RECYCLING doesn’t work? Well OK, of course it does in the case of waste disposal, but when it comes to MPs I don’t think so.

It has always seemed to me to be an exercise in futility when at election time, the only time we the general public are allowed by Government and MPs to join in the democratic process, we vote back into power the same people we rejected as incompetent the election before.

Perhaps we should re-name Election Day as Groundhog Day. Anyone who has watched the film will know what I mean.

We are re-cycling again and again the same old out-dated ideologies, jaded faces and worn out political dogmas every time.

If they made a pig’s ear of it last time why would we trust the same people again? Rather than making progress in the world we are running on the spot if we are lucky and going backwards if we aren’t.

I think that any politician should have to stand down after two elections maximum, unless by public acclaim he/she is allowed to continue.

Rather than blocking any views, ideas and concerns from the public, election time should be the ideal opportunity for us to democratically let our leaders know what we think and what we want.

Let’s face it, as they are now saying and admitting publicly for the first time, they don’t really want to know and they blatantly don’t intend allowing us to tell them.

It is time to update and refresh our democracy and the great grandmother of parliaments and make them fit for use in the new modern world.

John Langford

Lepton

The nature of change

IN his letter about it being the Coalition’s turn to govern (Mailbag, October 11) I note that Mr R J Bray advocates that, after letting Labour make a mess of government and now watching the Conservatives, if things do not work out, we ought to change them at the next general election.

I agree – but the question is: To what?

Don Brown

Dalton

Bad weather? Tough!

HERE we go again, weathermen making their forecast on the sort of winter they predict we are to expect!

Some cannot even get their daily forecasts right and it’s always gloom and doom as though it’s the end of civilisation as we know it. Come on: it’s supposed to snow in winter, it’s not a new phenomenon, and yes, it sometimes snows a lot too, as it has done for generations!

In my childhood in the 50s and 60s it was a natural thing to have heavy snow falls in winter, and we didn’t have central heated homes, our school never closed, buses always ran, the council had a gang of blokes with shovels clearing the roads and paths, and people got wrapped up and walked to work.

Today, at the first sign of snow, every school in the land closes, all public transport is paralysed, and the gritting is for roads only, not public footpaths, and under the Health and Safety Act, that is a potential hazard, which allows most workers to stay at home where virtually every home has central heating.

It is so sad to think that the British Bulldog spirit, the ‘just get on with it’ attitude, which welded this once great nation together, has been systematically broken down to this spoon-fed, whining, hand-wringing society, blaming it all on global warming and our carbon footprints!

Alan Parkinson

Lower Cumberworth

Doing our best

I AM writing in response to a letter from a customer in Brockholes entitled ‘Letter of Complaint’ (Mailbag, October 7).

Royal Mail is currently undertaking one of the largest transformations in UK industry. We are introducing new and innovative practices to our collection, processing and delivery operations across the UK, including at Holmfirth Delivery Office.

Changes to local delivery practices are part of Royal Mail’s investment to modernise the business. With mail volumes declining, we need to organise our delivery routes to be as efficient as possible. We must also invest in new equipment to carry the increasing number of larger items we are delivering.

We are proud of the high regard in which our postmen and women are held in their communities. These changes may mean a different postman or woman from your local office will deliver to you. However, I am confident all of my local team will provide the reliable, friendly service you have come to expect from us over many years.

I have noted your reader’s comments regarding the time of delivery. I should explain that within the specified terms of our operating licence, we are obliged to provide customers with at least one delivery each working day.

Although the licence does not specify a time for delivery of ordinary post, we generally aim to complete deliveries by 3pm in urban areas and 4pm in rural areas.

There are a number of options available to anyone wishing to receive their mail within a specified time. These include our free call and collect service and also our timed deliveries.

I hope I have managed to address your reader’s concerns. Any queries can be directed to Customer Service on 0845 601 1399 or via the website: www.royalmail.com

Richard Calvert

Delivery Office Manager, Holmfirth

More supermarkets

THE issue of the number of supermarkets, or potential supermarkets, in the Huddersfield area never ceases to amaze me.

Do the planners, paid Kirklees officers and elected representatives not realise that these large supermarket chains do nothing for the local community?

The profit that the organisation make from the local people goes to the shareholders of these chains. They donate small amounts to the areas where they are located to keep the locals happy with money that is probably offset against the company tax liability – how generous!

I admit there is some employment benefit to some of the community but it is low paid, unskilled employment.

The local paper is full of Tesco and Aldi wanting to locate in Holmfirth; Tesco wanting to locate in Mirfield; Tesco off Huddersfield ring road and Asda potentially elsewhere on the ring road.

Just how much foodstuff do the people of Huddersfield need to eat? How obese do we have to become? Where is the competition for foodstuff, clothing and white goods etc sold by these huge chains?

We already have a supermarket probably within three miles of anywhere in the area. How close do we need to be to a supermarket?

The council should encourage local business people to open businesses in Huddersfield and surrounding areas so that the revenue is fed back into the local community instead of out-of-town large organisations sucking money out of the area.

Smaller businesses would also give the consumers more choice of products but then Kirklees dissuades independent investors because of the high rent and rates. There are many towns one can visit where there are small retailers and consequently more choice. Even Halifax gives the shopper more choice than Huddersfield.

Huddersfield and the surrounding areas have many places of interest to offer the visitor, but then the town centre can only offer bargain basement products, charity shops and retailers that they have at home.

Of course, that is if visitors can get into the town centre due to the crazy road system and if they get in .... can they get out?

Susan M Smith

Fixby

Running commentary

COMMUNITY organisation Parkrun organise a run every Saturday morning in Greenhead Park staring at 9am. It’s free and for all abilities and ages, so if you’re nine or 90 and you love running I suggest giving it a try.

I started three weeks ago and it’s brilliant. They always want volunteers as timekeepers and marshals.

They are all so friendly and make everyone welcome. We even have a running bunny! Things like this bring everyone together and it’s a laugh, plus you can have coffee and cake afterwards in the lovely cafe.

Dawn Byram

Marsden

A decisive plan

SOME of us believe the Green Party have given up any moral right to criticise planning decisions made by Kirklees Council. Why so?

They are entitled to a seat on the planning committee but declined to take it. Their place was taken by an independent who voted in favour of development on Lindley Moor. Would they have voted differently? We will never know because they have abdicated responsibility for decision making.

As for the independents.They are pictured in the Examiner fighting their corner of green land in the Holme Valley. Naturally they won’t be able to vote on planning for there now. Fundamentally we can see that planning does seem to be governed by Not In My Back Yard. Literally in the case of one Labour councillor favouring Lindley Moor development but baulking at Clayton Fields housing.

My solution? All decisions on planning on Huddersfield to be taken by Dewsbury councillors, and vice versa. That would take the bias out of decision making and make it more interesting to see who follows the party line and/or the planning regulations.

Also if a councillor is elected, he or she should not be able to opt out of a vital decision making process, which is what a planning committee is.

ŠBernard McGuin

Marsh