HOUSES have to be built somewhere and as most of our land near to town is used or being used for university flats and commercial buildings it seems to me that green fields and unpopular areas will have to be used to take the Government figures for housing.

All these arguments about we’ve enjoyed a wonderful rural view for years and traffic problems have been slight compared to others is just taking a selfish view.

Our population in Britain is to increase rapidly in the coming years and accommodation will have to be found for all those who live here.

Traffic as forecast will also increase so our roads will get busier and living round our town will need careful planning.

As our new houses are built, one can argue that our island is over-populated, but that never seemed to worry our Government which has lost count of the actual numbers here.

Land will be found and unpopular decisions taken, so lump it or like it.

F Taylor

Huddersfield

Muck instead of money

NOT so long ago Huddersfield industry was booming as it was in most parts of North of England.

Our local MPs were concentrating on local matters, the streets were safe and our Prime Minister didn’t try to save the world.

There was a popular saying “Where there’s muck there’s money.”

Now things have changed greatly. We have muck and no money and St George’s Square is a typical example.

Tony Sosna

Huddersfield

Sorry is not a hard word

IT seems to me that sorry is the hardest word Gordon Brown can find to say anything.

What we have is a failed Government on any subject one would care to mention and no-one seems to be accountable – be it national or local Government. Gordon Brown knows that what the people of this country want is an election, but he will hang on to power even if it means sinking with the ship.

The British people have had enough of the erosion of their freedoms under the guise of the threat of terrorism as a cover for their failing to protect us by, for example, opening the floodgates to nationals of any country worldwide – friend or foe – and then telling us we are bound by EU law.

It is all a bit rich, Mr Brown, when we were not even allowed a vote on our further integration with the EU.

Anthony F Smith

Springwood

Time to move out of town

IF Kirklees was really a number one council it would not be closing things that are necessary in the town centre like the Tourist Information Office and rent/council tax office in order to save money.

What they should be doing is renting cheaper out-of-town office space and moving all those staff in jobs that don’t need to be based in the town centre.

Surely the only offices that need to be centrally located are those the general public need access to, but these seem to be the ones Kirklees chooses to close.

As most council-owned buildings were sold off many years ago – including the civic centre buildings – they now have to rent them back and the amount of rent now being paid must be astronomical.

Surely it would be to the benefit of all council tax payers like myself if cheaper out of town accommodation was found.

Eric Jones

Kirkburton

Pride in Peters

IN these days of economic gloom it was uplifting to watch The Department Store on BBC2 filmed at Peters.

The documentary was brilliantly presented with happy and sad occasions. I enjoyed every one of its 60 minutes and recognised one or two familiar faces. I often pop into Peters when in town and have snapped up some good quality bargains in the past.

Caroline and David Whittle were excellent. To Peters, long may you reign.

See you soon.

Ms Rushworth

Linthwaite

Well done Kirklees!

ON Thursday, April 9, my liner dustbin disappeared.

It was the day before Good Friday, the start of the Easter break, so on Wednesday, April 15, I rang the council office and learned my bin had been taken away and would be replaced by a new one that was already on order.

The following morning, April 16, my new dustbin was delivered to my home, so thank you to those responsible.

As we seem to read so many complaints about one thing or another, I thought it’s time to pay compliments now and then when such promptness is shown.

So well done to all concerned. It’s much appreciated by me, a senior citizen.

Satisfied customer

Huddersfield

Mast or risk of houses?

RE the piece in the Examiner on Wednesday, April 15, about the mast at Marsden Royal British Legion.

I understand everyone is entitled to their say, but they should know the facts.

Clr Nicola Turner stated that there is an annual bonfire at the club (which has not happened for the last two years).

The play area in the Old Goods Yard (which was supposed to happen ages ago) will be near a shelter put up for the young people where drinking and smoking goes on, and where I would not like my child to play.

I take it all these people who oppose these masts probably use mobile phones, which are more detrimental to health than the masts.

If, and I say if, the club to which the land belongs did close and the land was sold, perhaps people would prefer 20 or 30 houses to be built up there instead of a simple mast.

LCG

Marsden

CCTV catches culprits

CCTV surveillance seems to have been in the news a lot lately.

Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, we are told, is to “clamp down on councils who use CCTV … to catch litterbugs and minor offenders”.

Emotive words like ‘snooping’ and ‘spying’ are used by the media – themselves the worst of all snoopers and spies – to create anxiety and fear of invasion of privacy.

The BBC and Civil Liberties seem to be complete bedfellows.

Councils have a duty and right to discourage littering and other offences that are of little or no interest to the police but cost the taxpayers a lot of money.

Whatever your views on the privacy issue you must admit that for the Government to tell councils that video must not be used is tantamount to a litterbug’s charter.

If I were a magistrate I think I would much rather view a bit of video than listen to an amoral lawyer’s “your word against his” argument in court.

There is nothing like a video clip to make things clear.

A BBC report (Friday April 17) said “some councils have admitted” (shock, horror!) “to using CCTV to catch fly tippers” and another council actually used surveillance to record and prosecute dog fouling of a playing field. Big Brother at his very worst!

I am not alone, I think, in having to suppress rising anger and sometimes a sense of outrage when I see someone throw rubbish – including fag ends – from a car window or come across somebody’s old furniture dumped alongside a country road.

If council officials attempting to catch fly tippers happen to film me passing by they are more than welcome.

Their incidental ‘spying and snooping’ on me in such a case would be an enhancement of my oft-denied civil liberty to enjoy a pleasant environment.

I hope Jacqui Smith will come to her senses and withdraw this bit of nonsensical politicking but I won’t hold my breath.

Sometimes political expediency seems to replace every vestige of common sense.

Mark Mercer

Golcar

MPs on the road

LABOUR man Lord Mandelson states that the Government must move on from the latest scandal. I feel that the speed they move from one farce to the next they could overtake roadrunner – beep beep!

Mike Warren-Madden

Crackpot Cottage

Volunteer of the month

I WOULD like to say thank you to Mandy at Scope on New Street in Huddersfield town centre for nominating me for volunteer of the month.

Also a big thank you to all those who have donated to Scope.

It has been appreciated and has helped a very good cause.

If you would like information on collection of goods or becoming a volunteer, telephone Mandy or Jade at Scope in Huddersfield on 01484 205270.

A big thank you once again.

Janet Rollinson

Crosland Moor