8:08am Thursday 22nd May 2008
By Letters to the editor
We have a duty to preserve village
I would like to draw people's attention to the planned development of Ebor Mills, on Ebor Lane, in Haworth. Planning permission is being sought for 102 residences which will include apartments, a crescent of houses and a large car park.
My objection is on the basis of the safety of all car drivers and pedestrians who currently use Ebor Lane. If each residence has two cars, the amount of extra cars would be over 200 and there is no footpath for part of the lane.
It is also planned for some of the mill to be demolished even though it is a Grade Two listed building.
Our sewerage system in this part of Haworth has not been altered even though there have been surrounding developments. I fear the sewage leaks we have seen recently will worsen.
Ebor Lane is a very pleasant place to live, walk and drive down, but I fear this will all change if the proposal goes through and with the development of Bridge House Mill, which has been passed, Haworth will change considerably.
We have a duty to our children and grandchildren to preserve this picturesque village. I hope I can count on people's support with objections.
Mrs M Turner Ebor Lane, Haworth.
Loss of staunch friend
Many members of Keighley Town Council have asked me to express sorrow at the recent news regarding district and former town councillor Andrew Mallinson. Cllr Mallinson has always been a very strong supporter of, and good friend to, the town council.
We greatly appreciate his efforts in fostering inter-parish liaison, in helping with difficult negotiations on the parish charter and in supporting our aspirations to achieve a Brontë Community Hall.
He was an excellent chairman of the area committee and the Keighley Transport Forum, always courteously seeking the views of parish members.
His work on the Church Green redevelopment, the revitalisation of Central Hall and the regeneration of Dalton Lane, have been greatly to the benefit of the people of Keighley.
We feel we have lost a staunch friend and ally and we are saddened.
Thank you Andrew for all you did for Keighley.
MRS M E BAILEY Town Clerk/Administrator
Oppose the super clinics
I refer to the letter in last week's Keighley News from Ray Garner and like him have only just come to hear about the Government's idea of replacing our GP practices with "super clinics".
It seems to be the way our leaders work - Government by stealth.
The recent furore regarding the Income Tax repayment for the low paid is a good example.
This legislation was proposed by Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor and passed unnoticed by both Government and opposition until a few weeks ago when it was due to become law.
The Prime Minister said many times that there could be no change - but the weight of public opinion proved that a change could be made, resulting in a complete about turn.
We are now faced with a similar situation in the creation of "Darzi Centres", as proposed by Lord Darzi, of whom I for one have never even heard.
I understand that such a centre is already proposed for Keighley within the next two years. These centres will be operated by the private sector so profit will be the prime target - not patient care.
Medical practices will be starved of funds so patients will have no alternative but to travel to where these clinics are situated, at increased cost and time.
One of the "baits" offered is that they will open longer hours.
But the present system could also do this were surgery staff not bogged down with endless pursuit of targets, resulting in excessive paperwork.
We already know of policemen who have no time to prevent crime and teachers who have no time to teach because of the Government's insatiable demand for more and more statistics so they can produce more and more largely meaningless targets.
Remember - it is fairly easy for Gordon Brown to say "no" to requests for a tax change and in a matter of days to say "yes".
These super clinics are made of bricks and mortar and once they are built are there to stay.
I urge your readers to write to their MP and make their views known - as I intend to do.
C G Spark Address supplied
Parking charges rip-off
I took my wife for an appointment to Airedale Hospital only to find the parking charge is now £2.50 for two hours. We were in and out in ten minutes.
A chap next to us had paid to park only to find his appointment had been cancelled.
We are pensioners and have to visit the hospital regularly. This seems to me to be a complete rip-off. Surely some provision could be made for short visits, say 50p for 20 minutes or - heaven forbid - 15 minutes free.
Someone is making a fortune and I bet it isn't the hospital.
G Smith Moorview Grove, Long Lee, Keighley
Ticket had blown off
A further warning. In March of this year, I was clamped in the Cavendish Court car park nine minutes after having paid my parking fee but, unfortunately, the ticket must have blown off the windscreen shelf, where I had placed it, when closing the door.
Despite evidence of my payment on return to my car, Car Stoppers would not release the clamp until £90 had been paid, which by their own timing, was 20 minutes after it had been clamped.
I appealed to them in writing setting out my case but to date I have heard nothing from them. As a pensioner I can't afford the £90.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
Understanding epilepsy
Nine out of ten MPs don't know how many people in the UK have epilepsy. This is despite the fact that it is the most common serious neurological condition, affecting 456,000 UK residents.
MPs' lack of awareness has been revealed by national charity Epilepsy Action, as part of a campaign to mark National Epilepsy Week 2008 (May 18-25).
The figures were uncovered by a survey carried out which asked a cross section of MPs how well they were informed about epilepsy.
As well as asking how many people live with epilepsy, the survey asked about the current state of epilepsy care in the UK.
More than half (54 per cent) said they didn't know how many neurologists there were in the UK.
In fact, there are only 486 consultant neurologists, which falls far short of the 909 recommended by the Royal College of Physicians.
We are fortunate to have some excellent supporters in the House of Commons but we need more. It is only when more people understand epilepsy that we can take real steps to deliver better healthcare for people living with the condition.
Simon Wigglesworth Deputy Chief Executive, Epilepsy Action
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