IT is interesting to once again note a politician use words to the effect of “We will learn lessons from this’’ (Examiner, May 11).

History shows this sort of statement to be hardly worth the paper it might be written on, or the breath taken to utter it.

This time ‘lessons will be learned’ by Kirklees Council as it apparently admits a ‘consultation process’ was flawed, specifically over the issue of the Local Development Framework.

Predictable stances have been taken, including that a leaflet non-distribution was merely an ‘extra’, presumably implying it wasn’t required, so why does it matter?

Over a period of months several councillors, and officers arrogantly rubbished any suggestion that vast numbers of leaflets had not been delivered.

Were they misled or hoping their respective positions blessed them with infallibility? Whatever else, this aspect of consultation existed and cost public money.

Now there are ‘undertakings’ about future ‘consultations’. Do these change anything about the conduct and performance of what many see as a seriously tarnished local authority?

Crucially, can various local planning policies over a number of years, and not just the LDF saga, be viewed with confidence?

John Procter

Birchencliffe

LDF is ‘off message’

KIRKLEES is, of course, required to notify the public about its plans for the development of our countryside over the next 18 years.

These plans are based on the assumption that the boom times of the Gordon Brown era will continue for the whole of that period, an assumption which has already long been invalidated.

They were torn two ways – firstly by the above obligation and secondly by their understandable reluctance to do any such thing, partly because Kirklees is unpopular, and partly because this 18-year plan of theirs is a developers’ charter which sets out to squander the green fields and green belt which are our most precious resource with an irresponsibility which beggars belief.

Kirklees’ oft-repeated claim that their brochure Jobs and Homes had been delivered to every address in their area – repeated despite evidence from public meetings that it had only been received in a handful of homes – has now been seen to be untrue.

Deliverers Mailbox Nationwide said at the outset that they could not deliver to any more than 80% of addresses.

The new public meetings arranged by Kirklees on the LDF were set up in a most unusual way.

Instead of the normal public meeting with a panel on the platform to address the audience and respond to questions, a series of round tables had been arranged so that four or five members of the public could be instructed by Kirklees officers on what the latter thought the former ought to know.

‘Divide and control’ springs to mind.

Only a small minority of the population of Kirklees knows what is going on with this LDF and so protests are a fraction of what they would be if the public had been adequately informed.

And it does not exonerate Kirklees from its responsibilities for it to extend the period for comment.

How can people formulate an opinion if they do not have the necessary information?

Arthur Quarmby

Holme

Upset customer

I SYMPATHISE with Mr Lockwood and his family (‘TV blackout’ Examiner, May 10).

Five months ago we bought a washing machine from Comet. After breaking down six weeks ago it has finally been repaired.

Like Mr Lockwood, we made numerous calls to Comet customer services who gave excuse after excuse as to why they could not fix my machine.

I asked for a replacement machine after a month but they refused.

Finally, after many complaints – one being formal – they finally got the parts and fixed it.

I wonder why they couldn’t have done this sooner?

Sarah

Brockholes

Carers’ support

THE research published on May 11 by Carers UK and the University of Leeds has highlighted not only the immense contribution made by carers, but the worrying lack of support available to these crucial members of our society.

As outlined by the report, carers save our nation the equivalent of £13.6m every hour, dedicating themselves to the incredibly demanding and often exhausting task of caring for relatives or friends.

A rethink regarding funds available for this group is essential and as Carers UK call on the government to make this and other considerations, we at Turn2us strongly urge carers to use our free, easy-to-use benefits checker and grants search at www.Turn2us.org.uk and ensure they are receiving all the benefits and grants currently available.

It is vital that appropriate support is provided for carers to enable them to continue in their role and they are not left struggling, unsupported, to provide for those they care for.

Alison Taylor

Director, Turn2us

Empty seats

ON May 5, Meltham saw the election of seven new Independent town councillors.

In their joint election manifesto they said: “A vote for the Independent candidates is a vote for personal commitment to our community not party politics.’’

On May 11 there was the annual town meeting – and not one of the seven turned up.

Not what I call personal commitment.

David Woodhead, Lib-Dem

Meltham Town Council

Councillor’s thanks

I WOULD like to thank everyone who took the time to go out and vote for me in last week’s Kirklees Council elections.

Thanks to everyone for their kindness and support, whether I was on their doorstep or just out and about locally.

I would like to thank my election agent Keith Sibbald, Alan Burton and James Taylor in particular and also my two ward colleagues Clrs Vivien Lees-Hamilton and Martyn Bolt for their continued support and to everyone in Mirfield Conservative Association.

Without the help of these dedicated people my campaign would have been much harder.

The Mirfield ward has the largest electorate in Kirklees and we have put out over 12,000 leaflets during my campaign. I want to thank everyone who gave up their valuable time and made the delivery of all these leaflets possible.

My thanks also to the Labour Party candidate Karen Rowling for putting up such a determined campaign and for showing her commitment to Mirfield.

I look forward to continuing to serve the residents of Mirfield in my capacity as one of their three Conservative councillors.

Clr Mrs Kathleen Taylor

Northorpe Ward, Mirfield

The gift of blood

I WOULD like to thank all our blood and platelet donors for their donations during April.

Faced with two long holiday weekends in a row at the end of the month, we needed to build up blood stocks in advance.

We asked our donors to make a special effort to give blood and they certainly did.

During April – with the help of regular donors and some new ones – our stock levels increased.

This enabled us to continue to meet the needs of patients throughout the extended holidays.

To help us maintain the vital supply of blood to hospitals we need blood donors to donate regularly, up to three times a year, especially those who are O negative and B negative. New donors are always welcome too.

First-time donors should be aged between 17-65, weighing at least 50kg (7stone 12lbs) and in general good health.

If you’ve donated before, you can start again up to your 70th birthday and there is no upper age limit for donors who have donated in the last two years.

To book an appointment please call the Donor Line on 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk

Jon Latham

NHS Blood and Transplant

Privacy agreement

THIS controversy about injunctions to protect the rich and famous is the wrong way round.

We, the public, should take out an injunction to prevent them from so readily exposing their private areas.

Don Robinson

Mirfield

UK magnetism

WHATEVER it is that makes asylum seekers favour Britain over all other countries, let’s get rid of it!

Alan Starr

Golcar

Killing the town

I CONGRATULATE Kirklees Council for climbing into bed with Tesco supermarkets.

For the price of a new sports centre, Tesco will take over Southgate/Leeds Road.

The town will suffer further loss of town centre business and eventually the centre of Huddersfield will consist of pound shops and charity shops.

The streets on the outskirts of town will become further congested due to the loss of parking spaces at Springwood.

All in all, a job well done.

Hard Up and Fed Up

Huddersfield