Letters to the Editor

What the city doesn't need are developers such as those involved in the Woolston House debacle, and perhaps one of the important roles of the Urban Regeneration Partnership should be to run a "health" check on developers operating in the city centre.

In the case of Goitside Renaissance, the company managing Woolston House, a search at Companies House would have shown directors who had previously liquidated another company managing the building.

There are serious failings in company law that allow directors to wind up companies and start all over again, but still there is the option of an aggrieved party (and there seems to be plenty of them) asking the Department of Trade and Industry to permanently suspend the directors concerned.

Bruce Barnes, Wilmer Road, Heaton

SIR - I'm not surprised that council tax is going up by 11.5 per cent. After all there's the money for the Capital of Culture bid, there's more money for Serco to underachieve on the education front, an increase in expenses for councillors, the cost of endless Council restructures and regrades of its workforce (which achieve nothing but cost lots of time and money) - all of these have to be paid for.

Of course there isn't any money left to do what the council tax payers of Bradford want such as road gritting or anything really useful.

The Council has become a bloated bureaucracy which requires ever more money just to service itself and if there's no money left over to run essential services then that's just a great pity.

But at least the bureaucrats are having a good time and that's what really matters isn't it?

K J Trocki, Birchdale, Bingley

SIR - In 1976 I became involved in the campaign to stop the Aire Valley trunk road from effectively destroying Saltaire. Twenty-five years later Saltaire is a World Heritage site.

I learned a lot during that campaign - particularly the importance of buildings in people's lives. I firmly believe in progress, experiment and change, but I also believe in respect for and understanding of the past.

History teaches us understanding of past successes and failures. No building in Bradford embodies 19th century civic success and aspiration better than City Hall.

Fundamental to the regeneration of 21st century Bradford is attracting people back to the city centre with a viable and sustainable mixed retail, leisure, commercial and cultural offer. To support that the city centre would benefit enormously from an accessible public building (with no disrepect to the wonderful National Museum of Photography, Film and Television).

We need a modern, interesting, diverse, spectacular landmark and useful new building on a derelict or soon-to-be-derelict central site, a building that reflects our 21st century aspirations.

Let's not engage in the mutilation of City Hall, one of the most beautiful, defining and remarkable buildings in the district. Let's think bigger, think responsibly and aspire to greater things.

Mark Fielding, Haslingden Drive, Heaton

SIR - The gravity of the recent attack on a young girl in Oak Lane cannot be overstated and those in authority should accept some responsibility. This most serious case of abduction, grievous bodily harm and rape against a vulnerable young girl waiting at a bus stop clearly shows that these young men feel they can operate with total impunity in these areas.

When combined with a recent murder, car hijackings and muggings, the streets of this city are becoming increasingly dangerous. What is required is a prevention strategy, which includes regaining control of the streets and daily, round-the-clock, high-visibility police patrols.

In the meantime Bradford Council has a duty under the Crime and Disorder Act. It should issue clear health and safety warnings posted on the approach to high risk areas. Failure to discharge this duty resulting in injury should be actionable.

Les Vasey, Temple Rhydding Drive, Baildon

SIR - No-one should be deceived by Colin Powell's grand-standing "revelations" at the UN. If this were serious intelligence, he would have handed it quietly to the weapons inspectors so they could catch Saddam off guard while they checked it out.

And assuming it were real, and not the farrago of cobbled-together blurred photographs, dodgy videos and unattributable phone taps it appears to be, surely Powell, above, has broken the cardinal rule of intelligence, by tellingSaddam what the US knows he's been up to, giving him an opportunity to cover his tracks.

But as someone who has been campaigning all my life for the universal abolition of weapons of mass destruction, I think it's about time we extended what the inspectors are doing in Iraq, not least to Britain and USA, and of course America's prime client in the Middle East - Israel, which does possess nuclear weapons and is actually doing all the things Colin Powell is worried Iraq might do.

Karl Dallas, Church Green, Bradford 8

SIR - I protest strongly about the proposed closure of Toftshaw Lane. I have lived in and around this area for more than 65 years and have used this road regularly until the "Access Only" notices arrived.

The problem only arose after the stupidity of reducing Tong Street to only one lane. Anybody with any sense (not Bradford councillors) can see that the traffic flow is OK after Cawthras mill going into Bradford, and OK coming out of Bradford until Cawthras mill, and then OK again after the cemetery.

The plan when I was a lad was to make a dual road all the way to the motorway. The Council went as far as compulsory purchase and demolition all along the left side of Tong Street coming into Bradford.

Keep Toftshaw open and improve Tong Street.

David Whitehead, Deanpark Avenue, Drighlington

SIR - Conservative prospective candidate Philip Davies perpetrates a gross over-simplification when he says: "...the average burglar will carry out their crime 60 times before they are likely to be sent to prison."

As I understand it, not all burglars are to be sent to prison for a first or second attempt. This is different from suggesting that all burglars will be allowed three arrests before going to prison.

If there are aggravating circumstances, or a string of previous offences, I would expect a first conviction for burglary to result in a prison sentence.

Keith Trobridge, Otley Road, Shipley.

SIR - I see from the T&A (January 27) that an extra pedestrian crossing is going to be installed in Manchester Road. I cannot believe that such expense and disruption can be warranted over the pathetic reasons given in the article: that people find it difficult to cross the road in the Marshfield area to shops, a medical centre and mosques.

Councillor Hawkesworth states they have monitored the area. Where were they looking? A new crossing will mean that there are going to be three crossings in a matter of 20-25 yards. Are people who live in this area incapable of walking a few yards to a crossing?

D Blackwell, Rooley Lane, Bradford 5.

SIR - It was a foregone conclusion to sell Meadowcroft old people's home before all the consultation with the public.

If anyone has any interest in keeping Meadowcroft home open, then vote accordingly at the next election.

It is a Conservative plan supported by the Liberal Democrats, three of whom represent Baildon.

Private homes are run for profit or they close. The council homes are for its citizens, run as a safeguard and not a profit.

Bryan Russell, Heaton Crescent, Baildon.

SIR - Re David Barnett's column (T&A, January 28) about the adverts on daytime TV. Well done young man, voicing the thoughts of so many having to watch or turn off the utter rubbish on our television screens. Thank you very much.

Ken Till, Nab Wood Grove, Shipley