Letters to the Editor

This time it is newly-refurbished bungalows at Allerton, but the disgusting thing about this is not the shocking waste of money but the fact that one of the tenants to be swept out of the way is an 81-year-old man suffering from cancer.

The fact that the scheme will provide 27 old people's bungalows does not justify this cruel act, nor is it the real issue here.

There are profits to be made by this development and individual lives do not really matter in the scheme of things.

This is what privatisation is about.

V Rose, Burneston Gardens, Buttershaw.

SIR - I refer to your article on the cleanliness of Bradford (T&A, March 21).

While there is no doubt that Bradford Council are effectively cleaning streets and public spaces, sadly many areas of private land in Bradford are blighted by illegal littering.

Indeed three of the four damning photographs in the T&A's article were of unadopted pathways and private land, which Bradford Council has no authority to cleanse.

While the law can be used against illegal litterers, established build-ups of rubbish are best removed by the landowner or in a public clean-up.

Tidy Britain Group's "Just Bin It" campaign this month offers free protective tabards, rubbish sacks, and advice for clean-ups. Businesses, schools, local community groups, and multi-faith church congregations, are all taking part nationwide.

The hotline number for registrations is 0800 7837 838, or call Ray Garland at Bradford Council for collection of a quantity of litter cleaned up.

It is time to admit that the perceived dirtiness of Bradford is a problem owned by and caused by society, and take up the challenge to deal with it.

Deborah Bell, Regional Director, Tidy Britain Group, The Pier, Wigan.

SIR - I would like to reply to comments made about asylum seekers (Letters, April 3) which I believe are misleading and encourage racism.

L Dobson accuses asylum seekers of "taking advantage". These are ordinary families who are forced to leave their homes, families and often good careers to escape war and brutal regimes. They arrive here (often after a tortuous journey) to face interrogation, persecution and the indignity of living on a measly £1 a day in appalling living conditions. Does this sound like the easy option?

A Hussain worries about falling house prices. I think it is disgraceful to put profit before people, especially by attacking the most vulnerable members of society.

Asylum seekers are also blamed for a housing shortage. The truth is, if the 800,000 empty homes across Britain, many owned by property speculators, were opened up to meet people's needs, maybe there wouldn't be a need for such hostels.

As for the numbers "spiralling out of control", of the estimated 13 million refugees in the world today, Britain provided for just 0.05 percent of them in 1997, far less than many other European countries.

U K Yildiz, Clarendon Street, Haworth.

SIR - I, like many others, find the present restrictions on walking very oppressive, even though some have just been eased. The effect on the tourist industry will be devastating if these restrictions continue much longer. Surely there is some way that they could be relaxed.

How about providing a large container of disinfectant and suitable brushes at approved entry points to footpaths?

Walkers could be instructed to take a spare pair of boots with them, with clean soles, and be ordered to thoroughly disinfect them before putting them on and going on the footpath.

The cost of providing these facilities would be far less than the revenue being lost due to the closure of all the footpaths.

Arthur Bailey, Nelson Road, Ilkley.

SIR - Teresa McDonald (Letters, March 23) makes some good points. Odsal may well decide to be a part of Royds when a decision is made and maybe we could all pull together, but in the real world this never happens.

She states the tenants would be a majority on this new board when Stock transfers.

At all meetings I attend, it is proposed one third tenant, one third council and one third professional, so tenants will not have majority on this new board.

Also my interpretation of any organisation that has directors on the board is that it is a company.

Whether for profit or not, the new body will have the ideology of a company doing business regardless of tenants.

I am a homeowner with no axe to grind.

H Clough (Carwood Rep), Copgrove Road, Holme Wood.

SIR - I am writing to tell your readers about the Children's Manifesto, a blueprint on children's issues produced by the NSPCC, Child Poverty Action Group and Barnardo's.

The big issue in the run-up to the delayed general election seems set to be foot and mouth disease. But isn't the welfare of our children, the future of Bradford, more important in the long run? These children's charities believe so and are asking all parliamentary candidates to campaign for five measures aimed at helping children:

l Independent children's commissioner to be powerful champions for all children.

l Independent counselling in all schools to give emotional support to children needing it.

l Systematic review of all child deaths to stop children dying through neglect and abuse.

l Minimum income for families to ensure the health and well-being of children.

l Right to an advocate for children in care.

When candidates come knocking and try to sell you their manifesto, ask them whether they support the Children's Manifesto and whether they will lobby Government if they become your MP.

Our children have no vote, so we have to vote for them. .

Daniel Rhodes, Boltby Lane, Buttershaw

l EDITOR'S NOTE: We have received several almost identical letters on this subject.

SIR - Re the £41 million handout from Europe. Could it be possible for the powers-that-be to channel some of the money earmarked for Keighley towards Bingley areas?

Where does Bingley stand? We are supervised by one area (Shipley), and housing is administered from Keighley along with building maintenance and streets works.

It is time City Hall let Bingley know what's going off and making sure it gets some benefits from European handouts.

S Walsh, Church Street, Bingley.