Letters to the Editor

SIR - It is evident that your most recent report on the closure of Otley Car Boot Sale has caused people to conclude that I am one of only two people referred to by the organisers of this event as being responsible for its closure, resulting in some irresponsible car boot followers carrying out a series of vindictive attacks against myself and property.

As co-owner of the one property in town most directly affected by the car boot I have never concealed my dislike of it and the chaos it brought to the town. Even so I have never campaigned against it, signed any petition or complained to any official departments.

The one complaint I did make was at the time of the foot and mouth crisis. This I did for all to hear and see, face to face with the organiser in front of television cameras.

Following this I was advised by one car boot worker to pack up and move or I would be 'burnt out by the car boot lads'. Another individual describing himself as 'car boot protector' threatened me with physical violence and £400 worth of damage was done to my property.

These incidents were dealt with very quickly and quietly by the police whom I shall not hesitate to involve again, especially when a most recent incident was the pushing of rat poison under my garage door, I presume in an attempt to kill my dog.

If this is the kind of culture nurtured on car boot fields then this town can well do without it. Genuine car boot enthusiasts should wake up to reality. No individual or group closed your sale except yourselves.

You cut its own throat by failing to support it thereby depriving the organisers of their pickings. So you were dumped and they moved on to plunder pastures new and before any enforcement action was taken.

Incidentally to all those in the town circulating Chinese whispers I am sorry to disappoint you. No I am most definitely not a leader of the lorry action ban and have never been to one of their meetings.

No, I am not campaigning to have the pedestrian crossing moved and no, I do not have a petition to end the fairground. I am simply a fast approaching 70-year-old pensioner who lives a very comfortable lifestyle in a very prominently positioned property who enjoys gardening in a very public garden which planning regulations do not allow me to close off.

I am, however, extremely grateful for the respect and appreciation the town as a whole and its many visitors have shown for my garden especially the young who often take time to tell me how much they like it. Thank you.

Mrs M Consoli

Farnley Lane,

Otley.

No consultation

SIR, - The Boundary Commission is to announce its recommendations on the Review of Electoral Arrangements at the end of July, after which there will be a period of six weeks during which the Electoral Commission will consider further comment.

The last boundary reorganisation sadly saw the first 'chipping' away of Yeadon and also a part of Rawdon. The land beyond Dam Lane, Windmill Lane and Harrogate Road, down to Rawdon traffic lights coming under the jurisdiction of Otley.

The remaining areas of Rawdon were passed to Horsforth, with the exception of the Little London area, which was left in Aireborough.

The creation of Aireborough Urban District Council in 1937 successfully encompassed the three townships of Rawdon, Yeadon and Guiseley (and Hawksworth). The year 1974 saw the emergence of Leeds Metropolitan Council and the demise of Aireborough Urban District Council.

With the proposed new housing at High Royds and other areas, the number of councillors to represent Aireborough at Leeds could perhaps be raised from the recommended (not mandatory) practice of three per ward (no limit to number - must be divisible by three).

Is it possible that old Aireborough boundaries could be reinstated? These are all questions that need answering and challenging.

It is rumoured that the political boundary proposals presently favoured will result in the demise of Aireborough and the transfer of the higher/central parts of Yeadon, including the town hall, into Otley. The lower areas of the town would become known as Yeadon, Guiseley and Rawdon.

An ancient town split in two, both for local and general elections - Otley/Yeadon being in one constituency (North-West Leeds), and Yeadon, Guiseley and Rawdon in another (Pudsey).

There has been no local consultation with interested parties. Leeds City Council has not had any public meetings to test the feelings of residents.

The electorate should have had the courtesy of being informed; a note with the Council Tax demand would have been something. I have therefore written to the Boundary Committee asking for a public meeting, with an independent assessor, in accordance with Stage Four of the process and timetable for the conduct of reviews.

MARGARET C ATKINSON

Chairman,

Yeadon Town Hall Users Group.

Past mistakes

SIR, - The European Commission on May 7 published its draft legislation for a new EU Chemicals Policy. It involves testing 30,000 chemicals on millions of laboratory animals.

But although the draft includes longer deadlines for implementation of the policy, which gives more time to validate non-animal replacement tests, the plans still amount to the largest mass animal poisoning programme in Europe's history, using outdated, unreliable and crude animal toxicity tests.

Even the safeguards that do exist in the draft to reduce animal testing could simply be ignored because they are not mandatory.

The BUAV's Harmful If Swallowed campaign leads opposition to this mass chemicals testing on animals. We support the principle of the chemicals policy, but do not believe that animal testing is the ethical or credible scientific solution.

Non-animal tests are quicker to produce results, cheaper to perform, more reliable and repeatable and do not involve massive animal suffering. But not enough effort or funding is put into prioritising non-animal tests.

The new policy will not deliver what environmental groups hope it will - a future of safe chemicals - because it relies heavily on unreliable animal experiments that should have been abolished decades ago.

The animal test for cancer, for example, where animals are force fed with poisons for more than five years, is a poor indicator of harm in people and even gives different results for the same chemicals at different times: a very recent study showed that when chemicals were tested twice, the test only gave the same result in 57 out of 121 cases.

Animal tests have never been validated to modern standards and yet people are being told animal testing will make chemicals safer. It's not true, only strict regulation can do that.

It's disappointing that, with an opportunity to modernise Europe's approach to chemical testing with cutting edge and credible non-animal methods, the commission has chosen instead to repeat the mistakes of the past and stick to the basic method of poisoning animals and hoping for the best!

To find out more about the BUAV's Harmful If Swallowed campaign contact the BUAV at the address below or email: info@buav.org

Wendy Higgins

Campaigns Director,

British Union for the Abolition

of Vivisection (BUAV),

16a Crane Grove,

London N7 8NN.

Seeking a reply

SIR, - You report that the Aireborough CIT is looking to identify a suitable location within the area for a skateboard park. ('Group to look at skate park - May 29).

During the recent election campaign I made the provision of additional facilities for our young people one of my main campaign issues. I am therefore pleased to see that serious consideration is being given to the provision of a skate park.

However, I note that all those quoted as having a view about where the facility should be located are people who are unlikely to use the facility. It seems to me crucial that we involve young people in these discussions. Otherwise we run the risk of spending money on facilities they won't use.

I therefore sent an e-mail to Councillor Latty, Chairman of the CIT, on May 29, suggesting that at least one young person should be invited to take part in meetings of the sub-group set up to look into the issue. I also volunteered to help set up a meeting of young people at which they could express their views and possibly elect a representative to sit on the sub-group.

I am disappointed that Councillor Latty has not seen fit to respond to these positive suggestions. In fact, he has not even acknowledged my e-mail. If others agree with me could I encourage them to write or e-mail Councillor Latty at the Civic Hall. Perhaps they may be more able to elicit a positive reply from him.

Mike King

1A Renton Avenue,

Guiseley.

A cleaner Otley

SIR, - The Otley in Bloom group are delighted that Coun Nigel Francis is continuing to promote the need to keep the town environments clean and attractive. Like previous councillors from all political parties he is aware how important it is for everyone that Otley's public spaces are well looked after.

I do hope that the report, Creating a Cleaner Historic Market Town, which Otley in Bloom group distributed widely in December 2002, will be used as a point of reference. This report, which is based on years of experience, focuses on the level of cleanliness of Otley as a whole.

The report includes the results of a survey of market traders, who were simply asked in what ways could Otley's town centre become cleaner.

Looking to the forthcoming summer judging for Otley, this is planned for the morning of Thursday, July 10. The Otley in Bloom group asks everyone to ensure that their property boundary line is weed and litter free on that Thursday. The judges' route is approximately seven miles so it is extremely helpful if everyone adopts their bit of space on the pavements for this day.

It really does help the town's overall results. If there is evidence of fly tipping the number to call is 0113 2487500.

And finally a big thank you to everyone for your continued support.

SYLVIA REID

Secretary,

Otley in Bloom,

C/o Manor Books,

Otley.

Stuck on our own little planet

SIR, - Sleep easy tonight ye good folk of Otley. The Eurozone and it's ghastly single currency is as far away as ever after the recent timewarp-like announcement that the Democratic Republic of Rupert Murdoch-United Kingdom has not met the conditions for entry to the 21st century.

Sid and Doris Bonkers will still be able to not just book it, but Thomas Cook it before buying a fry-up in Benidorm and Neanderthal man will carry on emptying his pockets of real pounds for real ale.

That's right - how dare we surrender our independence after 15 pints and a Chicken Tikka Masala on a friday night?

I wonder if the miners in nearby Selby read in their local newspaper this week that the European Commission has just granted £10 million to them for a social fund after their pits close in the near future to help them find a future.

I doubt they did, it was in the Costa Blanca News's weekly column entitled 'The European Union at work'.

The trouble is the media only tell you what they want you to hear and it's fair to say based on that the conditions will never be right for entry to the euro because - like the Emmerdale's Dingles - we're happy being detached on our own little planet.

Dan Cooney

Casa Loco

San Pedro Del Pinatar

Alicante,

Spain.