I THOUGHT we had seen the last of the Shambles when the Council ripped down the old Market Hall, but after reading Barry Gibson’s excellent account of the planning sub committees meandering rambles regarding the old Palace theatre I see I was wrong.

The Examiner also highlights a quarter of a million pound spending on “political staff” who do “bits of research” for a few councillors.

Why isn’t this research work done by the ordinary council staff, surely that is the whole point of employing them?

If an Alistair Campbell political slant is needed this should be funded by political parties themselves not the ratepayers.

While I am on the subject why do the ratepayers finance union reps?

The union members pay subscriptions to the unions to represent them. The unions should fund the representation, not the ratepayers. How much does this cost us per annum?

It seems we can afford Political Commissars and shop stewards but not librarians on planet Kirklees.

It is time for all the various supporters of libraries to unite and fight together rather than be picked off one by one. Perhaps the solution is to rename librarians as political shop stewards for books; we can obviously afford them then.

Libraries Offer Volumes of Education; Experience and Excitement to everyone in Huddersfield not just “bits of research” to a privileged few.

L.O.V.E. your library, don’t let it go the same way as the old Market Hall.

This council does seem to have no regard at all for the public finances it manipulates. Recession, what recession?

John Langford

Lepton

Save and be democratic

KIRKLEES Council wants to save money so it scrapes a vital link for the disabled, leaving many people wondering where the next meal is coming from.

This is by a Labour controlled council who are supposed to have an eye on the disadvantaged. Pardon me while I laugh.

This reminds me of the time when Storthes Hall was sold off and many of the patients who needed regular care were cast onto the streets of Huddersfield to fend for themselves.

As far as the people of Huddersfield are concerned, we have a council leader who has not been elected by the people, and a mayor and his deputy also un-elected by the people. Both of whom cost a great deal of money.

Get rid of them and that will be a huge saving and be more democratic.

While they are doing that get rid of the whole of Kirklees (a faceless entity) and revert back to Huddersfield corporation.

Then, maybe Huddersfield can reclaim its wonderful heritage as a Most Handsome Town, the title of a book about Huddersfield in the University of Huddersfield library. Free for all to read.

Billy Richardson

Honley

Reality of Tesco vote

IN REPLY to Keith Harris (Letters, June 8), the letters distributed by Keep Holmfirth Special were bound to be 100% against the Midlothian development, whereas the letters distributed on behalf of Holme Valley Voices allowed participants to air their opinion one way or the other.

Holme Valley Voices hold no data other than what was provided by Kirklees as the sealed letters were delivered to the Kirklees Planning Office and were opened by them.

Bearing in mind the one sided nature of the KHS petition the data held is meaningless.

I would also ask Mr Harris what his opinion is of the result of the Examiner poll carried out some months ago, which showed that 72.6% of those who voted were in favour of the development?

I suppose that he has also ignored the results of the recent local elections due to the fact that a large number of voters chose not to bother.

The reality is that 72.7% of respondents to the HVV letter were in favour of the Tesco plan. It’s called democracy.

Tim Radcliffe

Holmfirth

Thanks to Dean Hoyle

I WRITE in response to a letter that appeared in the Examiner (June 8) from David Waterhouse of Kirkheaton.

Having supported Huddersfield Town FC since 1979 I have seen many ups and downs. The euphoria and enjoyment that the club’s recent Wembley play-off victory brought has not been eclipsed in all my time supporting Town.

This success can be attributed to many individuals; the players; management team; magnificent supporters and not forgetting the board of directors – in particular our chairman Dean Hoyle.

Without the investment of Dean Hoyle our magnificent football club would still be stagnating in the doldrums.

As far as I am aware, Dean Hoyle was with the rest of Town’s loyal supporters at the time of our administration in 2003 – in the stands supporting our team.

Having had the pleasure to meet Dean Hoyle I can say he is a private man, very down to earth and above all an inspiration to many.

His charitable work alone has benefited so many local people – only recently his cycle ride to Wembley inspired local businesses to donate over £45,000 to see local children get to Wembley. Those memories will live with those children for a lifetime.

It is the firm view of HTSA that we owe our recent success to Dean Hoyle.

At the time of administration Dean Hoyle was selling greetings cards from the back of a Ford Transit van on Dewsbury Market.

Stephen King

Chairman, Huddersfield Town Supporters Association (HTSA)

Party on...

I WENT to Friday and Saturday’s Party in the Park concerts and they were brilliant.

A great show of music from my era (the 70s) and also classical music which, although I’m not a fan of, I was surprised by how much of it I recognised.

Sunday’s artists were not for my generation, but at least the organisers have thought of everyone.

Maybe it’s not the best way for the council to spend money, but at least it got hundreds of people together and having a good time.

Much needed cheer, at least.

L Harper

Kirkburton

Sound of good music

MY and my mate went to the Bee Gees and ABBA concerts on Friday night, which was the first of three concerts as part of Party in the Park.

It was really good me and my mate want it back next year –it would be good if they could get the sound of Motown.

Stephen Mayman

Huddersfield

Sport for all

I’M WRITING ahead of the Paralympics, to ask your readers if they can take part in Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Exercise Your Right campaign – and make sport something everyone in Yorkshire can enjoy.

I’m a four time GB World Rowing championship winner. Following a sudden deterioration in my sight in my twenties, I’m also registered blind.

Sport and rowing are my life; I train every day using the adapted gym that, with funds from my rowing, I have built in my house.

It has enabled me to travel, represent my country and, importantly, talk to other disabled people about their experience with sport.

The fact is that for many disabled people, even taking that initial first step inside a gym is impossible.

Many leisure centres might list themselves as accessible, but if they don’t have good signs or accessible changing rooms, they’re simply no go zones for disabled people.

This summer we are trying to discover just how viable it is for disabled people in Yorkshire to do regular sport and exercise.

Can you help? Download a survey from our website to your phone (or print it out) and take it along to your local gym to check how accessible it is.

You don’t have to be disabled; anyone can do it – it takes 10 minutes. Meanwhile, your survey will enable me to chat with gyms and discuss how we can work together in future.

Visit www.actionforaccess.org/gyms

Alan Crowther

GB World Rowing champion and Exercise Your Right campaigner

Feet first?

REGARDING the Shell garage protest reported in the Examiner (June 7). I hope the members of Greenpeace used Shanks’s pony to their protest venue.

Mally

Netherthong