THERE seems to be a new urban/rural myth about the LDF that it has nothing to do with central government but is a plot by Kirklees and that a vote for the Conservatives will mean no LDF and no new building.

This is totally delusional.

I would urge people to go on to the Department of Communities and Local Government website and read what the Government is saying.

In particular read what the RT Hon Greg Clarke, MP Minister of State (Con) says.

In a speech on March 23 he said: “Government’s clear expectation is that the answer to development and growth should wherever possible be ‘yes’’. He also said: “Local planning authorities should therefore press ahead without delay in preparing up-to-date development plans.’’

There is a lot more in this vein.

Clr Tony Woodhead

Lib Dem, Lindley

It’s Independence day

TO clarify matters I apologise to the Kirklees Lib Dem Party for implying in a previous letter the existence of a ‘Labour/Lib-Dem council’.

Of course, the public is fully aware that no party within Kirklees Council has overall control and the Labour Party are kept in power with the support of the Lib-Dems who switched their allegiance from the Conservatives several years ago.

Nevertheless, tomorrow is ‘Independence Day’ and voting is the only way the electorate can voice their concerns regarding matters such as the Local Development Framework (LDF) that will affect all our lives for many decades to come.

And, while nationally we all may have reservations over this coalition Government’s policies, locally we must concentrate on issues that affect our everyday lives.

Thus, we at Lingards fight to keep our Kirklees countryside and stop the 28,000 homes proposal being accepted against the majority wishes of the people and challenge proposals for the 4,000 new ‘valleys’ homes that will be built on the green fields that surround us.

It is therefore time for a political change and time for the ‘valleys’ Independence Day where those who advocate such policies are shown the political door!

Alan Knight

Lingards Community Association

Considering alternatives

EXAMINER correspondent R A Vant really has taken the ousting of Gordon Brown and his Labour deadbeats at the last General Election rather badly.

He tries to justify AV with the elimination of fringe and frivolous parties as a real reason for changing the current system.

But, hold on, assuming there is a straight, three-cornered fight in a constituency, who on earth would want to nominate a second or third choice by giving a vote to weak parties?

The AV referendum is the sop to the Lib Dems for joining the coalition government and they may be the only winners from this proposed new system. Why should any Conservative make an alternative vote? Why should a Labour supporter make an alternative choice for a party at odds with Socialist values?

No, Mr Vant is one of many of his ilk who thinks that the AV system is likely to benefit their party because a great unsuspecting public would think that they must use their alternative votes.

Remember, Mr Vant’s party is the one that left handwritten notes to the incoming coalition government to say that there was no money left in the till and signed away millions to European Union finances when it was hanging on to barren power by its broken and nibbled fingernails.

And the Lib Dems have shown their colours. Didn’t Nick Clegg forget that he was Deputy Prime Minister when Cameron was on leave? And as for Vince Cable …

Some alternative choice there, then?

GB

Shepley

Beggaring belief

I REALLY have to laugh when I read the comments of R A Vant (Mailbag, April 29). How he can write letters supporting AV when he and the Labour Party made no mention of it during 13 years in power beggars belief.

Nearing the end of a ruinous Government, Gordon Brown and his cronies stated they wanted AV. Why? Because that was the only way Labour could perhaps crawl back into power through the back door. It is through the back door that some local councillors and MPs will get elected if AV becomes law.

Does the public want to be governed by the Lib Dems, the Green Party or even the Monster Raving Loony Party?

No more than they need another term of Labour who should change their anthem from the Red Flag to Giving It All Away.

I also agree with Bernard McGuin, writing in the same Mailbag. R A Vant is the secretary of the Holme Valley Labour Party and should say so in his letters, of which I am sure there will be many more.

HARD UP AND FED UP

HUDDERSFIELD

Nonsense about AV

IN the Saturday Examiner article ‘Is AV the best way forward?’ (April 30), the University of Huddersfield politics lecturer and PhD student Robert Nicholls makes an incredible assertion – particularly for someone in his position.

He implies that someone coming third or fourth could win the seat under AV. This is nonsense.

For this to happen the first two (or three) candidates would have to gain less than 50% of the votes and virtually all the transferred votes would have to go to the third (or fourth) candidate.

There are very few, if any, seats where the first two candidates have ever failed to gain 50% of the votes between them – and none where the first three have so failed.

To use this as an argument against AV is disingenuous from anybody, but from a university lecturer in politics it is totally misleading.

Mr Nicholls does himself, his university and the public great disservice by promulgating such blatant nonsense.

Clr John Smithson

Lib Dem, Almondbury

The martyr Bin Laden

OSAMA bin Laden is dead. Wait for the reprisal attacks.

Nowhere in the world is now safe. Prime Minister David Cameron congratulates those who have made the world a far more dangerous place. Do not underestimate the power of a martyr.

Allen Jenkinson

Milnsbridge

True political colours

HAS the Liberal Democratic Party already left the stage of British politics?

Both in my Ashbrow ward and in adjoining Greenhead ward there are Lib Dem posters of almost identical colour to the Labour ones.

Is this an indication of their shame at the antics of Nick Clegg and company, with their complete reneging of promises just to get some government influence?

Or is it yet another Lib Dem ploy to deceive the voters?

L Phillips

Bradley

Talking rubbish

ONLY one of the five local authorities in West Yorkshire recycles even one third of its household waste – and it’s not Kirklees (28%), but Wakefield, according to the public comparison website www.Oneplace.audit-commission.gov.uk

It’s some compensation that because of the local energy from waste contract with Sita UK to incinerate grey bin waste for electricity fed into the national grid – enough for more than 10,000 households – Kirklees sends the lowest proportion of its household waste to landfill – another 40%, but better than the others at 64+%.

However, Kirklees Council’s environmental credentials are not all they could be. They are– recycling less than five of the 10 local authorities in nearby Greater Manchester. Rural North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire all recycle 43% of household waste, half as much again as Kirklees. If they can do it, why not us here in Kirklees?

Kenn Winter

Lindley

Concrete row goes on

I THINK Victoria Gott protests too much! (Prescott and concrete, May 3rd).

She makes several points in her supposed defence, but fails to deal with what she told us on April 15. Here’s what she said, word-for-word.

“As Deputy Prime Minister in the last Labour government, John Prescott famously vowed to cover the south of England in concrete – with the exception of his croquet lawn at Dorneywood , we must assume.’’

Now that’s not a throwaway remark. It’s strong stuff. He didn’t just ‘say’ it. He didn’t just ‘vow’ it. He did it ‘famously.’ If I wanted to write something like that, I’d check my facts until I was sure. Then I’d get someone else to check them for me.

All I did was to look into her claim, to see if it was right. Call me Old-Fashioned, but I just wanted to see if it was ‘the truth’ It took me a couple of minutes to find out that he didn’t say it. It was what his political enemies said he was doing. Now Victoria tells us she was talking about plans “... for some 270,000 houses across the south east of England.’’ Since this is her area of expertise, might I ask her for her calculations?

What does she mean by ‘south east’ and how many square miles does it cover?

How accurate is it to call that a vow to cover the south of England in concrete? It’s about accepting responsibility – the responsibility of anyone writing a letter to check they get their facts right.

Mr R A Vant

Holmfirth