A PUBLIC show of strength can do much to help the cause of residents fighting planning issues. It seems that half the population of Springfield Road in Guiseley, and the surrounding streets, were quick to take up an opportunity to meet directly with council officers over plans by builder's merchants Arnold Laver to move into Springhead Mills.

They were no doubt delighted to learn that not only had highways and planning officers come to hear their concerns about increased traffic, but also the director of Arnold Laver. Few people living in the area would argue against the mills being in industrial use - but want assurances that they are not going to end up with a DIY store on their doorstep.

Their fears that the road is too narrow and filled with parked cars to allow for heavy goods vehicles and queues of shoppers were borne out when a refuse lorry appeared in the middle of the meeting, struggling to negotiate its way along Springfield Road.

To add strength to their argument, residents have also sent scores of objection letters to Leeds City Council, and have pledged to carry out their own traffic survey at the current Lavers site, at White Cross.

Such determined efforts must surely now result in their concerns being taken on board.

SOME have been going to great lengths to provide activities for young people, and work to make their communities a better place to live.

Leeds BMX Club is among a number of organisations

working on facilities which may make Tarnfields Park in Yeadon a place which all members of the community can enjoy, and remove its label as a 'no go area', haunted by vandals and drug users. Those campaigning for improvements to Tarnfields Park hope that by making better facilities, and stopping young people becoming bored, they may remove the root cause of mindless vandalism and other crime.

Their efforts suffered a cruel setback when wreckers decided to pull apart a sophisticated 'starter gate' which is vital to BMX races. .

And before the community again turns to the younger community when apportioning the blame for such vandalism, it must bear in mind that drivers of four-wheel drive cars found abusing the carefully-prepared BMX track in recent months have been middle-aged men. It was up to the young BMX riders to 'tick them off'.

The whole community must support schemes to improve the area in which it lives, and track down the small minority responsible for spoiling everything for everyone else.