THERE was one major omission from Nick Crane's Town (BBC2, June 4) – and the programme was all the better for it. There was no reference to Kirklees Council!

Most viewers outside the town probably assumed that a place with such character and individuality must surely have its own governing body.

Nick Crane’s programme inadvertently made out a strong case for the abolition of Kirklees. Perhaps now is the time for that call to be given new impetus.

The interests of Huddersfield can not be served by being part of a bureaucratic entity which, firstly, looks after itself, and secondly, tries to impose one-size-fits-all policies on communities completely different in character.

It also took an outside observer to recognise the importance of Huddersfield’s radical history. Something most of our home-grown politicians fail to comprehend.

Kirklees should be broken up and the self-governing Commune of Huddersfield created, where real power is devolved to the town and the rural communities which surround it,

Alan Brooke

Honley

Does this add up?

KIRKLEES Council tells us we are broke and is shedding council workers, but still finds monies to help fund projects outside Kirklees boundaries (Examiner, June 5) – agreeing to pay towards a Trails Officer managed by Barnsley Council.

On the same page the Examiner highlights that Kirklees Council don’t know if they have enough money to help support local youth services in the areas.

I would suggest that £3,536 would at least be a start towards support for local youth services.

Clr Mehboob Khan suggests the Trans-Pennine Trail will help to attract cyclists and walkers to the area. But I suggest they will probably only come once if they travel down the Colne Valley and negotiate all the potholes and around all the vehicles parked in the cycle lanes and on the footpaths.

It will be like inviting visitors to a theme park with no themes.

What we really need is for Kirklees to recruit the Chief Executive of Barnsley who at least appears to have managed to save their council money by talking 26 other councils in to indirectly funding the £95,445-00p project, including Kirklees which is not even on the Trans-Pennine Trail.

David Townend

Linthwaite

Pennies well spent?

I HAVE been very impressed with the provision of doggie bag dispensers and doggie poo bins on my recent walks whilst looking after my son and daughter-in-law's dogs this week.

Lovely doggie poo bag dispensers are provided in Lascelles Hall and Highburton and I am sure there are more.

However, I am most distressed that facilities for humans are now closed.

I have observed many people arriving at public toilets around Kirklees, some of which are in popular tourist areas, only to find they will have to find facilities elsewhere.

How can anyone think of closing toilets for both able bodied and disabled people? It is interesting to read about how upset people are to find the Ale Train visitors urinating on the streets. Of course they are.

How much does it cost to keep a toilet open? When you think of all the money wasted by Kirklees, I am sure people would prefer to pay a nominal sum to go to the toilet rather than be faced with closed doors.

These decisions certainly do not help with Kirklees policy of attracting visitors to the area.

Sue Asher

Huddersfield

Road concerns

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Scott Reid (Letters, June 6) about the pavement work which was recently done at the bottom of Taylor Hill.

However, for me the main problem is not the pointless waste of money which it incurred, but the dangers it has created for motorists.

I am at a loss to understand how those who planned the alterations did not foresee the following problems.

1) The protruding section of pavement that has been created is directly across the line of sight of motorists wishing to turn up Taylor Hill

2) The road immediately after this section is too narrow for two cars to pass, thus increasing the problems of negotiating the turn

3) Anyone who is concentrating on a vehicle coming down Taylor Hill may well not notice the protruding pavement and crash into it

4) Under certain lighting conditions the protruding section is not clearly visible to someone wishing to go up Taylor Hill.

This is particularly so after dark, when there are shadows from trees and street lights, but it can also happen on a dull day.

Those of us who use this section of road frequently naturally get accustomed to the dangers. What worries me are those people unfamiliar with the area, particularly if they approach the turn at speed.

If the council wishes to take its responsibilities seriously, it will act before there is a serious accident. Should it be at a loss as to how to improve the situation, I will happily offer suggestions.

Dr Lance Tufnell

Taylor Hill

Making connections

THE Examiner article ‘Mum sees Red over Kitchen’ (June 4) highlights yet again the misconception that Kirklees Council is in charge of council housing.

The tenant who made improvements to her council property is now being told to either dismantle the kitchen which looks to be much improved from the standard kitchen or she must remain there and cannot move.

Please would your readers note that KNH is Kirklees Neighbouring Housing and has absolutely nothing to do with Kirklees Council.

KNH is an arms-length company set up to manage the council’s housing stock only.

KNH like to confuse tenants by implying it is the ‘Council’ who make these silly decisions but it is a fact that the council pay KNH an enormous amount of management fees to look after the housing stock which remains in council ownership and nothing else.

KNH is run by a Board containing mainly tenants themselves and has Cora Carter as its chair who champions tenants’ rights.

Any complaints regarding council housing from tenants usually come through to the local councillors because our telephone numbers are listed.

The tenants who run KNH including chair’s telephone numbers are not listed so they are uncontactable.

KNH do not get the flack and complaints that we as councillors get and it is difficult to explain that KNH is not Kirklees Council.

In future if tenants have problems they must contact KNH where Simon Rogers is the Chief Executive. The telephone number is 01484 416407.

Clr Christine Smith

Kirkburton Ward