Letters to the Editor

Being 36 years old and in my first year of teaching, I would like to give Mr Breen some details regarding teaching so he will be more informed in the future.

Responding to his obvious disgust at the audacity of teachers wanting a 35-hour week, I'd like to inform him that most days I work through my lunch and break. Each night I spend four hours marking coursework. Weekends are spent preparing work, monitoring pupils and marking.

During the Easter holiday I spent two days teaching in school (without pay). I also marked exam papers, planned schemes of work and wrote reports. My previous employment experiences cannot match this.

In response to his reaction to the ten per cent pay rise, I can only say that my pay is so low that I am eligible for Working Family Tax Credit.

I am disgusted by the attitude of Mr Breen who has no idea of the working conditions of teachers in this country.

The only reason that many teachers do not "get out of it" is because they are genuinely concerned about the nation's children.

And yes, I do think this makes teachers "a special case".

Maxine Crompton, Stonecroft, Eccleshill.

SIR - Re Michael Breen's letter (T&A, April 24). Clearly Mr Breen does not know many teachers! If he did, he would know that they would consider a 35-hour-week the minimum with many teachers doing well in excess of that.

He would also know that teachers, as in many professions, are drowning in paperwork - paperwork that was not part of the job when they first applied to become a teacher.

It is only right that our education system is developed and improved, but who does Mr Breen think implements all this change and development?

I am married to a teacher who always does well in excess of his contracted hours. He really enjoys his job, but there are others who have to work as long through necessity, not desire.

Mr Breen recommends that they get on with it or get out. Does he not realise that many have and we are now facing a national shortage of teachers, with some schools looking at a possible four-day week as a solution?

Mrs Christine Russell, Irving Terrace, Clayton.

SIR - Your correspondent Mr Baker (Letters, April 12) shows an unusual interest in the T&A letters page for a resident of Belgium. Given that his address appears to be equi-distant from Brussels and Strasbourg, would I be correct in assuming that he is in receipt of a little EU funding himself?

I don't know if my own previous letter was one of those he refers to. I merely pointed out that "EU funding" consists, as we are net contributors to EU funds, of the EU giving us back part of our own money to be spent in ways the EU decides.

Does he deny this? Does he deny that the Common Agricultural Policy puts £20 per week on the average British family's food bill?

Finally, since he is so keen on "level playing fields", does he support the principle of funds being given to anti-Euro campaigners in the forthcoming referendum campaign to match the lavish sums the EU will give in various guises to the pro-camp?

Tom Johnstone, Barraclough Buildings, Greengates.

SIR - I would be very pleased if you would kindly thank all those who contributed to the National Children's Home flag day on April 21 at John Street Market and the Kirkgate Centre. The amount collected was £103.58, this being only a part of the collection total for the whole of Bradford. We represented Bradford West Methodist Circuit.

Norman H. Barwick, Bradford West circuit co-ordinator, Kingston Close, Wilsden.

SIR - I am in full agreement with Mike Stocks re Stock Transfer.

In Bingley we had a leaflet put through our letter box from York Crescent and York Street Area Residents Association about a meeting at Cardigan House and their wish to expand taking in Leonard Street, Church Street and the flats facing on to Ferncliffe Road.

The meeting was a shambles: a £2 fee was asked to join, an active Labour member was invited to speak from the floor, and Council staff let the audience know ways of taking on repairs in future.

A person from Keighley Alliance gave advice on how to form a group (I thought it was already in existence).

Let's face it, Council Housing staff have a vested interest in this and are unlikely to side with those in favour of anything other than the status quo.

Council employees must realise that even they are not immune from redundancy. We have to move forward, and we will.

In closing, may I say I feel all council tax payers should have a say, not just tenants.

S Walsh, Church Street, Bingley.

SIR - Martin Pearson (T&A, April 23) is wrong about Bradford needing a transplant. All it needs is folk like him doing all their shopping in Bradford and if we all did that the shops would flourish.

As he is part of the problem he should also be part of the solution.

Councillor Keith Thomson, Heights Lane, Bradford 9.

SIR - Well said, Mr Watmough of Carr Lane. It's nice to know that there are others out there who appreciate the quality of life and our surroundings rather than to fill any empty plot of land available.

Several years ago, the grass on the land adjacent to Carnegie Drive was regularly cut by the Council and it looked a treat as you drove into Shipley. Unfortunately they realised it wasn't theirs and stopped tending it.

Mr Watmough said he hadn't seen any fly-tipping on the land adjacent to Carnegie Drive. I have lived overlooking the said land for seven years and I have never seen any fly-tipping, either. Neither have my neighbours.

It seems that Tony Miller has the monopoly when it comes to spotting fly-tippers.

My worry now is that we are in the hands of the good old planners. I hope they don't go down the wrong route and give permission for premises like the one at the junction of Little Horton Lane and Canterbury Avenue where a shop has been painted vivid purple as recently as Saturday April 21.

A Barnett, Carnegie Drive, Windhill, Shipley.

SIR - I would have thought that John Hall had fought enough elections for the Liberals to be politically aware. Obviously not.

The questions asked in Bradford Council's survey are those IMPOSED by the Labour Govern-ment - the Government which his party supports nationally.

LOCALLY Conservatives would have preferred more open questions, including the option to retain the committee system of local government which has served us so well for over 150 years.

I favour LOCAL choice and the responsibility which comes with it. I believe all councillors want this.

Unfortunately "President" Blair's dictate forces us to ask only those questions which he allows. We have to ask them - at least until the next General Election.

Councillor John Carroll, Bradford Road, Shipley.