WITH reference to Councillor Andy Brown’s complaints about the potential abolition of

Craven District Council (Craven Herald, July 16). Like it or not, the Tory government seems set on local government reorganisation.

It is important that Craven District Council has a voice with regard to preserving services and jobs in our district.

Workers currently on the job retention scheme or self-employed income support scheme are most likely to face unemployment in the months ahead. According to figures from the TUC, 41 per cent of

Craven’s workforce are on these schemes, so preserving and creating jobs must be a priority.

A first step would be to guarantee local government jobs in our area.

Our representatives can use the opportunities created by devolution to promote transport improvements in this region.

Why not have both the Skipton Colne railway route reopened and a passenger service from Skipton via Hellifield to Clitheroe and beyond over the existing railway with necessary resignalling at Hellifield? Improved signalling between Skipton and Shipley could increase line capacity on that route.

The promotion of transport improvements will also benefit the environment enabling

greater use of public transport and thus reducing traffic on the roads.

Any form of reorganisation brings with it the concern about jobs.

Devolution may

mean more funds however we must ensure that the residents of Craven do not lose out to the bigger players in the field and local democracy is not compromised.

Chris Rose

Craven District Councillor

Labour Party

Skipton