Keep politics out of housing issue

Imagine our surprise when at the meeting we were advised that two of our local councillors, Mike and Moira Dunn (Lab) had not been invited to attend, nor had our MP Paul Truswell (Lab). A Conservative councillor from Wetherby had, however, been invited to address the gathering.

At the meeting Councillor Latty (Cons) took the chair and even refused to allow his Labour colleagues to sit at the front. I and many others in the audience were unhappy at this childish turn of events, though we were pleased to see all our councillors and Mr Truswell present. We made it clear that we expect our local representatives to work together to oppose the current plans for the site.

During the meeting we all gave details of our names and addresses so that we could be kept in touch with developments. I sought and obtained a commitment from Coun Latty that the list would be available to the other councillors. To date I understand that this has not happened.

As a local resident I object to the way in which the Conservatives are manipulating this issue, as well as my neighbours and me, as pawns in a political game. So come on Mr Latty, pass on our names to the other councillors - and stop trying to turn this important community issue into a party political one.

MR King

1A Renton Avenue,

Guiseley

A crying shame

SIR, - I have come across a 'leaked letter' from the Lotteries Commission which I am sure will be of interest to readers. As follows:

"From the Lottery Commission - Thank you very much for the £47 million you have so graciously given us. Will you thank all the daft, sorry generous, people who buy lottery tickets.

"When you think of all the deserving causes, such as hospitals, sporting associations and charities, it brings tears of laughter - sorry - gratitude - to our eyes. We shall struggle on with the £47m as best we can (until, say, November?) when we look forward to another cash injection to tide us over until the New Year. Thank you, Milly Enium Dome and Y. Telli Fant."

I am sure that all local charities, sports clubs and hospitals who have applied unsuccessfully for lottery grants will be, like me, seething with disgust and nauseated by this latest cash injection fiasco on this white elephant.

James Marks

14 East View Road

Yeadon.

Off the rails

SIR, - Mr Hague thinks Labour should give some apology for the Millennium Dome - and why not?

Whilst apologies are in order, perhaps the British public (ie, the taxpayer) could receive one from the Tories for privatising British Rail - now, we are talking about a scandal of massive financial proportions and loss of taxpayers' money. Over to you William.

F Dickinson

Larkfield Road

Rawdon.

Community plea

SIR, - The Athenians ( in the days when Greece was a major power) believed that the most important unit in society was the community. Today, we find that not only has the community unit gone but towns like Otley have been swallowed up by the nearest city.

Because of our 'first past the post' electoral system, no matter which party gets into power, 60 per cent of the electors will not be represented.

Britain sends billions of pounds to the EC for the privilege of membership, more of our money going ever upwards. Meanwhile, crime and vandalism steadily rise in all our towns and villages.

A simple example of the way the planners and politicians ignore the community unit is the new end of the Cambridge estate where there are more than 300 houses and the only communal facilities are a letter box and a piece of open space, part of which is scheduled to disappear in the Unitary Development Plan.

Is it not time to set up a nationwide campaign to get money and resources sent downwards to create genuine communities in our neighbourhoods.

Geoffrey L M Jones

42 Peterhouse Drive

Otley.

Wake up

SIR, - France has half the fuel tax of the UK, the best health service in the world, (UK, 18th) and pays its pensioners £230 per week (UK- £67.75). Vive la France!

The difference in social justice, the distribution of wealth and quality of life of a republican society compared to the subservient and oppressed British under a monarchy should not go unnoticed.

Wake up Britains; the Monarchy, Aristocracy and Tory establishment (Including New Labour) are taking you for suckers. No wonder there is so much propaganda, opposition to monetary union and xenophobia by the rich.

After the French revolution the British establishment has always been afraid the proletariat might one day realise it is being exploited and emulate the citizens of the French republic. Now you know why.

If you want fairness and social injustice shake off your apathy and follow their example. It is the only way to get things done in this class-ridden 'shamocracy'.

Malcolm Naylor

21 Grange View,

Otley.

Boundary row

SIR, I apologise for having to take up more of your space with this issue, however, the letter from the chairman of Arthington Parish Council in last week's Wharfedale Observer does require comment.

Following the meeting to which he referred, and at which his contribution was totally unhelpful, Bramhope Parish Council was advised to contact all those who were effected by the council's proposal.

These, of course, included not merely those residents of Bramhope who lived in Arthington Parish, but also those who lived in 'Old Leeds', who are also being denied a vote on the present proposals.

This was done and, apart from a member of Arthington Parish Council, no objections were received. The council then went on to hold a well advertised public meeting, attended by the three then city councillors. No representative of Arthington Parish Council attended and no objections were received.

On this basis Bramhope Parish Council has no doubt that it has a mandate to ask Leeds City Council to conduct a boundary review. As you will be aware, the first process in such a review would be for Leeds City Council to consult formally the people affected, being those who live in Bramhope village, but outwith the parish.

This would establish whether these residents of Bramhope wished to come within the parish boundary and participate fully in the affairs of the village.

It is this exercise in 'community involvement' that Councillor Brown, together with Couns Fox and Coyne, seek to veto.

Incidentally, we do wonder why Coun Coyne did not seek to discuss the matter with Bramhope Council before voting as he did. The issue is not merely one of money. The question is whether Bramhope Parish Council can speak for the whole village.

For example, in the on going problems with bus service X84 do we take Coun Brown's silence as meaning that half of his residents who live in Bramhope are totally happy with their bus service? Or is it just that he is happy, as usual, to let Bramhope deal with the matter on behalf of his residents?

John Mordy

Chairman, Bramhope and Carlton Parish Council.

Wood Top Farm

Creskeld Lane

Bramhope.

A military past

SIR, - So the Curmudgeon can't think what the connection is between Leeds and the Royal Armouries' subject - arms and armour - (Southerners take it all....August 24, 2000).

Does he think that Leeds, or Yorkshire as a whole, has led some kind of Utopian existence, untouched by the conflicts and violence that have benighted the rest of civilisation?

Where does he think the extraordinary men and women who parade through our streets on Remembrance Day come from?

What does he think they did to deserve our thanks, and does he think that this has nothing to do with arms and armour?

Curmudgeon may remember that Barnbow munitions factory, Leeds, was one of the country's leading centres for the production of artillery shells during WWI.

Indeed when he considers the battles of Stamford Bridge, Towton and Marston Moor he will realise that Yorkshire has one of the bloodier histories of any county in the country.

He must surely recall that Vickers manufactured tanks in the city until very recently. And surely he knows that Yorkshire is home to, and a fertile recruiting ground for many of our finest regiments; that its cities have given their names to many ships in the Royal Navy? Apparently not.

The Royal Armouries does and acts as a permanent place of reflection on these matters. It seeks to broaden horizons, open minds and inform public debate on a subject that is of universal importance to us today.

How sad then that our connections with the past, as represented by the Curmudgeon, should so soon be forgotten along with our desire to learn from it.

Of course in some ways he is right, why should Yorkshire men and women have to trek to London or wherever to see great international collections?

The answer in the Royal Armouries case is that they don't. It is here in their midst, a magnificent world resource on their very doorsteps, just as the subject it represents always has been.

In the last four years the Royal Armouries museum, Leeds, has served as a place of inspiration, reflection and learning for more than 1.6 million people from across the world, including Ilkley.

Oh and on September 16/17 the museum is free as part of Heritage Open Days 2000, otherwise all tickets are now under £5 with an annual pass for a family costing just £19.50. Not bad for over three millennia worth of history brilliantly told.

Nicholas Boole,

Royal Armouries Museum,

Armouries Drive,

Leeds.