IS NOTHING sacrosanct to the philistines who masquerade as the Kirklees Council cabinet?

Can you really believe that a council which presumably wants to encourage visitors to the town is actually going to close down its tourist information centre?

It really does beggar belief and only demonstrates that we are being governed by a group of commonplace, puny-minded councillors with bat-like vision.

Quite apart from the need to attract more people and investment to the town, how on earth – we are entitled to ask – does this decision sit comfortably with the need to ensure that music and the arts continue to flourish?

Kirklees and Huddersfield in particular boasts an enormous number of talented artists, singers, choirs and orchestras which are the envy of hundreds of towns in the country.

They display their wares alongside information on places of interest in the area on the shelves at the centre and fill the windows with attractive displays of forthcoming shows, which are important to our local amateur dramatic societies.

Presumably, the decision to close the centre is a cost-cutting exercise but the centre provides a vital public service and must not be sacrificed.

We can only hope that the decision will be reversed.

STANLEY SOLOMONS

Cowcliffe

Asking for jibes

I ENJOYED reading two pieces in the Examiner last week (March 4) ‘flagging behind’ and ‘council takes cool look at energy bill’.

One about the tea towel Union Jack flapping proudly above the town hall and the other about the hot air that wafts out of our council’s computers.

Kirklees gave all sorts of reasons why their flag was so small, such as that the town hall pole was incapable of supporting a bigger one.

Evidently, Dewsbury Town Hall was rightly proud of its big flag until it broke the flag pole in 2007 in direct breach of health and safety regulations.

Kirklees then launched an audit resulting in the current tea towel shambles, but at least we’re all safe from falling flags.

In the meantime, Kirklees is about to spend £1.1m on some Power Management Technology, which will turn computers off when not in use.

This is hardly inspired ground-breaking logic – I turn mine on and off as required.

But hey, well done Kirklees for helping save the planet and spending our money so wisely.

It will reduce hot air emissions equivalent to a housing estate.

Impressive stuff, especially if it’s a really big housing estate.

For those who would poke gentle fun at our dear council with cheap jibes, these stories present them with an open goal. I’ll resist the temptation.

UNCLE GRUMPY

Golcar

Well done All Saints

THE production of Annie by the pupils of All Saints catholic college was truly wonderful.

What talent! Thank you all for a most enjoyable evening and for making me feel good and proud of the school I have chosen for my own children to attend.

NB

Almondbury

Drain swampy park

THE only way to solve the problem at Greenhead Park is for them to install land drains on this piece of land.

They have to drain all the water from this land to stop it been torn up by vehicles on it.

Last time I walked on this area of the park a few months a go it was a swamp.

Dennis Rushforth

Bradley

Won’t sink on steel

I NOTE that in the Examiner concern expressed over heavy vehicles damaging the surface in Greenhead Park has, yet again, reared its head.

Has no-one on the staff of the park or the Council ever heard of Pierced Steel Planking (PSP)? This was used by the armed forces, both during and after the 1939/45 war.

Entire aircraft landing strips were built on fields using it.

While not suitable for permanent use, it was ideal for short term difficulty and would seem to be an ideal remedy for the short-term usage envisaged.

I suspect it is still in use or at least something like it. Try the Army!

Don Brown

Dalton

Sheerman’s bandwagons

I HAVE just read about our local MP Mr Sheerman speaking in Parliament about Tesco.

I have not read anywhere that he is trying hard to get money for Kirklees College so that they can build for the future.

I also remember how silent he was when services at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary were being transferred to Calderdale Royal Hospital.

It is about time he spoke up for things which are in the Government’s control and not jumping on the wrong bandwagons.

DC

Salendine Nook

Time to save shop

IN response to the letter you printed on March 7 from Stella Bradbury, Highburton, I agree in part with what you are saying.

The Highburton shop should have moved with the times. We moved to the area about three years ago and my wife started work at the shop the same week we moved in.

We shopped as much as we could there, but I admit we did do a monthly shop at Morrisons and Asda.

We did get cigs, bread, milk, drinks and a large range of food from the shop.

We miss the shop, not just because Beverley was made redundant, but because of all those little things you need on a weekly basis.

During the bad snow the shop’s takings went up by double because they could not get to the larger shops.

As for the Co-op in Kirkburton, the Highburton store was cheaper on a large amount of the food.

I am not sure the Co-op will still be running when Tesco moves in. We will miss the store.

However, the Co-op would run the Highburton store now. All the committee has to do is give them the building.

There is about £150,000 at least needed to bring up to scratch.

The committee members should hold a public meeting – I feel they just want to sell the building.

It was set up 150 years ago to serve the community.

I would like to say the managers and staff of the shop have done what they could to keep us all catered for, but remember the shop needed to be used by everyone and not just for the Sunday newspaper.

I think we owe the staff a thank you for the years of service to us.

Come on the Highburton Village Store Committee, give us the chance for a meeting. You can tell us what went wrong.

Is it time for new share holders? Can we raise the money to re-open the shop? You tell me.

PETER PANKHURST

Highburton

Town Tesco past sell-by

YOU cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

What utter rubbish Tony Coletta talks when he says that Tesco could revamp their store by incorporating the Brook Street car park.

I am a regular shopper at Tesco and have been since it was Hillards.

This store is now past its sell-by date, it’s old and its tatty.

His reference that the new store is out of the centre of town – well, by reckoning, it will be just as near to the town hall as the old one.

And, as for, the statement that our MP Mr Sheerman stood up and gave in Parliament, it’s a pity that he didn’t have the guts to fight for Huddersfield maternity services.

The site for the new sports centre would be nearer the bus station and thus reduce the walk through the town down to Southgate which is a long scary walk for young and old alike after 5pm.

MR G SENIOR

Holmfirth

Thanks for honesty

I STUPIDLY left £40 in one of the Lloyds TSB cashpoints at their Westgate branch.

Some kind, honest person handed it in. Thank you and thanks also to the staff who dealt with my enquiry so efficiently.

ALAN TAIT

New Mill

Waste of money

SO £16,000 of rate payers money spent on two cameras – what a waste of cash.

The Council could have paid for one of ‘Blunkett’s Bobbies’ to walk up and down Northgate Almondbury for a full year for the same cost.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the police last walked up Northgate in November last year when they accompanied our wonderful MP Barry Sheerman.

I have to ask myself, why don’t the people of Almondbury, who are too frightened to go out at night, write letters of complaint to Chief Constable Norman Bettison.

HARD UP AND FED UP

Fixby