Letters to the Editor

Sensible and fair-minded people do not need rules or regulations etc invented to make them agree with racial integration.

How you change a bigot's view on the subject of race relations, I do not know. What I do know is that if Bradford talks publicly about the rights and expectations of the ethnic minorities without mentioning the rights of others, it will not break down the barriers between races but rather the opposite.

Harmony is worth striving for. Integration, I think, will be much harder to accomplish.

V Griffiths, Crag Road, Windhill.

SIR - The hostel plan (T&A, March 27) should not even be considered by Bradford Council.

These so-called asylum seekers should be under the control of the Council or government. It should not be a money-making scheme for private landlords.

Most of these fit young men applying for residence within this country should be put to work by helping clean up the streets rather than walking around in designer clothing using mobile phones and chatting up young local girls, which I see them doing in town on a regular basis.

At least if they are willing to work, it might show some are genuine.

If they refuse to work, then send them back.

P Glennon, Craven Terrace, Eccleshill.

SIR - Regarding the continuing controversy about the future of Mornington Road Methodist Church in Bingley, may I, an outsider, make the following suggestions, albeit tongue in cheek.

Money already raised for a new building should be used to adapt and modernise the existing ground floor of the present building to make it suitable for the needs of today's congregation.

The rest of the building and the shell should be handed over to English Heritage, the Victorian Society and other bodies wishing to preserve the church as it is. They can then do necessary repairs, stone clean, re-point and re-decorate.

The large chapel upstairs can be altered as they wish and adequately heated. The grounds can be landscaped, those vital trees preserved, and everything restored to its Victorian splendour.

Finally, regular cultural and social events can be organised. Money paid by hundreds of people who will flock to such occasions will ensure the future prosperity of the enterprise.

Then, of course, the flats opposite the church and the former Ambulance Hall off Clyde Street will need to be demolished, as they presently stick out like "sore thumbs", and replaced by buildings more in keeping with the area. I wonder who gave planning permission for these in the first place?

J Pitt, Park Road, Bingley.

SIR - Congratulations to Bradford Schools' U15s for winning through to the final of the English Schools' FA Cup competition. This is a tremendous achievement.

I have watched Bradford Schools' football for over 30 years and can only recall two occasions when they have reached the semi-finals.

This success is just reward for a small band of dedicated teachers who spend hours with the boys for no financial reward.

In particular I would like to thank Tim Leigh, who has worked tirelessly as secretary of Bradford Schools' Football Association, and team managers Adrian Exley, Malcolm Collins, Clive Truelove and Alan Moore.

At a time when some of us are totally disillusioned with our professional team, it is gratifying to know that football at grassroots level is in such good hands. The future bodes well, providing these boys are not poached by the likes of Man U and Leeds.

Once again congratulations to all the boys - their schools and parents should be very proud of them.

I am sure that we can rely on the T&A to give full and comprehensive coverage of the final against Swindon or Cannock which hopefully will be staged at Valley Parade.

J G Atkinson, Leavanthorpe Lane, Bradford.

SIR - Re Councillor Thomson's letter "Royds truths". The people of Buttershaw are not the sort who want their neighbours sacrificed to pay for a shopping centre, especially with the emerging knowledge that their families' future housing needs are being sold from under them.

Should demolition and the privatisation of council housing go ahead, the only option for young and single people will be either to have the difficult task of getting a mortgage or to be excluded from their own community.

The land Coun Thomson says was donated to Royds was publicly-owned land that actually had people's homes on. There are some who have lived in the same houses for 30 years or more, who now are being swept away to make room for Royds' ambitious plans for private development.

When a new shopping centre was first promised to the people of Buttershaw, they never realised they would have to pay for it with their future generation's housing needs.

Eileen Allen, Defend Council Housing Campaign Bradford (South), Reevy Road West, Buttershaw.

SIR - Having just received the new council tax demand, I am afraid I have no intention of paying anything towards the education portion.

If I go to Tesco, Asda, etc and don't buy a loaf of bread, I don't get charged for this item.

I have no children, thus I will be only too pleased to fight this charge even should it mean going to prison. At least they will have to keep me while I am there.

The people with these children enjoy getting them, get family allowance to keep them, so let them get on with it.

Today there is no such thing as poor children. These were in the 20s and 30s when we had no hand-outs but families pulled together and got on with life.

Ken Rushworth, Glenroyd Avenue, Odsal.

SIR - Mike Priestley is correct when he says "Britain's Empire stretched far and wide" (March 24). We won wars and everyone cheered - but was the population as large as today's?

In the times of the British Empire, how many people at home were virtually without food? And dole was non-existent. I'll bet they would have been glad of our health service in those days.

Let the French, and any others for that matter, be critical. It's funny, though, how many try to make their way here. Must be something good about us.

Try living somewhere else, Mike - you will soon be back.

F Dickinson, Larkfield Road, Rawdon.