Letters to the Editor

He always worked in the best interests of his native town and one of the causes nearest his heart was to obtain a community centre for Keighley. I served on the working party for this under him and witnessed the many hours he gave to meetings, interviews, visits to examine the community centres in towns similar to Keighley, with innumerable visits to the City Hall, in all this he was tireless.

After obtaining a grant from the Department of the Environment for a feasibility study that produced an offer from that department of 75 per cent for the funding of such a centre in Alice Street, it must have been a bitter blow to him to find Bradford Metropolitan Council would not provide the remaining 25 per cent after promising it and budgeting for it, but finally allocating the money to Bradford parks. If Keighley were ever to have such a centre, which it sorely needs to provide for the various societies and associations that find such accommodation difficult to obtain, it would be fitting if Dr Kidd could be commemorated in it in some way. What can our present representatives do to remove that earlier stigma and prove themselves worthy of a town which can produce such a great citizen as Dr Kidd.

D E WATSON,

Exley Head, Keighley.

SIR - Whilst agreeing wholeheartedly with all the points raised in last week's Keighley News regarding Parkwood Flats, I would like to highlight the following points.

We have two brilliant and hardworking cleaning staff, namely Gina and David, who are employed by our slum landlord to clean up the filth, rubbish and body fluids deposited by our families from hell.

From my experience when I leave for work at 6.30 each working day, the first thing I see is the smiling face of our cleaner who has by now disinfected and scrubbed the lifts, swept and mopped the ent-rance areas and is conscientiously mopping his way down the ground floor corridor preparing all these areas for the next round of 'trash the flats' which will not happen for at least another few hours as our families from hell are still sleeping off another evening of 'annoy the neighbour.'

It is also of concern that our slum landlord does not enforce tenancy agreements and rules with regard to occupancy.

Issues which are now being ignored are dogs in flats when signs and tenancy agreements clearly state that they are not allowed. If we are not going to enforce the rule then why not change the rule.

People convicted of drug offences being allowed to remain in tenancies.

Untaxed and scrapped vehicles being allowed in parking areas.

Playing of ball games in prohibited areas to the annoyance of tenants when designated areas have been provided.

Also if security officers are being used as a concierge service and are not allowed to act as a security service then why do we not use the CCTV facility as evidence of disregard for rules or to highlight unsocial behaviour?

Finally I would appeal to all tenants who feel the need to move to join the cause and make our landlord responsible for our well being and quality of life. Don't give in!

NAME AND ADDRESS

SUPPLIED.

SIR - Your leading article in last week's Keighley News highlighting the day-to-day problems encountered by tenants of the high rise flats at Parkwood Rise encompasses some antisocial problems that have been around awhile and can surface time and again in just such environs.

I live at Oakworth in one of a row of former almshouses now managed by Anchor Yorkshire and set amidst a semi-rural setting. To many people they must appear as quiet little havens for retired folk. No Parkwood Rise type degradations for their residents.

But not so. Last summer a dead rat was placed on the top side driveway in close proximity to where the former alms-houses are overlooked and also somewhat dwarfed by some of the large villas of Thornhill Avenue. Any curious inspection of the rodent was countered by a group huddled together at a villa upstair's window who appeared intent on observing residents' reactions to this unwanted visitor.

After the rat was removed the following day a large mock rat trap complete with 'cheese' bait suddenly appeared on the scene placed by person(s) unknown and on the exact same spot where the rat had been, thereby offering an ideal viewing platform for this Thornhill Avenue household.

Every resident here is of the opinion that this constituted some form of very sick prank, a bizarre type of ghoulishness carried out by some very depraved disgusting and disturbed individuals.

My own personal view is that those responsible should have been named and shamed. But within our very class-ridden society that sort of outcome is extremely unlikely however justified it might be. Is it not the widely accepted belief that only those from the so-called lower echelons of society behave in such a moronic fashion?

NAME AND ADDRESS

SUPPLIED.

SIR - I think the council has done a good job of the Keighley Tarn, but to my surprise there is only one litter bin and it's on the other side of the parking area, it's nowhere near the two picnic tables. I visit the tarn sometimes twice a day and I don't want to see the tarn or the wildlife suffer because of litter thrown everywhere. A lot of people use the tarn so the message is: If it is a take-away, take it home and throw it away, not in everybody else's way.

I would like to hear from anyone (tel 667863) who would like to set some form of action group to help preserve the local beauty spot and keep it a beauty spot. Or if there is already a group I would like to join it. As I have said, one bin is not enough. The council have done a good job of the tarn, the problem is the litter and it needs highlighting and the public should be aware of the problems litter can cause in our countryside.

C ROBINSON,

North Dean Road, Keighley.

SIR - I would like to thank Cllr Glen Miller for giving me the opportunity to trumpet the achievements of the Labour Government in Keighley. However, I will not attempt to defend our hard working MP Ann Cryer as her record speaks for itself.

The sound management of the economy by the Labour Government has moved the country away from decades of Tory boom and bust. No longer do we have to spend 43 per cent of our tax take on debt and unemployment levels that the Conservatives were prepared to accept. The percentage spent on debt repayment and unemployment is now down to 17 per cent. Money is now freed from funding dole queues and is invested in our hospitals, schools, police and public transport.

In Keighley this means that since April 1997 unemployment has been reduced by over 15 per cent and the New Deal has brought 383 young people into work. Putting right two decades of Tory cuts is going to take some time, but urgent investment is being received, for instance, £600,000 to modernise Airedale Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department. Extra funding for Keighley schools has led to an improvement in results, and a reduction in infant class sizes.

The Conservatives are going to cut 16 billion pounds from public spending which will lead to 24 million pounds of cuts in the Keighley constituency. Where will the savings be made? Will more facilities like SHAPE be slashed? Who knows? I for one certainly don't want to find out.

I wish to correct one of the many errors that occurred in Cllr Miller's letter. The figure of a 100,000 more pensioners living in poverty was arrived at before the Minimum Income Guarantee was established. This is a means of redistributing income, which is linked directly to average national earnings increases and will reach at least 3,000 Keighley pensioners.

We should all applaud the Chancellor's promise of a Minimum Income guarantee of £90 a week to all pensioners, which will be a great step forward in eliminating pensioner poverty.

I hope Cllr Miller will give much more thought and do more accurate research before he writes into the KN again.

D ANDREWS,

Braithwaite Village, Keighley.

SIR - Councillor Glen Miller (Tory) must have been asleep over the last three and a half years if he has failed to notice Ann Cryer's achievements. No doubt she will put her own case to the electorate when the time comes but let me mention four things that readily come to mind.

First, she opposed cuts to single parents benefits, breaking per party whip and voting with her conscience, something our local Tories seem to have avoided for many years. Secondly, Ann has opposed forced marriages much against her electoral advantage.

Thirdly, she was instrumental in helping Oakbank School to regain The Sports College status that it lost.

Fourthly, she fought for and won a victory to keep open Oldfield School. She opposed the council's plans to close the school and persuaded the Secretary of State for Education to keep it open.

If Cllr Miller wishes to be constructive rather than simply 'going negative' maybe he could tell us what the prospective Conservative candidate for Keighley has ever done for the region? As the Conservative economic spokesman on the council he can tell us how much, or little, he has done for Keighley.

MAX CUMMINS,

Eel Holme View Street,

Beechcliffe.

SIR - Bereavement Awareness Week this year runs from Saturday October 7 to Saturday October 14. Its theme is Give Cruse A Hand and national bereavement care charity CRUSE is making the event locally by asking for any help available with fundraising and administrative work. Cruse provides emotional support and advice to anyone who has been affected by death or is trying to help someone they know cope with a bereavement.

Dr Carole Easton, National Director, said: "Volunteers are a crucial part of Cruse. They are involved in every aspect of running our local branches, from organising training events to holding coffee mornings and helping raise funds. Often people are unaware of the great contribution they can make by volunteering. Potential volunteers can ring the local branch on 01756 797799 to make contact and find out more."

CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE.

SIR - It would appear that officials from Bradford Met are wielding a big stick in order to ensure that householders accept wheelie bins.

I have spoken to a number of residents of Western Avenue who expected exemption due to age or infirmity and poor access due to a large number of steps, who have been told by the officer that there will be no exemption, and that they may appeal against the decision if they wish but they will not win. They have been told to site their bins on the narrow grass margins on the side of the road or wherever there is a space big enough to accommodate them on their property at the side of the road thus having solved everyone's problem and departing jubilant.

The row of little green sentinels will now stand permanently, if a shade unsightly, along the Avenue, stand that is until the autumn winds blow them to the bottom of Dunkirk Rise and beyond, for in the past I have seen dustbins which presumable were originally full, garden furniture, empty buckets, garden planters and their contents and other things too countless to mention, scattered along the bus-route.

Objects carried on the wind can cause damage to both people and property, as I recall not too long ago the much publicised account of the actor Gordon Kaye who was struck by a piece of wind-borne timber which crashed through his car windscreen and penetrated his skull, almost a fatal experience and although one could argue that it was a one-off in extreme circumstances the winds that blow down this valley can be very extreme, so in the event of such a tragedy on whom would the liability fall, the Met or the householder.

It is obvious that the Met has embarked on its wheelie bin programme without taking into account the requirement of a suitable and safe site for every household in the town, the 'anywhere will do' policy is turning our town into an eyesore.

M H COPPACK,

Western Avenue, Riddlesden.

A spokesperson for Bradford's Cleansing Department said: "During the introduction of wheeled bins we have been sympathetic to people's needs, particularly those who are elderly or disabled. Anyone who applies for exemption is visited at home by officers who have to adhere to certain criteria. Some people in this area have already been exempted and several others, including Mr Coppack, are on the temporary exemption list and will be visited as soon as possible.

"Officers do not tell people they will not win appeals. These decisions are made by elected members at hearings which residents can attend.

"As far as problems with autumn winds are concerned, wheeled bins are designed to eliminate problems such as burst or torn bags, wind blow litter and injuries.

"These bins have been used in Queensbury, the highest point in Bradford, for more than 12 months without any major problems."