Culturally we are back to 1825

9:15am Thursday 19th April 2007

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At the risk of sounding tiresome, I must write yet again about Keighley Library, as surely somebody has to comment on a Bradford propaganda article in the recent "Keighley 2007" booklet, produced by the Keighley News in conjunction with Keighley Town Centre Association.

Nobody can quibble with a £l million-plus refurbishment - although, if the "impressive glass ceiling" to be revealed is the one which was visible in the 1960s, it was impossible to clean.

"We want to get away from the idea that the library is a place which has to be deathly quiet," proclaims the Keighley 2007 article. "We want it to be a place where people meet and talk", to which end there will be comfortable seating and a coffee machine "to encourage people to sit and chat".

The traditional library offered one of the few havens in this noisy world where one could read and study in peace. The atmosphere in Keighley's could sometimes be disruptive enough while it was still a library. What it will be like as a community centre (a function already admirably fulfilled by Wetherspoon's next door) can be imagined "There will - of course - be books," we are assured, "but there will also be much more", predictably "a host of computers linked to the Internet" and a "learning zone" for school pupils.

Even "older people" will be catered for in this "high-tech future". Apparently our imaginations were incapable of "running riot" when we simply had lots and lots of books. These, it is obvious from the new uses of available space, will have been much reduced in number.

Meanwhile, and for some time to come, Keighley must be the only town of its size in the country to have no library service whatever.

Culturally we are back where we were, not just before 1904 when the Carnegie library opened, but before 1825 and the formation of a Mechanics Institute library.

If the limited reference service which operated from a desk in the lending library for more than a year - while the lift, the original reason for the "temporary" closure, stood idle and the bulk of the collections remained out of bounds - proved adequate for basic inquiries, couldn't it possibly have been transferred to a corner of, say, the Town Hall?

And as for our present lack of a lending service, would it be beyond the scope of human ingenuity to park a mobile library in Town Hall Square?

No doubt Bradford libraries could offer a list of reasons why such fundamental stop-gap measures are not possible. But I don't suppose they will bother to.

IAN DEWHIRST Raglan Avenue, Keighley

Theft of daughter's clothes

I am writing re the theft of my daughters clothes from my washing line in the back yard of my new house in Fell Lane. The items were a pink T-shirt and pink and white zip up cardigan.

The value of both was minimal, as though she is only 13 years old she doesn't follow the trends of fashion and brand named or expensive clothes, mainly because I can't afford to buy them as I am recently divorced and now a single parent with a mortgage.

These items were my daughters' favourite clothing and it really sickens me to think that someone could steal them from my washing line. There were other items on the line but it was only the two things belonging to my daughter which were stolen.

The neighbours are truly nice people but there is obviously some very lowlife folk who frequent this area also. It would be nice if the said items did manage to re-appear but I'm not holding my breath.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

Daily delivery dilemma

Jackie McGinnis reported over a week ago and also this week about the changes regarding the Oakworth Post Office. I wish both John Sugden and Janet Armstrong my good wishes for all they have contributed to the village.

I have lived in Oakworth for more than 25 years. I rely on the daily newspaper delivery service via the PO. I am retired, have asthma and one arthritic hip, plus another arthritic knee.

Whenever I pay my monthly paper bill the book which will include daily deliveries, magazines etc must be six inches thick. All these people will no longer have a delivery service and the paper boys and girls no jobs.

I do have a car so shop in town probably once a fortnight and regularly use the Oakworth Co-op late shop. It seems some Co-op late shops, perhaps in other areas do organise daily paper deliveries.

Do not ask why I cannot walk each day to collect my paper, or may be even drive each morning; my hip maybe OK, my knee may be OK; my asthma may be OK, but none of each of these bits work each of the six days a week for me to be able to read my newspaper and have a cup of tea around 8.30am to 9am.

Oakworth without a daily newspaper delivery service?

MISS B E VARLEY Address supplied

Editor's note: Arrangements are being made to ensure delivery of the Keighley News

Thanks to good Samaritan

May we through your letters' column say a very big thank you to the couple (names unknown) who stopped and helped Geoff when he was taken ill outside St Anne's Church last Saturday evening.

Their care and concern is very much appreciated and will not be forgotten. Geoff has recovered. Again, to who ever you are, many, many thanks.

Geoff and Elaine Greenwood Riddlesden.

Clamping disappointment

As a recent visitor to Haworth on April 15 last, I must advise how disappointing were the provisions for visitors. It is unfortunate that the commercial ethics (or lack of) displayed by one of your village proprietors has spoiled a return to a village I have always enjoyed visiting. On the date above, I parked at the Changegate Car Park and subsequently received a wheel clamp for "vehicle not parked within marked bays". Having parked at a number of car parks on several continents, I confess to never having seen the rather confusing markings that apparently designate spaces. Neither were the two gentlemen parked in the same area prepared to enlighten me before they clamped my wheel. Moreover, the unclamping cost an unconscionable £53.00 The entire exercise was intimidated and demeaning. I was a single woman travelling from abroad and did not appreciate the attitude of the enforcers nor the situation. This parking facility operates under the aegis or with the permission of the parish council. If Haworth values tourism, it should know that I do not intend to return soon.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

In response to the letter about clamping I would agree with him or her. Tell everyone who enters the car park if they buy a ticket and allow plenty of time; display the ticket with the expiry time on show; park their car in one bay only, and then if they come back on time they will not be clamped and will have had a lovely day out. I try to do this by putting three large warning signs, detailing charges, conditions and penalties. I take it the writer ignored them. I would also think the writer had exaggerated somewhat. I have listened to the tape recordings over the past months and no one has been threatened. I have looked at the photographs taken at the time and no one has been cheated; strangely enough no one has ever been made to walk two miles to a cash machine, as the nearest is at the Kings Arms about 100 yards away; the second nearest is approximately 400 yards away at the Spa and the next is four Miles away in Keighley. So if the writer is going to exaggerate don't make it too ridiculous. Do you honestly believe a clamping operative would threaten to ram a vehicle with children in it, when it is against the law; he would lose his licence; and I wouldn't have him working on my car park. Finally, as to the comment they fell and there was only one minute between two tickets purchased implying that they were clamped for that one minute is an absolute lie. Prove it and I wjll give you £100 to give to any charity you choose and your money back. What you describe and the way you describe it simply means you were caught and it is a way of getting back on the nasty dampers, but tell the truth. There is one sure way to put the dampers out of business and I wish you would; simply do not infringe the rules of the car park. By the way last year was a record for the ear park; more visitors use it because they know it is safe and 99.5 per cent don't get clamped.

Signed Robin Hood or was it Dick Turpin.

TED EVANS Changegate Car Park. Haworth.

ELECTIONS 2007

The following is an open letter sent to John Joy who is standing as the BNP candidate in the Worth Valley ward.

John Many thanks for taking the time to arrange the mailshot of your election flyer to my humble abode.

Sadly, I have to say you seem to be explaining to me national issues in a local election.

When making my decision on polling day, I vote differently in the council elections compared to the general election as what I am looking for varies.

Local issues in Cross Roads (please note the correct spelling - ie two words) vary greatly from those that you describe and therefore offer very little to me when voting.

While I appreciate and understand some of the issues you mention - these are not items which the local council has great influence over.

Elderly - In this ward I have no recollection of any deaths relating to the cold unless you can name names.

Heroin - Speaking in depth with various community leaders and members of our police force I fail to see where in this village this class A drug has become an epidemic.

Religious slaughter - Don't tell me that my local butcher is selling this type of meat or the local farmers are causing neglect.

Discipline in School -When did you last visit Lees School? What issues do you have with their discipline policy?

Health service - While I understand there are some issues with regards to the surgery in Haworth, my family has always been seen by a doctor when required.

Immigration - What figures can you show relating to immigration in this ward? On a national level, what about the greater mass migration of the British moving to other countries and using their benefit system (and thus alleviating the burden on ours)?

Jobs - Local issue?

You go on to call Ann Cryer a liability and Kris Hopkins greedy - but of the items you list, many do not relate to this ward (once again!) What I will be looking for is somebody who will look at tackling, in this ward: Traffic congestion and road safety; provisions for young people to help keep them occupied; support to local initiatives and charities; building of low cost housing for residents who have lived in the village for a minimum number of years; discounting of public transport to encourage the switch from cars; greater opportunities for community gatherings; improvement of recycling system.

Hopefully, you will understand from the above my reasons for not voting for you in May and if the BNP could show active changes when they are appointed I would consider changing my vote in the future.

Colin Webb Haworth Road, Cross Roads

Speaking for public

I am delighted that Cllr Brian Hudson is to stand in the Bradford district elections as an Independent candidate for the Keighley West Ward.

To all my friends in that district let me say that I know Brian to be one of the few true local people who will speak for the public without fear or favour. That he is not tarnished with party political dross, nor pomp and ceremony, as all who know Brian Hudson long ago realised.

That Keighley needs Cllr Hudson to speak in Bradford for Keighley folk without party bosses being in control of his voice is to be welcomed. That he has the confidence of the majority of Keighley Town Council members who voted Brian as the deputy mayor shows that his work ethic and popularity is well known in this town.

As I am soon to be a member of the Keighley Town Council for Beechcliffe, Utley and Spring Gardens Ward, I look forward to working with Brian and, of course, all the other members of the council over the next four years.

I can assure all members of the public, in the ward I hope to represent and, indeed throughout Keighley, that questions, which need an answer, will not be answered with gobbledegook, gibberish or equivocation, but in truthful and simple plain English.

David Samuels Highcroft Gardens, Thwaites Brow Not on register

With reference to Colin Webbs letter I feel that a reply is needed to explain the real truth behind the letter. On checking the electoral register against a Colin Webb, I found that he does not actually exist. If he does, then he is not on the electoral register of which in itself turns his letter into a farsical attempt to discriminate the BNP. I recognise and actively encourage criticism from the electorate, but when a newspaper prints an article sent to them from a fictitious name or address, it really does make you think about the professionalism of the newspapers leading hand. We have offered debate to everyone, but each time they do not come forward. As for Colin Webb. I believe that this man is a disgruntled individual our members rejected during a clean up of the party over the last 12 months.

John Joy Worth Valley Candidate Canberra Drive Crossroads, Keighley