Police tax rise is far too high

On the contrary, I think we care very much, but I suspect we can do little or nothing about it, hence the lack of attendees at the discussion meeting.

Police authority member Bernard Flynn stated that Government funding would not cover inflation, and Chief Constable Della Cannings suggested rises in police precept on our council tax ranging from 35 per cent to a staggering 76 per cent.

It may come as a surprise that inflation has reached the dizzy heights of 2.9 per cent and if there were no additional funding at all from the government, then three per cent would easily cover that.

But we know, don't we, that the police will want, and take, much much more, just as last year saw them take a massive 45 per cent (yes, that really is 45 five per cent, or around 18 times inflation) increase in the amount they charged us.

Mrs. Cannings concluded that "we get the police we pay for," but do we?

How many additional police staff do we have for our 45 per cent increase of last year?

An increase, incidentally, which was around twice the extra that Bradford needed, after it had riots in the city. Did we in Craven have riots, or has the extra merely funded the police pension scheme?

And just why should we believe that whatever we say will be listened to?

Does anyone believe that the police will be happy with say a "mere" three times inflation?

I exclude any farmers with flying pigs from answering that question!

Alan Perrow,

Bannister Walk, Cowling.

SIR - On behalf of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, I would like to appeal to your readers to support our campaign, which calls for an end to the disruption and distress caused to dogs and their owners by fireworks.

Every year guide dogs and other working dogs are sedated, retrained, or, in the worst cases, retired after being traumatised by the irresponsible use of fireworks.

This causes considerable upset and anxiety for both the guide dog and its owner. And with the lifetime cost of training, feeding, insuring and providing veterinary care running at £35,000 for each guide dog, the cost to the charity of retiring dogs part way through their working lives in enormous.

This issue also affects thousands of pets, as well as elderly people and families with young children.

However, there is now fresh hope of new legislation being introduced which would restrict and regulate the use of fireworks, and this is where I would like to further appeal to your readers for help.

On Friday February 28 a Private Members Bill, to restrict the noise levels, sale and use of fireworks, tabled by Bill Tynan MP, receives its second reading in the House of Commons. I would like to urge everyone who feels strongly about issues to write to their local MP and encourage them to attend the House on the day and vote. Without their support the bill may never become law.

Please support our campaign. We don't want to ruin people's fun, but we don't want people's lives ruined either. Write to David Curry MP, House of Commons, Westminster.

Geraldine Peacock,

Chief Executive,

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

SIR - Does it ever occur to Sandra Price that by constantly airing her grievances she might just possibly be upsetting a lot of people locally, and that is the reason her business is struggling?

Small businesses rely on local trade, especially during difficult periods such as foot and mouth. If her trade has fallen since then might it not be because she has alienated local people with her constant tirades - especially when, if you do go into her shop, you are treated to more of the same?

Mrs Price is prepared to blame everybody and everyone for her woes and has now resorted to cheap digs at Steve Finch. I would politely suggest that the root of her problems lies much closer to home.

Jeanne Carr,

Midland Terrace, Hellifield

Editor's note: Correspondence on this subject is now closed.

SIR - I am a visitor to the Skipton area; a couple of weekends ago my wife and I walked from the A65 following the signs to Tarn House - Country Inn.

When we arrived we discovered that Tarn House had closed down. As Tarn House is some way outside the village and the road is unlit with no pavement, we thought it's closure was hardly surprising.

We walked back through the village of Stirton and were struck by its similarity to the commuter villages of Surrey as most houses had two garages and plenty of car parking space.

Your editorial laments the closure of local pubs. A brief walk around Skipton revealed plenty of pubs, many of which only had a few customers.

Most Stirton residents appear have no problem with personal transport and could provide useful custom to the sparsely populated pubs in Skipton before they also close down due to lack of business.

Regarding the future of Tarn House; the livestock population of Stirton outnumbers its human residents by some margin.

As Coun Turner is seeking a "business which is an asset" some thought could be given to converting Tarn House to an abattoir. Given its proximity to Skipton Livestock Market its business potential would be assured, it would fit well with the rural nature of the Dales and offer local employment to the villagers of Stirton.

Steve Maundrill,

Berkeley Close, Ross on Wye.

SIR - Councillor Beth Graham remarked last week "I am sure I will be in a lot of trouble with the council but I believe firmly in the benefits of democratic accountability which this partnership does not enjoy".

She suggested there existed a democratic shortfall in the council executive's interpretation and delivery of the Craven Local Strategic Partnership initiative.

Coun Graham is to be applauded and supported for her robust defence of the democratic process. It is a sign of the times when elected members of the council feel they will be "in trouble" for questioning the executive on issues of democratic accountability.

Power appears to be increasingly accumulated by the executive as true representative democracy is stealthily eroded.

Perhaps Tony Blair summed it up best as he stated after his 1997 election win "MPs are not here to represent their constituencies - they are here to support the new government".

If the elected councillor and the MP do not check the excesses of the executive then who will?

AJA Smith,

Colne Road, Glusburn.

SIR - The 'Litter Season' is with us again and will be with us until the grass grows again - another two months at least.

Would everyone please have their plastic bags and gloves with them when walking to try and improve the appalling road sides?

The council is not able to do anything because of the Health and Safety rules. Thank you.

Rowena (Bunty) Leder,

Grassington.

SIR- Several weeks ago you published an article stating that the Craven Conservation Group in Selside had conducted a birdlife survey on Selside Moss and Carrs which I would like to comment upon.

They had found lapwings, meadow pipits and curlews living in the area and they were to submit the survey to (quote) "the Government" with a call for the right to roam in the area to be restricted during April, May and June.

Selside Moss and Carrs are both registered common land and shown as such (open country) on the recently published draft open access map for region four which includes these areas, one being the Ribble Way.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act contains provision for nature protection (under an agreement with English Nature) and restrictions in the area will be administered by the National Park Authority, Yorkshire Dales (not the Government.)

The birds in question are common in the Yorkshire Dales and not in any way rare or threatened.

I am sure that the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority will be able to give the conservation group advice on any restrictions that may be applied during the nesting season.

Walkers very much welcome the Crow Act, which has ample safeguards for landowners for land management, and the protection of nature and the environment. The act will in due course open up large areas of uncultivated open country to which walkers were previously denied access.

Harry Jevons,

Chairman Craven Group,

The Ramblers Association

SIR- I was delighted to receive a copy of your First Edition with this week's "Craven Herald" and I thank you very much for it.

I was stuck by the high quality of a journalism in all the articles and indeed their subject matter, also by the restrained wording of the advertisements, but I was particularly impressed by the views expressed under the heading "Our subjects", which to my way of thinking, are little short of marvellous.

What an exalted concept they provide of a local newspaper! At the end of this article the hope is expressed that its readers may be well served by its publication.

To see it celebrate its 150th anniversary is vindication of this hope, in which we can only rejoice with you. May you go from strength to strength and may the next 150 years see the same aims and vision continue with the same result.

Madeline Hellaby

Hothfield Terrace,

Skipton.

SIR - North Yorkshire Police has recently expended much time and money justifying their huge rise in council tax precept for 2003-4 and have claimed that improved communications systems will assist in catching criminals.

The new system is called "Tetra Airwave Radio System" and is not used by West Yorkshire Police across our district and county borders.

The police regularly inform us, especially in south Craven, that most of the burglaries and car crime in south Craven is committed by wrong doers from across this very border with Keighley and Bradford.

Here's the rub. If one of our North Yorkshire police officers pursues a suspect across the boundary on the old Skipton road, or Kildwick to Keighley bypass, the radio signal fails before he reaches Steeton, approximately adjacent to Airedale Hospital.

Our police officer then has no radio contact with Skipton, North Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Police or any other police officers. This leaves him with only two options. One is to use his own personal mobile phone, the other is the hope that he can 'flag down' a Keighley police car and speak personally to the driver.

This is unfair to the trusting residents of south Craven, dangerous and frustrating to our local bobbies and a complete cock-up by the bosses. The residents of south Craven must be told how this mess is to be rectified, and quickly.

Couns Steve Place and Ken Hart,

Craven District Council.

Editor's note: I understand the Tetra system will be rolled out across all police forces eventually. North Yorkshire was one of the first to have it installed.

SIR - I live in Paythorne, situated 11 and-a-half miles from Clitheroe, 10 from Settle and 15 from Skipton; not exactly in the middle of nowhere.

Within 500 yards I have 12 neighbours, all very good, helpful and friendly people.

Why am I telling you this? Because my husband has chronic multiple sclerosis.

Over the past 10 to 15 years I have looked after him with help of family and neighbours and with respite weeks. It is these respite weeks which seem to be getting more and more difficult.

At first my young husband went to the the younger disabled unit at Skipton General Hospital where he could be assessed and his general well-being checked. Two years ago this disabled unit changed to physical rehabilitation, so my husband no longer fitted into their criteria.

Anley Hall was our next stop, where he enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, but this is run as a business and prefers long stay patients and there is a waiting list for this facility.

So where do we go from here? We don't know. The doctor and social worker does not know.

Are we the only ones around who need this facility so the carers have a break to enable us to keep going?

We aren't of retirement age and I'm sure there are many more who need this help.

This may concern you in the future (heaven forbid) so if we don't fight now care in the community will be a thing of the past.

Mary and Clive Preston,

Paythorne.

SIR - I am very disappointed and concerned to see that McDonalds has invaded Skipton. I have read recently that McDonalds are in financial decline after overstretching themselves.

They are desperate for more customers, especially in Europe. The French, wisely, won't eat enough of them so they are pushing hard to get us to eat more Big Macs. The only way that McDonalds could expand so far and wide whilst maintaining their identity was to have meat, bread and fries mass-produced in huge factories and delivered frozen and standardised to every restaurant.

Startlingly, a third of all cows reared in the US are destined for McDonalds and so is eight per cent of the entire US potato crop!

Is this the kind of business we should support in Skipton where so many are struggling to make a living from their farms and local businesses?

May I encourage your readers to think twice before they indulge in a visit to McDonalds. Is this invasion just another example of USA imperialism?

Lucy Irven,

Newmarket Street, Skipton.

SIR - I always enjoy reading Craven through the years and reading the paragraph on the Skipton folk singer Mike Donald brought back memories of hearing him play at the opening of the Upper Wharfedale folk museum in 1975.

He was a very fine songster and I have often wondered if he moved out of the district. But if Mike still resides locally, well, then come on lad, give us a tune. Your fans are waiting.

Wendy Milner,

Church Street, Gargrave.

SIR - Last summer my wife met up at the Keighley Tarn an elderly couple who used to be window cleaners in Skipton.

They now live in Barnoldswick and the husband kindly made a kite for my grandson.

The trouble is that we don't know their name or phone number and we would like to thank them for their kindness. I wonder if it would be possible to put a letter in your paper so that we could make contact and thank them.

Harry Plunkett,

2 Shann Avenue, Keighley.