Letters to the Editor

It strikes me that the complainers are very blinkered and narrow-minded in their outlook. Do they not realise that the Regiment arranged the march in order to show their gratitude to the people of Keighley for their support over the years?

The Regiment has always recruited from our area and many of the young men have laid down their lives, or been seriously injured, in conflicts fighting for this country's freedom.

To throw that gratitude back in the Regiment's face beggars belief. So for a couple of hours some people experienced a little inconvenience - well that pales into insignificance when one considers what others have sacrificed.

Some suggested that holding the parade on a Sunday would have been better - but this would have defeated the object of parading for the people of Keighley: and as many of them as possible.

I for one was pleased to see the troops - some of whom had travelled a great distance to be here - and I know that many people shared the honour and pride I felt on the day.

Why don't the moaners and the whingers keep their views to themselves as they have obviously completely misunderstood the whole reason for the parade and are nothing short of insulting the memory of those who died for their country.

Stuart Peacock

Main Street, Wilsden

SIR - Regarding the Duke of Wellington Parade, I would suggest that once again it is Bradford that has shot Keighley, not in the foot but in its identity, by making it play second fiddle to Bradford on its home ground.

As the editor of the Keighley News played a pivotal part in the lead-up to the formation of the Keighley Town Council and is I believe a member of Keighley Pride I am sure he is aware of the feeling of identity in Keighley.

What the editor may not be aware of, but what I would imagine engendered Cllr G Earnshaw's valid comments on your letters page is the frustration felt at the fact that while Keighley Town councillors are willing to work with Bradford Council it would appear that some areas of Bradford Council do not seem to know we exist.

The lack of notice on the Freedom March is just one in a long list of vital issues concerning Keighley that the Town Council, either by design or incompetence, has not been notified of by Bradford Council but has found out about via the Press, Neighbourhood Forums or local people, ie Oakworth Rd diversions, the trees on North St, Leisure Centre being used as guinea pig.

That is to name but a few. Other problems are well covered in the Keighley News: Regalia, 'Skulduggery', Town Hall space, Gala signs.

Perhaps when Bradford Council changes its attitude and finally gets its act together and realises that it is both sensible and cost effective, local knowledge can save on inconvenience and expensive replanning etc, and informs Keighley Town Council of things that will affect Keighley you may stop getting letters on this page from irate or frustrated unpaid Town councillors. However in the meantime we will do our very best to make sure that Keighley people have a say in things that affect Keighley.

Cllr J Newton

Valley View Close Bogthorn

SIR - In the KN 2/8/02 an item appeared which may have suggested to the public that a 'knees up' by Keighley Town Council would be paid for out of public funds.

If such a perception exists it is of course erroneous. Individual Keighley Town councillors will pay the cost of any private party that might be held.

Further facts, Keighley Town Council has been in existence since May 16 of this year.

Three months, not six as stated in the report. We have not charged out-of-pocket expenses for the journeys etc needed to meet with other bodies as we seek to improve local services to Keighley people.

Expenses for telephone, e-mail, car or bus travel etc, is paid for by each councillor out of their own pockets. No town councillor is paid for council service.

At all of nearly 32 meetings which we have held, water was the only requested drink.

Only when the chief executive of Bradford Council, and two leaders from one of the main political parties were invited to discuss the ramifications of local democracy straight from their duties at Bradford Town Hall was it decided that a hot drink and a sandwich should be served.

The cost of this catering extravagance for five persons was approximately £5.

I wish the public to note, Keighley Town Council is manned by people dedicated to demonstrating that Keighley needs prosperity not profligacy.

CLLR MICK WESTERMAN

Guardhouse Ward

SIR - May I remind Ray Garner and his 'Ridiculous antic' letter, 2/8/02, that Bradford has a vested interest in regulating the amount of democracy in this region.

Belittlement, sidelining of issues, sarcasm, derision of Keighey Town Council members, and its Mayor, is all part of the propaganda war being waged by those whose only interest is in the status quo.

The fight for the Keighley regalia is not for the value of the object itself but for the right of local people to take hold of the democratic importance embedded in the history of the regalia.

What has emerged from this battle is that the majority of Keighley Town councillors formerly with a political bias are now converted to a belief that party politics is the curse that has damaged the social and economic structure of this area.

I suggest that if Mr Garner thinks Keighley equates with peasantries of Camberwick Green then Bradford's absurd aspirations of being a 'Cultural City' is worthy of the affairs of Clochmerle and its 'pissoir.'

CLLR JOHN PHILIP

SIR - Can we examine in rather more depth Alan Marr's understandable frustration with the Halifax Road traffic congestion and his statement that Keighley cannot claim to be "car-friendly" ?

Let me declare my interest. I earn my living promoting and marketing public transport, which also suffers no less from the same congestion, whereas Alan owns and operates petrol stations, mainly for car drivers.

Certainly the 16 weeks closure of Oakworth Road (plus the two-week closure of Vale Mill Lane) is causing immense frustration to almost everyone living on the south west side of the town but that is not the sole reason for congestion on the A629.

Quite simply, Keighley's road network is now so heavily laden with motor vehicles, mainly cars, for much of the working day that the slightest variation in traffic light phasing or any street blockage causes the system to malfunction; ie it just can't cope with the sheer volume of vehicles it is being asked to take.

Result ? Gridlock such as we experienced on the A629 and Worth Way throughout last Friday afternoon.

Alan is right, Keighley did grind to a halt, and it will continue to do so with increasing frequency unless the capacity of the system is increased, which means wider roads; not a realistic option in Keighley or the number of vehicles is decreased, which could be achieved overnight by goodwill from residents.

Alan says Keighley is not 'car-friendly'. But I say cars, although individually attractive, are not 'Keighley-friendly' when driven in multiples to the centre of the town.

The really radical solution is for the car to be used a good deal less for short distance trips. When asked, car drivers usually say they would love to use public transport if it was a reliable option, so what's the situation in Keighley ?

Oakworth Road has one of the most frequent bus services in Keighley. Modern 'passenger-friendly' buses run between Low Bank and the Bus Station every ten minutes throughout Monday to Saturday daytime.

If even half the Oakworth car drivers who are currently battling their way through the Halifax Road congestion would just leave the car at home and use the bus, that congestion would be substantially eased. Forty people on one bus take up much less road space than 40 cars !

And the irony is that despite having to struggle in Goulbourne Street with some car drivers who abuse the system and flout the law by using a street now specifically designated 'Buses & Access only', the buses from Oakworth and Fell Lane are often getting through to the town centre rather quicker than the cars.

And the bus passenger's supreme advantage is that once in the town centre, there is no need to search for and pay for parking because the bus has its own designated parking space. It's called Keighley Bus Station and it's right next to the Airedale Shopping Centre!

Cllr Graham Mitchell

Oakworth Ward

Keighley Town Council

SIR - Ray Garner states that the regalia belonged to Keighley Borough Council, which no longer exists.

Maybe so, but it certainly does not now belong to or in Bradford. It should be in Keighley, used or not, owned or not.

Barbara Bailey describes taking children to see the regalia in Cliffe Castle.

I must reiterate a point that I made some time ago - that the larger portion of the former Keighley Mayoral plate has never been seen in Cliffe Castle if my memory is correct of an invitation to supper at the Town Hall about 40 years ago, as a member of the Scouts' Mayoral contingent.

When I asked a recent Bradford mayor, via the Keighley News, if it had been melted down in Bradford, I did not receive an unequivocal reply.

So I ask again, is part of the reason why Bradford does not want to relinquish it because they can't produce it all?

Bernard Sunderland

Braithwaite Rd

SIR - I am writing to congratulate all those involved in the Sutton Music Festival; organisers, performers and audiences.

What a marvellous feast of music we were served, with something for every taste.

The whole weekend was packed with performances from the very top drawer, and the audiences were justifiably enthusiastic and appreciative.

Special mention should be made of the contribution of Andrew Jackson, buzzing around , organising, encouraging and enthusing about the performers.

I particularly enjoyed the Friday night at St Thomas's Hall, opened by the imaginative delivery of The Palominos and brought to a peak by the top notch duo, Talisman.

There was music everywhere, St Thomas's, the Park, the pubs, (Saturday night at the Kings Arms was a cracker).

And, in addition to the great music, money was being raised for a local good cause.

Howard Tennant

Cryer Row

Sutton

l Report on Page 31

SIR - It would seem that in today's society the youth of today see the criminals able to do as they please on our streets without any justice system to protect us.

We are told by our MP that the police are doing an excellent job protecting us but the local people do not feel any safer on our streets.

They see known criminals being taken into custody but only to be allowed out within a short time and we are told this is because investigations are not complete.

But the criminals are left to destroy our way of life and on the rare occasions when a case is taken before our courts we find, just as in a recent one, that the case has to be thrown out of court because the evidence could not be produced to the court.

Even the seriousness of the case did not seem to have any impact. So another criminal is allowed to laugh at our justice system and our young people must wonder why we allow this to happen.

Surely the law must show the public that no matter your colour, age or background, if you break the law you will be taken into court and punished and should for any reason the case fail then we have a right to call for an investigation to obtain the answer to why this should happen.

Until such time nobody can say that our streets are safe or take false credit for doing a good job. A life of crime is no fun. That should be our lesson.

CHUDDREY MAMOOD

Belgrave Road, Keighley

SIR - As chairman of the Keighley Gala, I thank all those volunteers who helped in any way at our annual event?

It is impossible to name each individual who through love of this town, gave up work, gave up leisure time, gave up a day out, and the many social events that a hot summer's day produces.

These people are the backbone of Keighley. They don't moan, grumble, or disintegrate into tears of frustration. These people, young and old, produced the means for people in Keighley to have a day of free enjoyment. Yes, we have been criticised because of this year's lack of content and floats, but we need more people to join the committee.

If it is to regain its past glories we need money and businesses to become involved in the prestigious Keighley Gala. It can be done, but Keighley needs to prove that it has the will. A special mention must be made to all those Keighley Town councillors who not only attended but also helped collect money

BRIAN HUDSON

Keighley Gala

SIR - I am writing to you from the Pet Health Council regarding the article entitled "Dog-dirt bin row".

The PHC works with a panel of medical and veterinary advisors and has produced a range of information leaflets offering advice for both current and potential pet owners on caring for pets and being a responsible pet owner. For information and copies of the full range of leaflets, you can visit www.pethealthcouncil.co.uk

SUSAN MATHER

Pet Health Council, London