can no longer afford to provide many essential public services, firemen, police officers, librarians and bus drivers, with care and youth workers soon to be made redundant.
I totally agree that North Yorkshire’s educational service is excellent, which perhaps explains why the government’s top priority is to turn all secondary schools in England into independent academies, free from pernicious local authority control.
With all services slashed, there will soon be little for the county council to do, hence rumours the magnificent building in Northallerton, known as County Hall, may soon be put up for sale. Close to the rail station for London, it could easily fetch £3 million from a Russian oligarch or far eastern property magnate looking for a worthwhile investment opportunity – a useful contribution to the highways budget.
But Cllr Jeffels is also remarkable in being a member of the Council of the Campaign for National Parks, the body leading the national protest against desecration of North York Moors National Park by Yorkshire Potash. His was the casting vote on the national park authority, which allowed this scheme to go-ahead. Despite his efforts, this hugely ambitious, technically risky project, designed to attract the cash of international speculators, will probably not go-ahead because of the dramatic decline in international commodity prices and the impending economic crisis resulting from the collapse in the value of crude oil.
COLIN SPEAKMAN
North York Moors Association council member

AS we begin 2016 and the world starts to look ahead to the Rio Paralympics (and Olympics, of course!), I am writing to ask if your readers would like to volunteer with Leonard Cheshire Disability.
As well as supporting disabled people to live life the way they choose, the work will enable you to master many new skills and discover an amazing new side to yourself.
Whether you can spare a few hours a week or support us occasionally, your assistance is really appreciated. Leonard Cheshire Disability works for a society in which every person is equally valued, supporting thousands of people in the UK and around the world with physical and learning disabilities.
You can help in many different ways, such as using your IT skills to help a disabled person to write an email or surf the internet, sharing similar interests, supporting disabled people to access sports facilities, gardening, being a shopping buddy or helping out with activities like art or cookery. The options are almost unlimited.
Across many parts of the country, we are particularly keen to recruit new volunteer drivers, as well as volunteers to support disabled people in the evenings and weekends.
Some people are put off volunteering because they don’t know what to expect, or may not know someone who is disabled, but this doesn’t matter. The most important thing is the willingness to support others and be a part of something bigger. In return you’ll have fun, meet new people and form lasting friendships.
Why not come and join us? To find out more about how to become a Leonard Cheshire Disability volunteer, visit leonardcheshire.org, call 0203 2420296 or e-mail volunteers@leonardcheshire.org for more details.
BEGOÑA MENDEZ
Leonard Cheshire Disability volunteer enabling co-ordinator.

WITH reference to your article in the Craven Herald on December 24 – Fear over Right to Buy scheme – and the removal of the affordable housing element in West Ings, Wood Lane, Grassington, and the comments of the committee as to how this would be perceived by the general public.
When this application was passed in June 2013, the applicants had a very benevolent planning committee considering that the land in question was outside the building designated housing boundary of Grassington. As an “affordable dwelling” was to be created, the proposal was acceptable, “in a location where it could not otherwise be approved”. These are the words of the planning committee.
I quote an extract from the planning officer’s report submitted to the committee in September 2015: “The request made is to vary the legal agreement to omit the provision of an affordable house at the site.
“The provision of the affordable unit was the principal and fundamental reason why planning permission was granted. Without the provision of the affordable unit, planning permission would not have been granted.”
At the December meeting of the committee, it decided to revoke this “affordable housing element”. I fear the good people of the Yorkshire Dales will not be able to sleep easy in their beds knowing we have such people to represent and make decisions for us.
EDWARD CHANEY
Wood Lane, Grassington

IN reforming council tax for pensioners, there should be a cold weather additional discount applied to current council tax bills in the winter months of the year.
I believe the poorest in society should be protected from tough times and should not be penalised by those greedy town hall bosses who run local government.
It is time that bread and butter issues, such as pensioner poverty, were tackled by the politicians in Parliament and in the council. The council tax discounts that exist should be index-linked to inflation and average earnings so that automatic reductions come into effect each and every year.
Councils should start reducing their real expenditure that their residents object to. Translation services, councillor salaries, councillor numbers and reduce the workforce by removing climate change and equality and diversity officers.
If councils don’t comply, then there should be a 40 per cent cut for single pensioners and a 55 per cent cut for pensioner couples.
Time for a decision.
OLIVER HEALEY
Oxford Court, Leicester

I WOULD like to thank the council’s environmental health team for the magnificent job they did in dealing with the flooding in Craven during the Christmas period.
During the severe weather over the Christmas holiday, the majority of the team were out delivering sandbags and helping anybody that needed assistance.
They were working for long hours in terrible weather conditions, some dropping their Christmas plans at very short notice to turn out and help.
This demonstrated the council’s teamwork at its best – if it were not for the efforts of these dedicated officers, many more properties would have been affected by the floods.
In December alone, council officers delivered a total of 3,624 sandbags to properties all over the district.
We are now working to help those residents and businesses who were affected by the floods, who may be eligible for grant assistance. Please go to our website cravendc.gov.uk for more information on the help available.
COUNCILLOR RICHARD FOSTER
Craven District Council leader

CAN I appeal to your readers to join others in signing a petition to the government to keep naval ship HMS Ocean, the flagship of the Navy, in service until new carriers are built and at sea with no gap between?
Go to website petition.co.uk enter section military sign petition HMS Ocean. You can also view comments others have made. If you do not have internet access, please ask family or friends.
FE SHARPE
Plymouth