10:30am Saturday 20th February 2010
Sir - I have read in your paper that we are now to be charged a “snow levy” on our council tax to pay for North Yorkshire County Council’s extra expenditure. I would like to make four observations:
1: The potholes have been caused by frost getting into existing cracks and holes in the road surface. The frost then expands and cracks the Tarmac further, causing larger holes. If the holes and cracks had been repaired when they appeared (before the frosty weather), this would not have happened. Am I the only person who can remember the holes in the roads such as the Skipton bypass before the frosty weather?
2: The makeshift repairs consist of shovel-fulls of Tarmac dumped in the holes. Why was it necessary to employ private contractors from Harrogate at, no doubt, great expense to do the traffic management? Are the Skipton highways people not able to turn a stop/go board any more?
3: In the last few weeks, the perfectly-functioning pelican crossings in Skipton, Gargrave, Hellifield and Long Preston have been replaced with puffin crossings. Why? Would it not be better to save that money and pay for the roads? They weren’t broken so why did they need fixing?
4: Who decided that we needed raised rumble strip lines on all the exits from the Little Chef roundabout? These are usually put in to warn it is 300, 200 and 100 yards to the roundabout. So what exactly are they warning us of by putting the lines leaving the roundabout? I don’t need to know that I am 100, 200, 300 yards away from the roundabout I just came round! The road surfaces are bad enough without making them worse by putting pointless, annoying rumble strips like this on the road.
It is about time NYCC looked at its spending. It is only like any business – in times of hardship, you cut back and do the necessary. Not every business can sit back, waste money and then ask the taxpayer for more.
Jonathan Strange, Katy’s Well, Coniston Cold
Sir - Is it me or are there other people who feel they are being taken for mugs?
With regard to this proposed snow levy to repair all the frost-damaged roads, according to motoring statistics the Labour Government takes a billion pounds a week in various motoring taxes – £52 billion a year – and puts approximately £5 billion back into the infrastructure. Now someone is proposing to increase the council tax to pay for repairs.
A total of £100 million is required to bring roads back to a safe state of affairs. This could be paid for from the “profit” made by the Government when it sells off the excess swine flu vaccinations, or was it bird flu? Bring on the election.
Kevin Harrison, Ingfield Crescent, Settle
Sir – Cycling through Steeton, disaster struck. Puncture, back wheel and no repair kit. I’ll walk and push the bike.
Trudging through Eastburn and the dodgy knee’s playing up – not such a good idea this. Suddenly, ‘Pip, pip, pip, pip’, white van goes past. “What’s up wi’ thee,” a voice shouts from the van.
“Puncture,” I reply. Van swings round and pulls up. Out jumps Batman and Robin – namely Roger Ingham and Warren Burnett. “Come on, we can’t have an old so-and-so like you pushing a bike all that way.”
The bike was whipped into the back of the van among a load of furniture. I was shoved in the front. Ten minutes later, having put not only Skipton’s but the whole country’s problems right, the dynamic duo were waving goodbye and I was just in time for dinner. You see there’s nowt wrong wi’ reight folk, is there?
Bruce Hargreaves, West Lane, Sutton-in-Craven
Sir - I must highlight the incongruity between letters in the Craven Herald complaining about poor hospital food and the proposal in the same edition for a hospital survey by volunteers “to improve a patient’s care and treatment”.
I’ve seen previous negative comments in the Herald about dismal hospital food since the cessation of the hospital’s own cooking facilities. One must wonder, therefore, if a survey is a priority or a necessity to generate improvements of any kind when the most basic need for good patient nutrition appears to have been steadfastly ignored.
Awaiting surveys unfortunately often become an excuse for a lack of action.
Elsewhere, I read of patients nationwide suffering malnutrition in hospitals due both to poor-quality food and lack of assistance to frail patients unable to eat unaided.
While Airedale rates highly in the public consciousness for the excellent quality of its dedicated staff, surely the matter of proper nutrition needs addressing urgently without waiting for any proposed survey to confirm what appears to be common knowledge.
MJ O’Rourke, Lynndale Avenue, Cross Hills
Sir – I write in response to Mrs Babs Myers (Letters, February 4). Mrs Myers must have stayed in a different hospital to me.
The food at Airedale was exceptional, with varied menus to suit all tastes. The meals were served promptly and quickly, with good-natured banter, and were hot at all times.
SG Ives, Westgate, Gargrave Road, Skipton
Sir - The NSPCC were delighted to read in the Craven Herald about the hard work of Mollie Robinson as she raised over £800 with an eight-kilometre swim at Skipton’s Craven Pool.
Other readers who may also be inspired to take part in a sponsored swim to help children would be encouraged to take part in the NSPCC’s The Big Splash swimming challenge. It can be done in your own time, at your local pool and at a distance that suits you.
Money raised for The Big Splash will help the NSPCC’s Child’s Voice Appeal to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children. The support will enable us to expand the NSPCC’s vital helplines – ChildLine for children and young people and the NSPCC Helpline for adults concerned about a child.
We rely on the public’s generosity to fund this vital work. Eighty-five per cent of NSPCC funding comes from voluntary donations, which is used to protect children from cruelty and help children who have been abused to rebuild their lives and face the future with hope.
For more information about The Big Splash, please contact the North Appeals Team on 0113 22 99 324 or email northappeals@nspcc.org.uk
Paula Guanaria, NSPCC head of local fundraising (North), 2nd Floor, Arndale House, Crossgates, Leeds
Sir - I intend no criticism of David Curry’s personal commitment and effectiveness as an MP, but in this constituency general election voting traditions are so entrenched that it is often said, not entirely in jest, that a sheep could be elected as long as it wore a blue ribbon.
It is gratifying, therefore, to see some readers questioning the credentials of the latest Conservative nominee.
I think that, in the interests of fairness and transparency, the same scrutiny should be applied to all prospective parliamentary candidates. It would be helpful to voters if you were to ask each candidate on their behalf to answer the following questions:
1: Will your main home be in this constituency if you are elected? If not, how do you expect to represent us?
2: Will you relinquish all other paid employment, so you can concentrate full-time on what we will be paying you so generously to do?
3: Will you step down from any paid directorships, consultancies or advisory roles, so we will know you are representing our interests and our interests alone?
4: Will you and your family use the local NHS and state school system, so that we will know you personally have a stake in them?
5: Will you bring to the job practical experience of the real world, other than that of a banker, barrister or businessman, the sheltered and privileged world of the “3Bs” being grossly over-represented already in parliament?
Chris Haslam, Badger Gate, Threshfield
Sir - I have read the comments about our Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) for Skipton and Ripon, Julian Smith, with great interest.
I wonder exactly how “open” our open primary selection process was. I met two people who applied to be the PPC, both from the area and both with the potential of becoming great MPs for this constituency. I was surprised when they weren’t shortlisted and even more surprised when I attended the open primary.
I felt the other candidates were extremely weak in comparison to the two I had met and also compared to Julian Smith, who easily won, as he was by far the best on the day.
I really believe that the Skipton and Ripon Conservative Association got exactly who they wanted while making it appear as if the public had chosen.
Hugh Knowles, Craven Terrace, Settle
Sir - Graeme Hitchen, local Labour Party member, has never met me, yet claims to know my politics (Letters, February 11).
Simply because I write to the Herald critical of the ill-judged pronouncements from the Labour Party’s prospective parliamentary candidate on what should be done at Niffany Corner, Mr Hitchen states I am a Conservative Party supporter.
My letter (February 4) on which he bases this opinion was intentionally and obviously apolitical and I was commenting on known facts. I can only assume, therefore, that this nuance went over Mr Hitchen’s head and he missed the point completely in his scramble to defend his Labour Party colleague. In all elections in which I have voted, I have actually voted Labour, but this does not mean that I cannot be publicly critical of its members if they talk nonsense.
Mr Hitchen makes another stab at divining matters when he forecasts the Labour Party may be out of power by the summer – what kind of Labour supporter is he? Perhaps one of his party colleagues should tell him a race is never won until somebody crosses the finishing line.
Mark Willingham, Riverside Walk, Airton
Sir - In reply to Richard Stevenson (Letters, February 4), there is a choice in the general election – The Youth Party.
The Youth Party was formed because there was no real choice in an election and candidates were chosen for us by party central offices. Even though our name suggests it, The Youth Party is not just for young people.
We are campaigning for a change in our political system and for parties to think far ahead, not just to the next election. The distrust the public has for politics is the fault of the major parties. We want to change this. Please go to www.theyouthparty.org.uk
Joe Lord, leader, The Youth Party, Mill Close, Settle
Sir - Mr AJA Smith (Letters, February 11) must have missed the reference to my position on Europe in my latest newsletter, but I am very happy to re-confirm the commitment I made at the open primary held at Aireville School last September.
If elected, I will fight tooth and nail against any further powers being handed to Brussels. Moreover, I will wholeheartedly support and encourage the work of William Hague and his team who have been tasked by David Cameron to review what powers should be negotiated back to the UK if the Conservatives form the next government.
I was, along with many others, appalled that the Labour Government promised a referendum on the Lisbon treaty in its last manifesto and then failed to deliver it.
It will not end there. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats are eager to hand more and more of our hard-won democratic rights to Brussels, further stripping our parliament of power and handing it over to unelected elites in Belgium.
Having visited Brussels recently as part of a review of business regulation for my party, and as a small business owner suffering from EU red tape, I believe we must also avoid being shackled by the EU’s bureaucratic and regulation-laden approach to business.
As the crisis in Greece and other European countries starkly highlights, we should look further afield for inspiration on how to create a competitive, vibrant and growth-driven economy that will provide the jobs and tax revenue we so desperately need for the years ahead.
Should I be elected as Skipton and Ripon’s next MP, I will be a passionate representative of those who feel we have gone far too far with the EU project.
Julian Smith, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Skipton and Ripon Conservatives, Otley Street, Skipton
Sir - I shall not prolong this correspondence endlessly, but Andrew Rankine (Letters, February 11) needs to be put right on some of his assertions.
Julian Smith’s family have lived for generations in North Yorkshire and Durham and continue to do so, but his father moved to Scotland for work which is why Julian lived there, in a remote rural village, and was schooled until 16 in the state comprehensive system.
For the sixth form, he won a scholarship to a renowned independent school, thanks to his ability in academia, music and his chosen sport. Who would have turned down that opportunity?
He will become a full-time politician if and when he wins the seat. Julian and his wife live near Skipton and in London. Given the need for an MP to be based in London to represent constituents at Westminster, this will continue should he be elected. Distance would necessitate the same sort of arrangement for any other successful MP in a northern seat.
Julian was selected from a huge field of nearly 150. Central Office knew what was happening, but in no way influenced the selection.
We knew the type of candidate we wanted and had no intention of being dictated to by people from the other end of the country.
We had the first “primary” ever held in Skipton which was open to all constituents, no matter what their political affiliation.
Andrew Rankine himself could have registered and played a part in that selection if he had so wished. He might also reflect upon the fact that, if a young budding entrepreneur from the North wanted to have success, it might have been wise for him to think globally and to be based in London.
This is what Julian Smith did, which is why he is in a position to be a professional politician 15 or so years later. As for selling or passing on his business, how could he do this prior to being elected? This would be the height of arrogance.
A brief look at the biography of the Liberal Democrat candidate reveals that she also ran a business near London, has lived in the South-East for nearly two decades, spent two years in New York and is a Cambridge graduate.
John D Clark, vice-chairman political, Skipton and Ripon Conservative Association, Colton House, Burnsall
Sir - In response to Graeme Hitchen’s question to myself (Letters, February 11), I am happy to respond.
The Liberal Democrat policy position on selection to grammar schools is quite clear. It should be down to local authorities to determine whether, in those areas which retain grammar schools, those schools should be allowed to continue to admit children by selection.
Thus it should be up to North Yorkshire County Council to put this proposition to local people if the need ever becomes clear to do so, and the council should find a fair, democratic and transparent process to determine their decision.
Regarding the setting up of new schools which operate a selection admission process, we are against this, a policy we share in common with both the Conservatives (who abolished the vast majority of grammar schools in the 1970s) and Labour.
As Liberals, we are committed to localism and would therefore allow individual areas to determine their own provision, rather than insist on top-down, one-size-fits-all policy.
Mr Hitchen raises a point about the inequality of admissions by ability in any area that retains grammar schools, if not all children have the same preparation for exams, ie can pay for tutoring. Thus, it would undoubtedly seem reasonable for a local authority to ensure that all children do have the same preparation before they take the exam at ages 10 and 11.
The logistics of this might prove complicated and would probably involve means-testing parents. Having said that, it is the only way of yielding fairness in selective admissions and would ensure that true social mobility was allowed.
If local people want to keep the selective system in Skipton, we should try to ensure that all the children of Skipton and surrounding feeder schools have this tutoring to ensure that it is a level playing field.
Of course, there is the larger issue of whether the age of 10 or 11 is a suitable age for selection by ability, as children develop at differing rates. An even larger issue than this is whether it is right to label children as failures at the age of 10 or 11. This is what led to the grammar school system being abandoned by most local authorities in the 1970s.
There is a plethora of evidence about selective education which shows that, overall, in areas that operate selection at some or all schools, the level of achievement is no higher than in many areas which are fully comprehensive.
In our own area, you only have to look to Harrogate, which has excellent schools, to corroborate this.
I hope this answers Mr Hitchen’s question.
Helen Flynn, Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for Skipton and Ripon, Low Lane, Darley
Sir – I am appalled to hear Craven District Council may sell Skipton Town Hall.
This is the only venue of a reasonable size able to accommodate the needs of local theatre, music and community groups. Where exactly are Craven Museum expected to relocate to?
Surely, as a ‘tourist-friendly’ town, this facility should be based centrally for ease of access by locals and tourists alike. I think it is time that the council started considering the needs of our community instead of selling-off valuable community property.
The council seems set on disinheriting the people to help balance its books after the financial fiascos of recent years. This must not be allowed to happen.
Annette Falls, Belgrave Street, Skipton
Sir - I understand that Craven District Council may sell Skipton Town Hall. This is the only venue of reasonable size in Skipton for community use.
It houses the Craven Museum, a jewel in the crown of Skipton, and is the venue for music, theatre and fairs.
I would like to register my total disapproval of the proposal. I’m sure there are better alternatives that should be pursued by our council.
Is it not time the council stopped selling off Skipton’s heritage?
SC Robinson, Belgrave Street, Skipton
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