I REALLY must take P Woodthorpe to task (“Lights switch off is down to government,” Mailbag, February 11).

It is simply not true to state that “switching off lights...is a direct result of Tory Government policies”.

In fact, it is a result of cynical politicking by our ruling Kirklees Labour councillors piled on top of the financial recklessness of the last Labour Government.

Let me explain. This Government (which is, let’s not forget, a coalition) has tried to impose a degree of financial responsibility on councils by controlling their grant income.

Central Government has not told councils what or where to cut.

In Kirklees we have seen Labour choose, yes choose, to deliberately target the vulnerable, young and old, for their own purposes.

Money has to be saved, as we all know, but that can be achieved in different ways.

There is much inefficiency still to be found in the Kirklees back offices, for example, and some of the money spent on “cultural” activities may be seen by some as a luxury rather than a necessity in the present climate. A financial state which was bequeathed by Labour.

Rather than attack the Government (coalition, remember) and Clr Christine Smith, perhaps P Woodthorpe should “admit where the blame really lies”: with Gordon Brown and his profligate treasury team.

Let’s not forget that the two Eds, Miliband and Balls, were in that particular mess up to their necks.

Neither has shown any recognition of their culpability.

Bill Armer

Deighton

When to switch off

IF KIRKLEES councillors want to economise, why don’t they have a look at the street lights which are always on because no-one drives round and checks any more.

The lights on Ashes Lane below the Castle round to the new cemetery have been on day and night for 18 months. They help to light all the potholes in the road.

The school lights around Newsome school are glaring out all weekend. The lighting round schools must cost a fortune, surely someone must be responsible for using them appropriately, not in daylight hours?

Prudent use of everything! Stop wasting.

Georgina Smith

Almondbury

Look on bright side

HOW good it will be to have dark nights again when Kirklees Council douses street lights.

It’ll be like during the war when ‘The Blackout Book’ was published.

This included, “You can’t black-out the stars” with many diagrams of the night sky.

So, look on the bright side – without urban light pollution you’ll be able to see all the stars again.

I believe this book has recently been re-published, just in time!

John S Murray

Honley

Letting village down

AFTER suffering for months with the works over the river in Milnsbridge, it’s nice to see the village getting back to normal and starting to look smart, clean and tidy.

One thing spoils the overall picture and that is the building that was once known as the Post Office public house.

The building itself has been left to degenerate over the last few years and is not easy on the eye as you approach the village from Manchester Road. Who owns what in my view is now an eyesore?

Maybe it can be tidied up and put to some use for the benefit of the local community.

P Hynes

Milnsbridge

Remember Harold?

I WAS watching a tv news programme over lunch today, and one item was about a statue in your town of Harold Wilson, Huddersfield-born, ex-prime minister.

However; when the interviewer stopped several young people about 20 years old and asked who he was, only one seemed to have the vaguest idea!

I have read that real history has been abandoned in schools; apparently, they now concentrate on the last 100 years or so.

Nevertheless, Huddersfield people who have had at least 11 years’ education, should have heard of this man. What are the teachers doing?

I went to a secondary modern school and started work at 15 years old – with no examination certificates.

I’m 68 years old, my memory isn’t what it once was, but I can still name every prime minister since Gladstone!

P H Smith

South Yorkshire

Support orchestras

I WAS very disappointed to see such a sparse audience for a superb concert by the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra in the Town Hall on February 9.

Huddersfield is the most musical town in the country and this orchestra, though nominally an amateur one, is of the highest standard.

Wagner and Bruckner should not have presented any problems to a town which can successfully host a Festival of Contemporary Music.

The previous concert had Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto superbly played by an as yet virtually unknown pianist and was equally poorly supported.

Incidentally compliments to Slaithwaite which can also boast a symphony orchestra and which will play a splendid programme in April.

Come on people of Kirklees – support your own orchestras!

Rudi Leavor

Bradford

Magical music

I HAD the pleasure of visiting the Town Hall to watch the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra perform works by Richard Wagner and Anton Bruckner.

What a performance. The first half of the concert was a Wagner overture. The Flying Dutchman followed by music from the tragic opera Tristan and Isolde also by Wagner.

The second half of the concert was Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No 7. I don’t know too much about Bruckner but the music was magical.

Add to this mixture the angelic soprano voice of Cressida Sharp and place at the forefront of the orchestra the conductor for the evening Mr Nicholas Smith and you have the recipe for a delightful evening of wonderful music.

Only one complaint, the Town Hall was less than half full but, with a full compliment of local dignitaries which included our local MP Jason McCarthy, who seemed to enjoy the performance, a good time was had by all who turned out to witness a spectacular performance by our local symphony orchestra. Well done.

Garry Coupland

Longwood

Buy British

I DO hope food manufacturers – supermarkets and other retailers will now learn in future to buy British.

HMS

Lepton