AS a cabinet member in the previous Conservative administration can I give Clrs Khan and Pinnock a health and safety warning?

Please wear a miner’s helmet, lamp and oxygen mask as no matter how deep you dig, you will find no ‘black hole’. You are both up to your old tricks, scaremongering and trying to programme the electorate to expect a huge council tax increase and then blaming it on us.

I ask the electorate to consider the following:

l The Conservatives were not expecting to be voted out and we were on track to give no more than a 3% increase and continue the pensioners discount scheme as promised. This would have been less than inflation. Could we have done this if there was a ‘black hole’?

l At the full council meeting on December 10, 2008, the chief finance officer gave the whole of the council an up-to-date financial statement – there was no ‘black hole’! Are you saying the council officer was lying to us all with this report?

l You do not get four stars from the powers that be for running the council finances with a mismanaged ‘black hole’!

You cannot mean that the Chief Executive and finance officers were duping us and the public by letting a black hole happen? They must feel aggrieved at such innuendos being voiced.

You should be ashamed of yourselves at a time when our electorate and businesses are worried about jobs and savings are being lost.

The council has a duty of care to all, including our own staff to give stability and support to bring us all through this recession – not scaremongering as you are doing.

Clr Ken Sims

Former Conservative Cabinet Member for Regeneration

Thanks to snow ‘saviour’

A COUPLE of weeks ago my wife and I were snowed in at Meltham as were many others.

Although our avenue is never gritted, this is not a gripe letter. We both work at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and chose to leave home early and take the bus. Unfortunately, my wife, who works in the operating theatres, was delayed in work due to a lengthy case.

This meant we left the HRI at 5.40pm.There were no buses, so we walked to town in the blizzard. We were told at the bus station that all buses were cancelled.

We set off for Meltham. Each taxi rank was closed up to Lockwood. We were despairing at the prospect of continuing to Meltham as the weather was getting progressively worse.

I then stuck out a forlorn thumb as we walked in single file towards home.

Many cars went past and who can blame them? Visibility was poor and I was a bloke in the dark with my wife out of sight in front. Then, lo and behold, a car stopped.

Our saviour was a pharmacist from Meltham. He took us out of his way along Meltham Mills and turned round to get back home. My heartfelt thanks go out to that gentleman.

The incident has led me to impart the following advice: a) be more aware of hitchhikers, especially in bad weather and b) never marry a theatre sister!

Terry Baxter

Meltham.

Sasanach just a word

IN response to Len Sandford I feel I must correct him. The term Sasanach is not derogatory, Sasana is the gaelic (be it Irish or Scottish) for the country of England, hence Sasanach is an Englishman.

Albanach is a Scotsman, Eireanach is an Irishman. The term Sasanach may sound derogatory, but only by the emphasis put on the word by the speaker.

Joseph Kelly

Newsome

Any dog could attack

IN support of ‘Staffies’, what a relief to know other people know the true dog.

You walk with your dog on a lead and other people think they can let their dog off, owners then even walk off into another field, chatting on mobiles.

This leaves their dog sniffing your dog and hampering your walk. Comments then come – “It’s a powerful dog”, “a nasty breed”, “Is it a pit bull?”

My dog has been attacked while playing ball when another dog was jogging with its owner. The owner was nowhere to be seen at first, then expected me to apologise.

The Examiner published my letter when my dog had his back broken in Honley Woods. Other than paying the costly vet bill, no-one was interested except friends and family who knew my Staffie well.

They are strong, powerful dogs who need respect, rules, exercise, play and love.

In 1959, I stood at the side of my three-year-old sister who was mauled on her face by a golden Labrador.

The policeman who came to see us gave sound advice: 1) June, July and August are hot months for dogs, treat them with caution. 2) Never give a dog a raw bone. 3) Never trust any dog 100%.

Please follow the rules and remember any dog could attack.

Mrs Robinson

Holme Valley

Stop animal tests

I URGE compassionate readers to support a once-a-generation opportunity to ease the suffering of thousands of lab animals and demand their MEP backs changes to the laws on animal testing right across Europe.

Historic measures to save primates are within reach. MEPs are right now debating bringing in a timetable to end all primate testing and a ban on experiments using wild-caught monkeys and great apes.

Tests on primates differ from human results around a third of the time.

This was tragically demonstrated in the TGN1412 case where human volunteers suffered terrible, almost fatal, side effects to a drug that had been safely given to lab monkeys in doses 500 times that given to the volunteers.

Yet alternatives to animal testing, like human microdosing techniques, are accurate around 80% of the time.

MEPs are in a position to actually challenge this as the norm. The ADI/NAVS ‘Save the Primates’ investigative video shows the reality of monkeys captured from the wild, their horrific conditions at a UK-approved primate supplier in Asia and finally their abysmal lives at a testing facility in England. These are the weeks in the which the fate of lab primates will be decided.

Visit www.savetheprimates.org to find out how you can help this historic campaign.

Jan Creamer, Chief Executive, NAVS/ADI

London

Tough in Tanzania

THE Rotary Club of Huddersfield would like to thank you for highlighting the plight of women and children in Mwanza in Tanzania following the visit of Rotary District Governor John Phillip and his wife.

It is beyond belief that pregnant women are at serious risk because they lack basic health care. Children are dying from preventable diseases such as diarrhoea and malaria.

It is nothing less than a tragedy that 25,000 children die each day from preventable diseases. The Rotary Club of Huddersfield, along with other Rotary Clubs strongly support the work that John Phillip is doing to try and give the women and children hope.

We know that whatever we do to help will be but a drop in the ocean. But we feel it is essential we do everything we can.

Rotary, together with partner organisations, is trying to give the women and children of Mwanza hope. We are contacting hospitals in our area for collaboration and help with equipment.

We will be pleased to offer additional information to anyone who may be willing to offer support with this urgent and complex task.

If we can help one child to survive the problems of childhood diseases and one mother to give birth with dignity in clean safe environment, that would be well worth it.

If you feel you could help in any way please contact Alan Booth, President of Huddersfield Rotary Club, 6 Morefield Bank, Thongsbridge, Holmfirth HD9 7TH or call 01484 682025.

Rotarian John Denham

Almondbury

Colne Valley election?

CONGRATULATIONS to the Conservative Party for having the bright idea to hold a sort of ‘primary election’ to choose their candidate for Dewsbury (Examiner, February 120.

Oh, how we wish they would do the same thing for the Colne Valley constituency where the Tories desperately need to re-assess their current choice, who was evidently opposed by several key and well-respected councillors.

Hopeful voter

Brockholes

Well done to carers

I WOULD like to applaud all Kirklees home care assistants who worked during the past days of terrible weather.

Many of them went the extra mile to ensure our service users, elderly, vulnerable and some younger people received their homecare assistance.

Some staff started their calls much earlier and finished much later to make sure they all got done.

Also, some of them worked extra shifts, again to make sure all were cared for.

Each and every one of the staff who worked in those conditions put their service users before themselves, often having to walk quite a distance between calls.

The Home Care service continues to provide a service 24/7 whatever the weather and I for one am very proud of them.

Brenda Normington

Cowlersley