SIR – Congratulations to those who organised the recent District Regeneration Summit, Wealthy Bradford – Working In Collaboration For Success. The conference was truly a morale-booster as speaker after speaker gave evidence from their own experience of how they were progressing, all the while making use of partnership working and collaboration.

Other messages to emerge from the morning were the need for Bradford to avoid both a victim mentality and a grant-dependency. David Ward MP made the point that while central government has made £17.5 million available to Bradford, this should be regarded as an investment and not a hand-out.

It would be down to entrepreneurs in Bradford to take advantage of that investment to progress the local economy and give a return. Listening to the speakers, with their “can-do” outlook, there would seem to be plenty of potential to turn the local economy round. The reassuring thing was that these were people who are already “cutting the mustard”.

Yes, things are tough at the moment and in the short run may get worse. However, I believe the medium and long terms hold out real prospects for a wealthier city.

Coun John Cole (Liberal Democrat), Baildon Ward, Oakroyd Terrace, Baildon