MOST people will be aware of cuts in the NHS, in particular here in West Yorkshire.

Prime example are the planned reductions in services at Wakefield, Dewsbury and Pontefract, plus the intended closure of the children’s heart surgery unit in Leeds.

All of these seem to stem from the Government’s top priority of cutting the national deficit with undue haste, coupled with its NHS reorganisation, and we in our area must be warned that our health care may well be diminished.

Doctors, nurses and other medical staff do a wonderful job by and large but are simply overwhelmed by the burden inflicted upon them.

Discussing the regional situation with a local GP, he said quite bluntly: “If this goes on, we will all finish up in the same boat”. So be prepared!

Aneurin Bevan set up the NHS in August 1948, to provide good health care “from the cradle to the grave”, even though the country was in the midst of a post-war cash crisis at least equal to the one we are experiencing today.

He must be turning in his grave.

MIKE SHAW

Cowlersley

Pride in Britain

I REFER to the letter “Same in the 1980s” (Examiner, January 11).

I read Mr Stephen Flynn’s letter with incredulity. Every Labour government since 1924 has been a shambles, they are hopeless.

I have a long enough memory to recall the Labour governments of the 60s and 70s, what a triumph they were!

Inflation up to 25%, destruction of our industries, endless strikes by their “comrades” (the sick man of Europe) and Mrs Thatcher to “clean up the mess”. Thank goodness she put some pride back in Britain.

BARRY FOWLER

Huddersfield

Praise for Jessops

WHAT a very sad loss the closure of Jessops will be in Huddersfield .

I was in the shop only a few days ago and was so impressed by the two gentlemen staff who were so helpful and could not do enough to sort out my purchase.

True gentlemen, who were totally committed to their job even a few days before the closure.

The service I experienced is rare these days and I wish staff at Jessops good luck in finding new positions.

Their retail experience and pleasant personalities were something to be highly commended.

Thank you so much, I will really miss Jessops in Huddersfield.

Sue Asher

Huddersfield

Acting on advice

I NOTE with interest the views of those supporting the building of a commercial enterprise on Castle Hill.

Essentially these include a nostalgia for the pub that was, which on their own admission they only occasionally visited, and a belief that a pub/restaurant meal and drink is an essential and much needed addition to their enjoyment of the hill.

This ignores the reality of what happens at other such sites, and as far as I am aware, at no point has any feasibility study been presented as to whether such an enterprise would become a commercial success, nor have those claiming nostalgia directed any anger at those responsible for the demolition of the focus of their nostalgia, namely the previous pub.

Indeed they seem most forgiving and promote a view that the developers are acting in the best interest of local people. They also seem annoyed that ‘independent’ organisations with no particular link to local vested interests are opposed to a private commercial enterprise being built on the summit of an ancient scheduled monument, which is within a designated green belt area.

They also appear dismissive of the normal rules and regulations which are supposed to constrain such planning proposals.

To them, it would seem, the advice of council planning officers, English Heritage, the Campaign for the Protection for Rural England, the West Yorkshire Archaeological Service, the Council for British Archaeology, the various civic trusts and green belt restrictions are an unwarranted intrusion.

Also of interest is that they willingly assume that a pub/restaurant on the hill would be successful, conveniently ignoring the fact that other such out-of-town enterprises have closed, including a site with its own dramatic views and far better road access, namely Nont Sarahs above Scammonden. Nor should they forget that the previous pub on Castle Hill ultimately failed, was closed down and the buildings left to decay.

I would suggest that we also look beyond the immediate intention within the planning proposal, and instead consider a possible future development.

A proposal that has no guaranteed success could instead become the basis of a later planning proposal for the conversion of the pub/restaurant into luxury apartments or a private residence, a status home dominating the Huddersfield skyline.

The building of a pub/restaurant presents a whole series of problems, some more immediate than others.

Consequently, I would also suggest that the issues involved in the planning proposals to build any pub/restaurant on Castle Hill and the precedent it would set go beyond what is acceptable in a desire to recreate what has been destroyed and memories of what has been.

Indeed, let us hope that our representatives on the planning sub-committee act on the advice of their planning officers and the various independent organisations, in order to make a decision which ensures that the hill is preserved as a site of historic importance free from commercial or private development.

Disillusioned

Brockholes

Carry on training

I READ with interest the debate about boxing in the paper and I am fully behind Mark Reynolds and his boxing club.

Most sports carry injuries so does Mr Flynn MP want the lot stopping? Football, rugby, cycling, ice skating, athletics, horse racing, speedway?

I’ve watched all these sports and taken part in some and yes, there are injuries, but there are worse injuries with people walking on un-gritted paths and roads in adverse weather conditions.

You don’t have to fight to do boxing training, it’s hitting a punch bag or ball that can keep you fit.

I do this at home. I lift weights and cycle and I feel better for it. I believe Mark Reynolds does boxing training as well as training people for fights.

MPs are so out of touch with real life. People like Mark Reynolds care about the youth of today so carry on with the good work I say.

As for Mr Flynn get your thinking cap on a bit more.

COLIN VAUSE

Marsh

Taxing times

KIRKLEES Council planning to charge for empty houses?

Maybe it is about time tax exempt students started to contribute.

GB

Huddersfield