ONCE again Kirklees Council is not letting us down with knee-jerk reactions.

Surely the main part of the cost of the glass collection service must be staff wages, but Kirklees Council say it is retaining the staff, so no saving there then?

One is bound to ask what is being done now to be able to keep these people gainfully employed in the future.

The main reason the glass collection service worked was that it was convenient, especially for the elderly and disabled. All that will happen when the glass collection service ends is people will place glass in with general rubbish and glass is heavy and will not burn. Therefore, the weight of rubbish going to landfill sites will increase and the cost to Kirklees council will increase. What will the actual saving be then and what will the council try to cut next?

The problem with Kirklees Council in my view is they have come to believe that everything must make a profit and they cannot see that even though such as glass collection costs money, there is also a saving involved.

Kirklees Council is always quite happy to subcontract council work out – especially rubbish and recycling – but I ask you do they really think these subcontractors are taking the council business just because they love Kirklees Council? Not on your Nelly. They are making a profit.

Maybe the way forward would be to cut out the subcontractors and do all the work they do at two thirds the cost.

Still no profit, but less expense and therefore a saving!

David Townend

Linthwaite

It’s vital to recycle

AFTER reading Monday’s Huddersfield Daily Examiner about withdrawing glass collections for recycling I thought here we go again, Kirklees up to its old tricks, slash cut and burn policies.

We all know the outcome of today’s Cabinet meeting. Of course this council can no longer afford to keep up the collections. So what will happen for the old people who don’t have a means of getting their bottles to the bottle banks?

They will be placed either in the green recycling bin, or the black one. Now what about those people who just can’t be bothered taking their bottles to their nearest bottle bank – of course the same will happen.

In fact why can’t we just place the bottles in the recycling bin? I read with interest that 161 new sites for bottle banks have been inspected and 46 have already been given the go ahead. To me that sounds as if this decision has already been made to scrap the glass recycling collection.

Am I right that all councils, including Kirklees, have recycling targets to meet? If so, then why are we stopping recycling. Have I read somewhere that Yorkshireman Eric Pickles, Communities Minister for this Conservative Government, has a pot of money to give to local councils if they adopt weekly bin collections? Why not then take the money and come up with a plan to integrate the bottle recycling.

Or is this a devious plan by Kirklees Council to make money from us by fining any residents who put glass bottles in the green recycling bin or the grey household waste bin?

Keith Bagot

Honley

I want big changes

I HAVE repeatedly argued that MPs are not representing the views of the majority.

The country is facing the most serious series of disasters since the Second World War and what are our MPs priorities – gay marriage and abandoning the fight against drugs. Good job this lot weren’t in charge in 1939. Winston must be spinning in his grave at the performance of this Conservative Party.

I would like to turn over my ballot paper at the next General Election and tell the incoming MPs what I want, not what they want. I will happily go along with any majority decisions expressed.

I would like to express my preference on reintroducing capital punishment as an option on killings which appear before a court. Any judge not prepared to implement this option to stand down or be sacked.

I would like to state my views on the European Union. Not a simple in or out vote. My preference would be, if possible, to return to the status the British Nation originally voted for to join a trading block, not an overwhelming dictatorial republic led by Germany.

I would like to express my views on Human rights, not the imposed EU version.

At the risk of being labelled a bigot by the Labour party, I would also like to express my opinion on uncontrolled immigration and the exploitation of free benefits for everyone coming into my country.

I would also like to express my opposition to the Lib/Dems and Green party visions of windmills and pedal power as the only options for the future. (I don’t look good in sandals).

There will probably be other things I would like to express an opinion on, but these five will do for now. I wouldn’t expect a Government to realise all I ask, but I could at least look back at the following election and make a judgement on how far they have tried to follow the democratic wishes expressed by the majority.

John Langford

Lepton

‘Dangerous roundabout’

THE latest victim of Slaithwaite’s infamous Market Place roundabout was a pedestrian who was taken away by ambulance when a young driver collided with him.

The accident occurred during inclement weather while the man was walking across the pedestrian crossings at Carr Lane, Slaithwaite. It was witnessed by myself travelling behind.

Indeed, since it’s conception there have been countless near misses, minor accidents and other pedestrians subjected to the same dangers.

Indeed, the Lingards Community Association has been campaigning for further improvements since 2007 and nothing has been done bar that of a safety assessment with no remedial action taken.

This is a very busy junction involving four inward roads, with two pedestrian crossings to negotiate at the same time as a mini roundabout.

Hence this is an “accident waiting to happen.”

I therefore urge our local councillors and Colne Valley MP to now intervene decisively before someone is badly injured or worse.

While Kirklees Highways only recently accessed the junction’s safety, there are still no warning signs on Carr Lane stating ‘Roundabout Ahead’, the nearby railings restrict vision and the newly painted circle at night is very hard to see.

Indeed, there is much for the motorist to contend with in such a short space of time. Finally, the people of Slaithwaite – in light of the Globe Mills expansion and through motorway traffic – must demand that as part of the overall scheme Kirklees Council take corrective action and let us find an alternative solution to this notorious and ill-devised junction that many Slaithwaite residents have expressed their deep concern.

Alan Knight

Lingards Community Association (LCA)