Letters to the editor

I WRITE in response to the letter from Freda Duerden in last week’s Craven Herald – Is Kilimanjaro trio really worthwhile?
Dear Freda, we don’t know each other but I expect we have something in common that we do know someone who is affected by the scourge of cancer. It is said that at least one in three of the population will be affected by cancer in some way and Macmillan Cancer Support, along with other charities, do a great job in supporting those who need help.
You asked for a breakdown of ‘accounts’ for an ‘expensive and pleasurable’ trip, such as the one I have just completed to the top of Kilimanjaro. Each person is required to pay a non-refundable registration fee of £550. They must then raise a minimum of £4,500, of which I believe about £1,800 funds the trip.
In my case, and I know many others in our group did the same, the fee and the trip cost were self-funded – meaning that all the money I raised went to Macmillan. However, even if that is not the case, Macmillan still benefits from more than £3,200 from each person, which it would not normally have received.
The point of trips like this is to inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things and to raise lots of money in the process. As a group, we have raised more than £150,000, most of which will help fund the vital services Macmillan provides – it was definitely ‘worthwhile’.
It is also worth noting that, apart from the air fare, almost all the trip expenses are spent locally in Tanzania, providing valuable employment and income to the local porters, cooks, drivers, camp attendants and guides. We also spent our own ‘holiday’ money locally to benefit the local economy.
So – instead of ‘expensive’ – I would rather say ‘great value and benefit to people in the UK and in Africa’. But I agree it was ‘pleasurable’ – spending a week camping on rough terrain, climbing to more than 19,000 feet (not easy breathing up there), wet-wipe washes for five days, eating very basic food and enduring some extreme weather in the company of 30 of the most amazing, inspirational and generous people you could ever meet.
The real ‘heroes’ are those fighting cancer. I hope that I never need the services of a Macmillan nurse, but I’ll do whatever I can to ensure they are there if I do.
NICK HODGSON,
The Acres, Addingham.

I WISH to address several issues which suggests something is not quite right in Craven District Council planning.
Firstly, I enjoyed Mr Bewes letter (Craven Herald, October 8) regarding the stone arch situation. Frankly, it is an absurd erection totally out of character with its surroundings.
However, I agree that Cllr Kerwin-Davey’s comment is completely unnecessary and shows crass disregard towards residents of Craven district, who pay their taxes to support his position. His words can be considered offensive towards the poor tax-paying residents in question.
Now, onto the unapproved changes to the structure of the Craven Buildings flats to the rear of Christ Church School. The story suggests these unscheduled changes were made with the full knowledge of Craven District Council’s planning department. This begs the question why CDC allowed the situation to get to this point where a planning request resulted in, frankly, a huge number of objections.
So, now the developer is appealing the refusal on the grounds the changes were made with the knowledge and co-operation of CDC planning officers. If what they assert is actually true, it suggests the representatives in positions of public responsibility and power may have been too close to a commercial developer.
It would be interesting for someone to make a Freedom of Information Act request for all the correspondence between council planning officers and the developer regarding this development.
NIC FOXTON,
Pendle Street, Skipton.

WHAT a joy to observe the Skipton Town Hall function room hosting an Asian wedding.
The hall now looks beautiful and fit for any function or concert.
My next thought is why Skipton Town Council hasn’t yet been rehoused in this glorious building. It achieves outstanding tourist results and pleasure for us locals – it would be nice to see it upgraded into better facilities.
The setts are finally being repaired and I would expect Skipton Market to be the best for miles around.
I trust Craven District Council values the efforts of the town council and mayor as much as I do, and maybe you can give some indication as to when this progress is likely to be.
HAZEL BULCOCK,
Devonshire Mews, Skipton.

REGARDING your story 'Councillor blasts unfair ticketing’ (Craven Herald, October 15), double yellow lines mean no stopping, never mind parking.
People breaking the laws of the road, any of them, should automatically lose their licence as they are demonstrating their lack of appropriate responsibility.
The person “doing a good deed” to help a disabled person should have a disabled badge on display if they want the exemption they wish they’d had. It’s like a shoplifter saying they were feeding a pauper. Nice thoughts but illegal all the same.
The rules apply to everyone so no bull-you-know-what please. Three big cheers for traffic wardens and other law enforcement staff. The rules are there to be obeyed, not flouted.
When enough lawbreakers have been fined in this way – and far from enough are – then the laws will eventually be respected and obeyed. And don’t get me started on speeding or I’ll be here all day. Bans should be rest-of-life. Anyone maimed, killed or even just severely frightened by a criminal or reckless driver has a rest-of-life sentence, so it is appropriate.
Anyone disagreeing is very likely a criminal of the same ilk themselves and just wanting a sense of justification.
SAM MOORE,
Todmorden.

I REALLY do think it is time to call to account local MP Mr Smith for his recent vote in favour of the government’s disgraceful attempt to cut tax credits.
All the statistical analysis has demonstrated beyond doubt that this will cause serious hardship for those already on low incomes – many by as much as £1,300 per year.
These are the so called hard-working ‘striving’ families that Mr Osborne claims to want to support. This will simply drive more financially-squeezed families to the already stretched foodbanks.
I would be interested in Mr Smith’s reasons for voting in favour of this measure, bearing in mind the number of families it will certainly affect in his constituency. And I sincerely hope he will not try to claim that the money lost in tax credit will be made up for in increases under the so-called ‘living wage’ or by employers giving low-paid workers wage rises at some point to come.
I wonder if Mr Smith (or indeed Messrs Cameron or Osborne) would willingly take a pay cut now on the basis of a vague promise of a wage increase in some indeterminate future? I think we all know the answer to that.
If the government is hell-bent on pushing through its ideologically-driven austerity, then these savings should be taken from those most able to afford it (and there are many comfortably off who can), not pushing over the edge those already on the brink.
FRANCIS O’NEILL,
Utley.

I FULLY agree that one of the biggest lessons of war – Bruce McLeod’s letter ‘True lessons of war must be learnt’ (Craven Herald, October 22) – is the creation of refugees.
Over history, there have been millions of ‘displaced persons’, that is internal and external refugees. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates there are currently 50 million refugees in the world; the four million plus displaced in and around Syria are just the latest.
Our government seems to think that the ‘burden’ of accepting 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years is the most ‘we’ can do. Compare this to the burden that has fallen on Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. The UNHCR is now desperately short of funds to support refugees around Syria and elsewhere because the richer countries have reneged on commitments to financially support the UNHCR.
The greatest need is to bring that civil war to an end. Yet the government – I will not call it ‘my’ Government – seems to be more active in pursuing a war policy of more bombing. Yes, ISIS must be stopped, but bombing ISIS-held areas kills civilians, too, and makes many more refugees.
The Western powers and its Middle East allies have been seriously deficient in working for a negotiated peace. I would urge everyone concerned about this issue to write to the Prime Minister and to their MPs.
JOHN LAUNDER,
Brook Street, Skipton.

I OBJECT to the proposal to build 50 houses off Sutton Lane and I notice that the proposal last year was for 29 houses – Rejected plan for 50 homes to be appealed (Craven Herald, October 22).
The objections remain the same as I quoted last year – 276 new houses have been built in Sutton in the past 14 years – an average of 20 per annum – and we are told that we need five per annum. On that basis, we have enough housing to last us till 2055.
There are currently ten new houses being built off West Lane. If there is a need for affordable housing in Sutton, why are these ten at market value?
Sutton is now full to bursting in more ways than one. The main Aire Valley sewer had to have the manhole covers bolted down last year because of the over-capacity of waste, the schools in the area are all full and the doctors’ surgery is struggling to cope.
It is impossible to travel anywhere in Sutton between 7am and 9.30am and 3.30pm and 6pm because of the volume of traffic on the narrow village streets, so imagine the bedlam if another 50 houses were allowed.
I am sure Craven has enough surplus land for housing without spoiling this village any more.
DAVID ANDERSON,
Park Drive, Sutton.

AFTER writing to Craven District Council several times during the past few years, reference the street cleaning at Broughton Road in Skipton, especially the disgusting state of the railway bridge with bird droppings, I was amazed to see the paved area in front of the new council offices in Broughton Road being jet-washed Saturday morning.
This is a new building, so if they can find and waste cash on cleaning, why can’t they clean a blight on our lives? This also includes the railway bridge in Keighley Road. Anyone who has to walk under these bridges will tell you they are in a filthy, disgusting state, with years of layers of bird droppings making them slippery and a health hazard. These could have done with a jet wash.
There is a report some streets are having their lights switched off at night to save money – Street light switch-off concern for residents (Craven Herald, October 15) – but it doesn’t stop them wasting cash in other ways. Street cleaning outside of the town centre is non-existent. I was once told by a council officer responsible she carried out weekly litter street patrols down Broughton Road. I wonder if she had her eyes open?
MR E ATKINSON,
Broughton Grove, Skipton.

AS THE government attempts to create a northern powerhouse, I can only wonder how they intend to do this when the allow the cheap Chinese steel to be dumped in the UK and allow the closure of Redcar and Scunthorpe steel works with a total loss of 3,400 jobs.
Seemingly, it is against EU rules to help with aid or loan guarantees to a steel company in financial difficulties. The Italian government, meanwhile, has given one of its steel works £74 million to help with environmental improvements?
Not to worry, David Cameron has it all in hand by taking the Chinese premier for a pint.
ROGER BAXANDALL,
UKIP Skipton and Ripon chairman,
North View, Cross Hills.

I NOTE The Fleece public house in Keighley Road, Skipton, is currently being refurbished.
I hope it will not be changing its name. Skipton, in old English, means Sheep Town, and a fleece is incorporated into the town’s coat of arms. It would be a pity if Sheep Town did not have a Fleece. It would be like Kefalonia without a bar called ‘Captain Corelli’s’.
We will, of course, continue to have The Woolly Sheep and The Royal Shepherd left to represent our traditions, but I am not sure that is enough. A compromise of The Ram’s Revenge, The Fat Lamb or even The Old Tup might be acceptable.
CARMEL CROSSLEY,
Otley Road, Skipton.