AMAZING! I actually find myself agreeing with much of what Uncle Grumpy says in his letter of March 18.
Imaginative, courageous and bright ideas are indeed what are needed to protect Huddersfield's heritage and make the best of what the town has to offer and I look forward to the new LibDem/Labour administration revealing such ideas in due course.
The recession has thrown Kirklees's entire strategy for the regeneration of Huddersfield town centre into the melting pot – but it presents the council with a golden opportunity to develop a better, more people-friendly strategy for the future.
Yes, pedestrianise Wood Street, Byram Street and most of St Peter's Street, so that people can fully enjoy St Peter's Gardens, the splendid Victorian buildings and the cafés and restaurants in this area.
Yes, create more public open spaces; implement the proposal put forward many months ago to demolish the Ramsden House block and open up the vista to the Town Hall.
Consider whether it is really necessary to de-pedestrianise the western end of New Street, as proposed in the Queensgate Revival scheme.
Be bold in your thinking, Kirklees planners and think what would benefit the people of Huddersfield most.
WILLIAM A KIRBY
Netherton
Vandals ruining park
I WRITE as long time member of the Friends of Beaumont Park.
As I am sure that most of the visitors to this wonderful park would agree, the evidence of the great all round improvements to the park are clear for all to see.
Such positive developments are in no small part down to the teams of dedicated volunteers who, working alongside the FOBP Committee, have transformed Beaumont Park over the 11 years since the group was formed.
It therefore saddens and angers me to report the constant stealing of trees and flowering shrubs which the group and Kirklees Council have jointly funded and volunteers have worked hard to prepare and plant.
As we seek to further improve this unique park for all the people of Huddersfield, I would ask the small number of individuals responsible for such petty pilfering to think just how dispiriting their lowlife behaviour is to the volunteer groups who give their time up for the park and how such criminal thieving goes to spit in the eye of both local folk as well as the greatly increasing numbers of visitors who use and love this place.
JOHN ROSS
Huddersfield
Pavement problems
I FELT impelled to write to your newspaper concerning a bad fall that happened to me on Tuesday April 21 on St Peter's Street.
I feel very strongly, that I must highlight the terrible state of the pavement down St Peter’s Street to stop anyone else succumbing to a nasty fall.
If an old lady were to fall there and break her hip, that would be a life-threatening injury.
Kirklees need to start maintaining the horrendous pavements which people have to walk on.
Name and address supplied
Immigration issues
HOW strange for a government who claim to speak for fairness and equality to show a complete lack of integrity, fairness or honesty with their shameful treatment of the Gurkhas.
Mr Brown claims it is all about cost, but if this is the case, why doesn't he tell the French to give asylum to the thousands of economic migrants queuing to get into the UK by illegal means?
Perhaps he could also put a total stop to any further immigration on the justification the country is full, there aren't any jobs for any newcomers and the employability of far too many is questionable.
His shambles of a government could also take a tough stand against those we see sponging off the state and abusing our soft touch legal system?
It will be interesting to see which of our MPs, including our local ones, had the guts to defy the Government in the Commons and vote in support of the Gurkhas.
I doubt that many gave a second thought for the courage or loyalty shown by the Gurkhas for generations.
Our elected ones are rightly despised for many things but their love for those who sponge off the state, whilst kicking those who deserve our support and gratitude, just puts another nail in the coffin that is New Labour.
GEZ SHARP
Huddersfield
Action on epilepsy
I AM writing to ask whether any of your readers have been affected by poor epilepsy services in the local area.
Epilepsy Action produced a report, Epilepsy in England: Time for change, earlier this year.
This highlighted how, in many areas, epilepsy services are still failing to meet national guidelines.
The report revealed a worrying lack of specialists, waiting times that exceed guidelines and a high rate of misdiagnosis.
During National Epilepsy Week – May 17 to 23 – Epilepsy Action is encouraging people to meet with their local MPs.
They can then ask them to take the much needed steps in improving epilepsy services across the UK.
We are appealing for people who have experienced poor epilepsy services to come forward and share their experience.
We want to try and encourage the Government to take notice and to improve the quality of services in the UK. The services also need to be made consistent in all areas.
We would like to thank everyone who has already contacted their MP about these issues. So far, over 160 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion, calling for improvements to epilepsy services.
To register to take part in National Epilepsy Week please either go online and complete the form at www.epilpesy.org.uk/nationalepilepsyweek_form or call Peter Scott on 0113 210 8877.
PETER SCOTT
Campaigns and Policy Officer
Support for nurse
FRANKLY, I think nurse Margaret Haywood should be given a medal not struck off after filming undercover for Panorama to expose neglect of the elderly at Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton in 2005.
She was found guilty of misconduct at a hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and struck off on April 16.
The Royal College of Nursing are circulating this online petition to those who might be concerned – http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-for-whistleblowing-nurse/sign.html
If, Lord forbid, my mother ever had to go into a home, I hope someone would 'blow the whistle' if any abuse was taking place there.
KEN HULME
Delph
Nursery fears
WHAT sort of pre-school service do we want for our children?
We are concerned that two issues currently set to affect the way pre-school education works in Kirklees will happen before those that they affect are fully aware of the wider implications.
Plans to reduce Denby Dale Nursery School to a voluntary or private setting – which would only provide daycare – would result in a significant loss.
The benefits of integrated childcare and the quality provided by the education providers would be sorely missed.
We learn that it will take until September to undertake a review of the previous administration’s plans for this nursery school, which have been strongly fought by governors, parents and staff.
I hope Clrs Smith and Smithson will listen to their voices and not just the officers and the accountants.
If these plans are not overturned by the present Labour/ Lib Dem administration there are implications for others.
If this loss of education provision happens in Denby Dale will it then affect the staffing and status of other nursery schools?
Secondly, Kirklees Council’s recent decision to admit children in a single intake in the September prior to their fifth birthdays may also create problems for both nursery and reception classes.
Children will be taken out of nurseries earlier than at present.
Many young children will be deprived of opportunities to fully develop those firm foundations for learning which are frequently established in a pre-school setting.
Surely this can only add to the workload of reception class teachers?
ADRIAN CRUDEN, Green Party PPC
Dewsbury (inc Kirkburton and Denbly Dale)
Hitting back
I HAVE to respond to the criticisms voiced by Clr Mohan Sokhal in his letter published on April 27.
I have every respect for Clr Sokhal as a former Mayor but I would advise him that, if you are going to have someone pen a letter in your name it is wise to ensure they get their facts right!
The meetings Clr Sokhal refers to were all party briefings with officer recommendations which political groups may or may not choose to amend when formulating their own budget.
The Liberal and Labour Groups chose to close New Mill Library as opposed to Kirkheaton as part of their budget, as indeed they also chose to close the Tourist Information Centre in Huddersfield.
The Conservatives did not choose to do so and did not support the Liberal/Labour budget that the Council agreed.
To suggest, as he does, that the Conservatives voted for a Council Tax increase is plainly wrong and misleading.
The Conservative budget had been laid down the previous year and there were no proposals for increases at the level that have been instigated by the Lib/Lab pact.
Finally, with regard to being ‘asleep on the job’, Clr Sokhal is clearly being mischievous.
I can assure him that I will be attending Cabinet meetings over the coming months in order to challenge decisions this administration are taking and any comments I choose to make will be my own!
CLR KEN SIMS
Holme Valley South
Smoke screen
I AM becoming very sceptical in my old age, I think this swine flu outbreak is being used by the Government as a welcome smoke screen to take the focus off Gordon Brown's disastrous leadership and the bankruptcy of this country.
Is this strain of swine flu really as bad as the British Government and World Health Organisation are stating?
There are 21 million people in Mexico, there have been just over a 100 deaths in Mexico as a result of this virus. Flu viruses are breaking out all the time, and thousands die from them world wide, especially in winter.
MRSA and C.diff in this country have killed thousands, but I cannot recall the Government calling for a national crisis team like COBRA to put in place measures to protect the public!
What about the millions of Africans killed every year by malaria? Hello World Health Organisation is this not serious enough?
CJD, BSE were supposed to be the scourge of the earth that was going to turn our brains into pulp, and send us all mad.
AIDS was going to affect everyone in Britain, salmonella in eggs, avian flu would wipe out all the poultry and wild birds? Foot and mouth was supposed to mutate into human form. It didn't happen.
Any ways, none of this can be worse than man flu!! I had it the other week and no one had to wear masks, and I had a Mexican chilli too, and no one batted an eyelid when I sneezed.
Alan Parkinson
Oakes
