THE press have started to explain how the ‘bedroom tax’ will hit people on Housing Benefit who live in social housing.

The Government claims that it’s to cut spending on Housing Benefit, but it will actually hit people with disabilities, families with members serving in the armed forces, parents who are separated but want space for children to visit ... the list goes on.

Now we have detailed figures for how many people in Calderdale will be hit – and it’s pretty frightening.

We estimate that more than 1,500 across the borough will be adversely affected with more than 200 in the Upper Valley alone.

The average loss is going to be around £14 a week – or more than £720 a year per person.

As well as the impact on individual families, it’s going to take more than £1 million a year out of the local economy.

We are working hard to find ways to reduce the effects of this change and to support people who fear they are going to have trouble paying the rent when these cuts take place.

This is a huge blow for working people and families on low incomes and it comes in at the same time as the Government is giving 8,000 millionaires an annual tax cut of more than £100,000. All in it together?

The bedroom tax has now been exposed as a chaotic disaster, but it’s not too late for the Tories to do the decent thing, admit they have got this wrong and think again.

Clr Nader FEKRI

Labour & Co-op, Calder Ward

Remembering Dougie

WE were deeply saddened to hear of the recent death of youth brass band maestro – Douglas Hodge.

The news of Dougie’s passing was given to my wife Elaine and me by a former Paddock Youth Centre member, Nigel Boothroyd.

I was youth worker at Paddock YC when Doug walked in one winter’s evening in 1976, seeking a place to create a brass band group.

Within a month he had attracted a sizeable gathering of band enthusiasts, joining his daughter Rachel and his very young son Matthew.

His ‘old school’ methods of teaching and a no-nonsense attitude to shirkers was most evident, but it got the results as his twice weekly classes grew to capacity.

Paddock Youth Band, which ran for over six years, entertained the young and old at hundreds of galas and big community events.

The band entered dozens of competitions, winning many prizes.

Doug enabled lots of youngsters to seek careers in music and was respected in the brass band world as he gave young people skill and enjoyment through his down to earth approach.

Huddersfield born Douglas Hodge will be sadly missed by those who knew him, especially his family.

He died peacefully in his sleep in Brittany where he lived in retirement for many years.

Brian and Elaine Hayhurst

Spain

More flowers, please

I WOULD like to say how good the flower displays are around Huddersfield but would request one more – by the sitting area opposite the entrance to Toymaster and BHS where there are several benches, almost always occupied, but a complete absence of any flowers, neither hanging baskets (one lamp-post at least) nor wooden tubs.

It would be good to see some floral display there – perhaps before the Food Festival maybe?

Mary Mckenzie

Huddersfield

No special cases

IN REPLY to John Emms (Mailbag, March 5) I don’t think I missed the point at all, my point being that these travellers should pay for parking and any infringements just like the rest of us and not be treated as a special case.

Here are just some of the possible offences committed as listed in Part 6 of the Traffic Management (TMA) Act 2004 titled, Civil enforcement of traffic contraventions.

(1) Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay and display ticket

(9) Parked without payment of the parking charge

(12) Not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space

(13) Parked for longer than permitted

(18) Parked in a car park without clearly displaying a valid pay and display ticket

(20) Parked beyond the bay markings

(24) Parked in a parking place for a purpose other than the designated purpose for the parking place

Each one of the above carries a maximum of £70 fixed penalty and if you take into account that up to 20 vehicles and trailers were parked in excess of 10 days most, in my view, potentially committing at least one of the above offences, Kirklees would be looking at collecting a minimum of £14,000 in fines, instead of the undisclosed amount of legal fees paid by Kirklees Council taxpayers!

And if offenders refused to pay and Kirklees Council was to proceed to the Magistrates Court for enforcement, the offenders still refusing to pay could end up in jail for contempt.

All the caravans must have been towed into position by a vehicle with a registration plate attached and most caravans can be identified by chassis numbers and other means. The Examiner photograph clearly shows at least one caravan displaying its towing vehicle number plate and they all look like touring caravans.

I must point out also the ambiguity of Mr Emms’ submissions

If the council is unable to collect the penalties due to the inability to identify the offenders, how are they going to issue the eviction notices?

These people are laughing at us and the inability or unwillingness of the council to take the appropriate actions.

David Townend

Linthwaite

Gated community

TO stop joyriders from causing more damage to the ancient Castle Hill all is needed is a gate to be closed at night to stop them on the only road up there.

There are two sets of steps for everybody to gain access to the hill. No fear of joyriders or vandals going up there as it would take too much physical effort for them to reach the top.

A gate would not cause any inconvenience as there is no pub up there and our prize asset could go undisturbed.

COMMON SENSE

Almondbury

It’s my decision

FURTHER to R Huddleston’s letter (Examiner, March 4) I have a mortgage and a small loan.

While it may not make sense to leave my lights on as long as I make my repayments on time, it is no business of my loan providers if I do.

J Sewell

Newsome