I TOTALLY agree with Nick Ryden (Mailbag, November 24) with regards to these wind turbines.

I too believe they are hideous and a blot the landscape of our beautiful countryside.

I don’t understand why they have spent a fortune siting them out at sea either. When the wind gets too strong (I believe it is 50mph) they shut the things down because the wind is too powerful and it’s dangerous to use them.

Yet we the taxpayers have to pay the generating companies even though the turbines are shut down. Now to me, an ordinary chap with a reasonable intelligence, that’s a waste of money for the UK taxpayer.

What civil servant worked out the deal for wind power and what MP signed it off as they all want sending to the Tower of London.

For people who don’t know, we actually live on an island surrounded by sea and we have two tides guaranteed a day – the incoming and the outgoing.

Why on earth is this Government not investing in wave power by using the sea as a natural resource? I doubt we would have to shut these down when we have the spring tides.

As for nuclear, we should have started building new reactors back in the 1970s to maintain the status quo due to the dwindling coal resources.

But when the Government of the day in the 1960s stopped building nuclear power stations most of our brains decided to move to France and America as they were still investing in nuclear power.

We stuck with coal and buy most coal from overseas – Poland and other places. Then gas generators started to be built to break our dependency on coal which was great until the price of gas went sky high. Gas, as we all know, is bought from Russia and other countries and Russia has turned the taps off to the west before. They certainly could do it again!

So please can this Government get a grip and put some long-term planning and investment into wave and nuclear power. Then just maybe my grandchildren will be able to afford to use the electric light and gas to heat the house and cook with at a reasonable price without having to remortgage their homes.

Keith Bagot

Honley

So what’s the bill?

NOW the Shelley Collage proposal has been defeated we must count the cost.

How much public money has been wasted in preparing, printing and posting out thousands of documents? This money could have been better spent on resources for the benefit of our children.

In addition to this how much stress, worry, concern and fear has it caused to hundreds of families, parents, children, teachers, support staff and governors in all the other schools?

The people responsible for this – Mr John McNally and the Shelley governors – should hang their heads in shame! They have lost the trust of the community. Being a school governor is an extremely responsible job and the governors of Shelley have proved they are not the right people to hold this responsibility. I think some resignations are now in order.

Name and address supplied

Huddersfield

Tackling crime

I WAS saddened to read in last Friday’s Examiner about the tools that were stolen in memory of Adam O’Toole so I felt compelled to write and say I was so pleased with the response regarding people giving garden equipment to the Community Garden Project.

I have given some myself as well to help Adam’s mother, Beverley, and the group further.

Now I suggest they bring what has happened to the attention of Public and Community Together (PACT) meetings.

These are held at a venue in different local locations at 7pm every six weeks.

The meetings are held so the public can discuss crime and, if necessary, extra patrols are sent to stop the crime, whatever it is.

So whatever district of Huddersfield you come from you can get in touch with the police and go to the meetings.

Colin Liversidge

Dalton

Poppy appeal thanks

ON behalf of the Holmfirth area Poppy Appeal I would like to thank all those who contributed to the success of this year’s appeal – more than £8,300 has been raised.

Many thanks to all collectors, particularly Douglas and Jeff for their extra shifts, Michael and Roy for their door-to-door collecting, Rita and Phil for standing out in all weathers and the cadets from our local Air Force and Army units for their brilliant efforts.

Thanks also to shops, businesses, churches and schools in our region for their support, especially the staff at Holmfirth Co-op and Lloyds bank for their understanding and unfailing good humour.

Also to Keith and all his team at Holmfirth Parish church for their help during Remembrance time and notably for the Remembrance Day service itself.

But, most of all, thanks to the people of Holmfirth and district who gave so generously, once more, to this worthy cause.

John Booth

Poppy Appeal Organiser, Holmfirth

Spending sarcasm

COUNCILS offering cheaper fuel bills for all smacks of Socialism, but we voted for a Government that preaches ‘entrepreneurial, winner take all’ so it can’t be what the majority of us want.

If that confused anyone it was sarcasm but any profit made could be used to support the Government’s spending cuts or, in political speak, offset them.

A Jenkinson

Milnsbridge

UKIP and bus passes

I HAVE been watching the goings on in Labour controlled Rotherham and the council spokeswoman defending the indefensible.

As we also live under a Labour controlled regime so I am a bit worried.

I was thinking of voting UKIP at the next election. If this news leaks out will it jeopardise my application for a bus pass?

John Langford

Lepton

Take time to reflect

TWICE each day, thousands of people all over the world participate in the healing minute by stopping what they are doing and thinking.

They think about loved ones who are in need of help, about their families and friends, their community, their country and the world and they ask, in whatever way is appropriate to them, for an end to suffering and for the coming of world understanding and peace.

The healing minutes are 10am and 10pm. The healing minute can be joined for £7.50 which includes a membership card and badge. Call 01483 202054 for details.

I B

Gledholt