Rules must apply to everyone

We were happy to comply with this proviso, although it cost the club £3000 more than had been budgeted for in the original estimates.

Twenty yards along the lane from our club house stands the 1900 Bridge crossing the beck, linking the villages of Sutton-in-Craven and Glusburn, and so called because that was the year in which it was built. Originally this was a magnificent stone built bridge which was a delight to the eye.

A few years ago, the bridge had to be dismantled for strengthening. All the beautiful old stone work was taken away and, surprise, surprise, when it was rebuilt was replaced by ugly aluminium fencing which is an insult to the locality and a veritable eyesore.

Perhaps someone on the Council would offer an explanation to me and many other locals as to why the bridge was not put back in its original state, instead of the environmental disaster it is today. Where has the original stonework gone?

It seems to me that different rules apply for projects undertaken by private organisations and those undertaken by the council.

We at Crosshills FC are justifiably proud of our premises which conform and blend in perfectly with the area. The local authority should be ashamed of the cheap and nasty replacement of what used to be a lovely bridge.

B Pearce

Chairman, Crosshills FC,

Hazel Grove

Sutton-in-Craven

SIR - I have been a member of the Settle Orchestral Society for three years and maintain its website www.settleorchestra.org.uk.

Visitors can see from the picture on the website showing the orchestra at the Victoria Hall in Settle how cramped we all are.

It is the same everywhere we perform, including Christ Church in Skipton or Giggleswick Chapel. There is never enough space to perform in comfort, despite the often excellent acoustics.

We have been reading in this letters page about the perception that the standard of music in the area is not all it can be. This is totally untrue - the music is wonderful - incredibly high standards for a largely rural area.

What we lack is a suitable venue to show off the local musical talent. In other words, a first class concert hall for the Dales.

A concert hall is just what we need to provide more cohesion to the arts in the Dales. The schools and music centre could use it rather than have to put on two concerts to enable all the parents to listen. All the local orchestras and bands would have a suitable venue.

And, of course, we could also attract larger professional orchestras, jazz bands and groups. It could be used as a business conference venue, bringing income for local hotels and restaurants.

It seems to me that this is just what we need to put the southern Dales on the map in the cultural sense and to attract more people to the area. How about gutting the Town Hall in Skipton, leaving the facade, and rebuilding it as a concert hall?

Obviously funding would have to be found, via the lottery or one of the local initiatives such as Yorkshire Forward, but this must be an idea well worth considering. If you know how this might be progressed, please contact me at info@settle

orchestra.org.uk .

Caroline Woodhead,

Beech Close, Gargrave.

SIR - We were told some months ago that a study was to be carried out into the problems resulting from the large volume of heavy goods vehicles passing through Settle town.

The results of this exercise were due at the beginning of May.

May we be allowed to know what conclusions have been reached? As anyone living in or visiting Settle must realise, the problem is now critical, and needs an urgent solution.

It is wonderful to know that Settle has been officially designated as a 'Renaissance Town'. However, it is hard to imagine how any effective 're-birth' of the town can be achieved until the truck problem is resolved.

AR Fawcett,

Skipton Road, Settle

SIR - I wonder how many of us stop to think what an important role organisations such as the Lions play within society.

How many times have we passed by their stall in Skipton Town Hall without even considering contributing to their good causes or joining their ranks of fund raisers.

I knew nothing about Skipton and Craven Lions until the current funding crisis facing the care field began to affect the establishment that I manage; a crisis, I hasten to add, that has not been caused by any lack of funding being provided at Government level to this over-managed and over-monitored field of work but by the constant haemorrhaging out of monies on the salaries of the truly unnecessary, that calcified layer of management, who serve only to speak and write the job but don't actually do it.

Skipton and Craven Lions, through their quiet and consistent commitment to fund raising, bravely pick up the pieces by providing facilities and equipment that can potentially transform the lives of individuals from being simply an existence into a life of quality and opportunity.

There is one certain fact: I shall not pass by on the other side of the street the next time I encounter a pride of these Lions at large.

V Walker,

Tems Street, Giggleswick.

SIR - I refer to the report in the Craven Herald (May 23) on the new planning application to build on land adjacent to White Abbey, Green Lane, Glusburn.

I would like to clarify and explain my position as a district councillor at this, the consultation/information gathering stage of a planning application.

At the parish council meeting when asked to speak and offer advice to the objectors, I advised them of specific local plan policies that could be utilised to base their representations as they would carry the most significant weight in planning terms. In so doing I said that I was not in a position to state my personal views at this stage of the planning application process due to Craven District Council's code of conduct.

The code, in effect, says that a councillor should not express a personal view until all the material planning information is available, this is accepted as being when the application is presented to the planning committee.

This is to ensure that the planning committee can be seen to make a fair and balanced judgement when determining it.

If, on the other hand, I or any other member were to express his/her personal view at this point, it could be construed that they had prejudged the application. Such a course of action would then result in that particular councillor relinquishing his or her right to participate in the debate and vote when the application is determined by the planning committee.

Whilst this code of conduct may appear somewhat confusing and controversial in some eyes, all Craven councillors must abide by it or face the consequences.

What this planning code doesn't and must never do is to prevent me or any other councillor from, when approached, giving freely advice to the electors they represent at any stage of a planning application's process.

Finally, with respect to the possibility of acquiring conservation status for this particular area of Glusburn, I stated that it would take a considerable period of time and therefore could not be achieved within this particular planning application's determination period.

Coun Philip Barrett,

Glusburn ward councillor,

Beanlands Drive, Glusburn.

SIR - It was a mixture of both amusement and irritation that overcame me as I read the letter from a recent relocatee to Giggleswick.

Here we have, I assume (their phrase not mine) early retirees who, having moved into the area, have discovered that there apparently is nothing to do.

May I refer them to the Craven Herald's excellent 'What's On' guide for starters.

May I also point out that right on the doorstep lies a plethora of enjoyable days out such as, in Settle, the recent Flag Festival and Austwick Street Market.

Should one wish to remain even closer to home, I suggest a stroll along the Ribble to watch local anglers land their catch and Langcliffe locks, where my four year old son had a wonderful time as we both discovered a nesting duck sitting on her eggs in a grassy verge.

Perhaps people should research an area before "relocating". That goes for second home owners too. Nothing to do indeed!

Michael Fielden,

Victoria Street, Upper Settle.

SIR - You may recall that a team from the Church of England recently conducted a national survey to assess change in people's moral and religious attitudes in the light of the terrorists attacks of 9/11.

This same team is now monitoring the impact war in Iraq is having on people's moral and religious thinking and it would be invaluable if readers in your area could be included as part of this survey.

As a minister in the Church of England I am involved in a nationwide survey to assess the enormous impact war in Iraq is having on people's moral and religious attitudes and their outlook for the future. I would be grateful if I could use your letters page to help with this research.

I invite readers to send me their views on any of the following: Has the war in Iraq significantly changed your outlook on life? Were you in favour of the conflict? Are you now more or less materialistic? More or less family orientated? Are you thinking more about spiritual matters and trying find out about God? Are you still confident about the future?

Of those who replied to an earlier national survey monitoring changing attitudes in the aftermath of 11 September 2001, 48 per cent came from church attenders who said that they remained confident about the future because Bible prophecy promises that Christ will return to stop humanity from destroying itself.

If you belong to a church when did you first hear these prophecies and from whom? Was it at Sunday school or is it something you heard as an adult? If you are not a church member and this teaching is new to you, to what degree does it give you encouragement? Does it change your view on Christianity? Do you feel that churches should give greater prominance to such prophecy in order to provide reassurance in times of world instability?

Many who replied to the earlier survey claimed that Bible prophecy described events such as the return of the Jews to Palestine, the rise of Russia, weapons of mass destruction (Mark 13) and the attack on the World Trade Centre (Revelation 18). Would you agree with that viewpoint? Confidentiality is assured. Please send your views to the address below, marking your envelope 'Iraq survey'.

Rev J Willans,

Clayhill Road,

Leigh, Surrey.

SIR - Why is an area of outstanding natural beauty like the Yorkshire Dales National Park being systematically raped? I refer to the carnage and havoc being inflicted on Dales moorlands by four wheel drives and motorcycles.

These vandals care nothing for the dales or its heritage. They roar across moorland on their high-powered machines, churning up the bridleways and turning the lovely green roads into mud; it is disgraceful.

Why is the national park unable to do anything to combat this increasing menace? This issue cannot be ignored or talked about any longer; the time for endless debate is passed. Now it's time for real action. At the moment the breeding season is under way and the birds must not be disturbed, so imagine their distress as ear splitting engines roar past.

Last weekend I walked the Coverdale moors and witnessed this example as ten super powered bikes raced over. I have walked over 3,000 miles in the national park and I cannot keep silent any longer about this issue, that threatens to spiral out of control.

The national park must have teeth to combat this growing threat. They must have wardens at every entrance to moorland in the Park every Sunday, prohibiting these people from entering. These motorbikes belong at Donington Park, not the national park. Sunday is the day when these leather clad bully boys congregate and the Dales high places are their church.

I personally would volunteer to be a warden and police moorland entrances on Sundays. I appeal to everybody who loves the Dales to write to the authority and their MP. Legislation must be passed to combat this wanton vandalism masquerading as sport.

Michael Jones,

Sharphaw Ave, Skipton

SIR - I read with interest the letter in the Craven Herald of May 23 regarding the suggested tourist attraction for the Settle area and think it is not without merit.

However, it could take some time to come to fruition and in the meantime I wonder if one or two members of "our large population of retirees" would be willing to help with the waste paper collection in aid of our local swimming pool?

This raises about £10,000 per year for an important asset to the area which has only limited support from the local authority.

With more help the sum could be increased considerably at £45 per ton. Anyone interested can contact me on 822235 or Tony Smartt on 825557.

Chris Ellis,

The Old Vicarage, Langcliffe

SIR - With reference to the Cross Hills and Glusburn Gala held on Saturday May 17, we would like to start by thanking all the local businesses who helped to support the local event.

A big thank you to the Old White Bear, Cross Hills, who volunteered at the last minute to provide the catering on the day. We would also like to thank Hopkinson Transport, Panache Hairstylist, Woodrow Universal and Joanne Ridehalgh for help with the float, queen and her attendants.

Despite the appalling weather we would like to thank those who kindly attended on the day to support the gala and finally to those who turned up to man the gates.

Diane Macdonald

Gala committee secretary

SIR - I would like through your columns to congratulate the people of Malham.

Last Thursday my two boys, their grandma and myself went along to the Safari and had a thoroughly enjoyable day all for the price of £3.

The boys were amazed by the animals and enjoyed their adventure looking for the snakes. As for grandma and myself, we were amazed by the effort and commitment, which had obviously gone into organising the safari, and the pride the children and adults alike had taken in their work.

I hope you have raised lots of money for your causes.

Jane Marshall

Halstead Terrace, Settle.

SIR - In the midst of debates about who should govern Iraq, one thing seems to have slipped off the agenda yet again.

Back in December the UN General Assembly recommended that human rights monitors should be deployed with immediate effect - something that Amnesty International was firmly behind. It didn't happen then and it's still not happening now.

In a period of continued instability, human rights monitors would play a critical role both in preventing human rights abuses and investigating abuses by all.

We, as members of the Silsden Amnesty International Group, are committed to the ideal that everyone, whatever their circumstances, deserves to be treated with dignity , to be safe and secure and to have at least the means to meet their basic needs. In response to the human rights of others, we all have human responsibilities and we shall continue to campaign, by whatever means are at our disposal, to fulfill these obligations.

(Signed by 10 members)

John Irons,

Silsden Amnesty International Group,

Main Street, Farnhill