Letters to the Editor

Recently a lot of money was spent on improving the Tarn, but then Bradford Council naively expected visitors to take their litter home.

Some will heed the call, others will not. With bins on site, the amount of unsightly rubbish is bound to decrease.

TREVOR ATKINS

Lynton Drive, Keighley

SIR - While I'm reluctant to add further to the plethora of councillors penning letters to the Keighley News, it seems appropriate to comment on the situation regarding Keighley Market, and in particular Cllr Earnshaw's letter.

Until I became the portfolio holder responsible for the District's markets, Bradford Council had seen its markets as a ready source of cash. This exploitation applied as much in Bradford and Shipley as it did in Keighley.

The Council has begun to set this right through investment in our market portfolio.

Since May 2000, we have completed a £4 million investment in what is now the Oastler Centre and refurbished the St James Wholesale Market.

The next stage of our development includes a programme of refurbishment at Keighley Market. These investments will be funded from the entire district's market surplus and will take place over several years.

As with all our investments in markets, the work will give priority to any essential works required under health and safety rules.

Beyond these works, the views of traders and customers will be sought as to what improvements are required, which could include the developments to which Cllr Earnshaw refers.

It is my aim to provide Keighley with a market hall of which the town can be justly proud.

Simon Cooke

Deputy Leader

Bradford Council

SIR - The claim that proposed EU legislation governing blame for collisions between motorists and cyclists or pedestrians absolves the cyclist or pedestrian of guilt is wrong.

And the claim that motorists' insurance premiums would rise by £50 as a result of the introduction of such legislation is also wrong.

In countries where this legislation already exists - France, Belgium and Scandinavian states for example - insurance premiums have not risen significantly. Instead, motorists drive with more care, showing consideration towards those sharing the road.

One would hope that this EU directive, were it to become UK law and be coupled with other road safety measures, would encourage drivers to speed less often and turn mobile phones off when at the wheel.

Speeding is responsible for more than a third of the 3,500 road deaths in the UK each year.

And mobile phone use has been shown by the Transport Research Laboratory to be more dangerous than driving when drunk or under the influence of drugs.

Cyclists and pedestrians are more likely to be killed in the UK than anywhere else in Europe, despite Britain having some of the lowest rates of cycling and walking.

Judging by the continental example, the introduction of this EU directive would reduce the number of road collisions, leading to a drop rather than increase in motor insurance premiums.

Furthermore, the driver would retain the right to prove in court that the cyclist or pedestrian had caused a collision, if that was the case.

KEVIN MAYNE

Director, CTC - the national

cyclists' organisation,

SIR - The last of this season's concerts in Cliffe Castle Park took place last Sunday, when Bradford Metro Concert Band, conducted by Ken Hall, gave a delightful performance to an audience of a couple of hundred in perfect weather.

The repertoire included old and new melodies and the conductor invited the audience to join in with some of them. Sincere thanks to the organisers and the musicians.

However, being myself an "offcumd'un," I could not help noticing that neither among the orchestra nor the listeners were there any Asian members of our multi-ethnic society.

To build a true multi-cultural society, in future the organisers should invite performers also from other sections of the town's community, if not on the same Sunday then at least on separate Sundays. I am sure that would help to create a more harmonious society.

B NAJBARO

Mackingstone Drive,

Oakworth

SIR - Thanks to the magnificent support from the general public this year for the Silsden Carnival, the committee are very pleased to be able to report a profit of the day in excess of £1,500.

However, this would not have been possible without donations and sponsorship from a few local companies and the Silsden pubs.

It is costing more each year to hold an event like this. Overheads are over £4,000, and this just covers the basic needs to hold the procession and event.

It costs over £850 to close the roads on the procession route, £852 to provide toilets that are useable on the field for the public, £350 for Public Liability insurance, (a rise of 350 per cent from the last gala), £300 for fencing and safety barriers, £300 for renting the field for the week, £500 for tents, £340 for van hire to move all the equipment. The list goes on.

This year we spent £1,110 on carnival entertainment and next year we would like to be able to double that, so that we can have a major attraction.

Each year, the carnival secretary writes to over 100 local and global companies for help with running the carnival, and each year these letters are filed in the usual place!

If companies in the Silsden area do not respond more positively, the future of the carnival is in jeopardy

The committee would especially like to thank Miad Self Service Petrol Station in Silsden for sponsoring the road closure, and all the advertisers in the carnival brochure. Major donations were also received from the Punch Bowl, Silsden, Rolls-Royce at Barnoldswick, VBC Group at Steeton, Kings Arms, Silsden, and Bridge Inn, Silsden. The Red Lion, Silsden, sponsored the bar licence.

The main reason for holding the carnival is to give Silsden and the surrounding villages a fun day out while local charities and voluntary groups can benefit from the proceeds.

We have already paid out £350 in total to the following:

£100 to the Silsden Venture Scouts who act as marshals on the route, £100 to the Calderdale First Aiders who attend each year on the field, and £50 to the Air Training Cadet Force Band, £50 to the Silsden Town Band and £50 to the Silsden Majorettes for being in the parade.

The committee will have more money to distribute. The committee would welcome any applications from charities or worthy causes in the Silsden area. Please send any applications before September 25 to Graham Inman, secretary to the Silsden Carnival Committee, 5 Weatherhead Place, Silsden. The full committee will then decide on the distribution of funds.

Dr Peter Fell.

Treasurer

SIR - Three months ago Keighley Town Council was formed.

We Town Councillors are working hard to achieve the miracles that Keighley folk expect.

It is our intention to bring back pride to Keighley. With this in mind we have opened the Keighley Town Hall office. To date seven committees have been established, and 32 meetings have established practices and codes of conduct.

School governors are to be appointed. Primary liaison with Bradford City Council is in existence, discussing various matters such as services that we need to take over.

We have our own Mayor and Deputy Mayor who will represent the district. Discussions with Bradford for the full return of the Keighley Civic regalia are in progress. Competence, local knowledge and practice are evident in the quality of your local councillors.

Remember this, your councillors are not paid a penny for the work needed to raise Keighley back to prominence.

If you don't wish your local councillors to make mistakes, tell us what we are doing is right or wrong! If you need a town councillor to call upon you, telephone the Keighley Town Hall on 01535 618252. Ask for the name of your councillor.

Your councillor can only help if you bother to tell him or her of your problem.

We don't promise to be able to solve every problem or fault, but all your local councillors are pledged to investigate and to report back on the outcome.

Remember, we don't have the budget the District Councillors get from Bradford, but with the money we have we will try to get out information you need to Make Keighley Matter.

Cllr David Samuels.

Oakworth Ward