Planning decisions can often be difficult to make, and rules are rules. But when a case drags on for years and the subject matter is about a tree house that may be five centimetres too high, perhaps the rules should be bent a bit.

The case of the tree house that was too high is likely to cost taxpayers a lot of money, and, after all the wrangles, the matter has been resolved and the platform can stay. So when planning matters like this arise, would it not be wiser to try to resolve the problem without trawling the case past planners, officers, inspectors and, most importantly, the family involved.

After years of arguments, phone calls and letters, the children for whom the platform was built are approaching an age where being in a tree house isn't as cool and exciting as it would have been three years ago when it was originally built.

After £91,000 of traffic calming measures, Pool-in-Wharfedale residents are still fed up with motorists speeding through their village. The measures did work at first because people were not used to them, but now motorists can easily manoeuvre the mini-roundabout and are aware of just where the crossings are in the village.

Now, parish councillors want to carry on protecting residents and they have pledged to look into what else they can do to tackle the speeding problem.

The most effective ways to stop traffic are also the most expensive ways and many small villages would be reluctant to start a massive fundraising project.

But the people of Pool are certainly a determined bunch and they will fight as best they can to stop the villagers feeling as if they live in fear of an accident happening.