8:02am Thursday 28th June 2007
By Letters to the editor
Stop using cosy puns in headlines
Readers will be aware that on July 1 England will go smoke free.
Well, er, not really, actually. There are more than seven million adult smokers in Britain, most of whom, despite the pious hopes of the anti-smoking lobby, are more likely to dig their heels in as a response to coercion.
It's in their nature. In their view there is no proven case for the effects of environmental tobacco smoke. Where, they ask, are the bodies? Many people will accept the claims of organisations such as ASH, claims which appear to be based on scientific evidence.
Others, such as the Freedom To Choose group may question these views on the grounds that they appear to be misrepresentations of flawed studies and that any perceived risk is so statistically small as to be an unacceptable basis for legislation.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of these arguments - and time and elusive truth will tell whether any change to public health proceeds from the legislation - might I make a plea on behalf of your readers? Please: can you make an editorial decision to ban (there's that word again) such cosy puns as "stubbing out the habit", "last gasp", "sneaking out for a crafty smoke"and other ridiculous headlines conjured by your journalists' fevered brains.
This is a serious matter viewed from either side of the fence; it is either the greatest public health initiative ever, or a gross infringement of liberty, based on bad science and the precursor of ever more intrusive regulation of the lives of free citizens.
Further: please can we control the effusions of the winning side who, having won, will gloat sanctimoniously over the discomfort and humiliation of a quarter of the adult population as they are herded into back alleys and behind bushes to practice their filthy habit.
Can journalists, just for once, request sources for "facts" and question pertinently wild claims that all the smokers in the country will promptly give up in pitiful gratitude for the stop-smoking advice so gratuitously dished out.
Finally, as a tax payer, I am very worried about the shortfall of £8.5 billion tax revenue which will result if the beleaguered smokers actually do, in their own time, and of their own free choice, decide to quit.
George Speller Hill Top Road, Keighley
Light up all festivals
In June the town council agreed to spend part of a sum of £7,125 to improve Christmas decorations in Keighley. Can the town council in the next meeting consider other religious festival decoration, such as, Eid, Vaisakhi, Deepawali etc?
Can the council not follow the example of Bradford's festival celebration displays? As we live in a town that has many ethnic groups we should look at ways of bringing the various communities together to create a bigger awareness of different faiths, cultures and traditions.
There seems to be a lot of personal differences within the council which has been highlighted by many people.
Can all the councillors now put their personal differences aside and work together to make Keighley a better place for people to live in.
All councillors should take full responsibility and fulfil their promise to deal with concerns of Keighley residents.
I know that Keighley Town Council has done some exceptional work since it came into being. Let's not spoil it now.
Fulzar Ahmed Highfield, Keighley
Headline caused offence
I read with interest the paragraph in last week's Keighley News in which you report that Epilepsy Action will provide diaries for people with epilepsy in order for them to record their experiences.
However, I was greatly dismayed to read your headline "Diary notes will help epileptics". There is no such thing as an epileptic. But there are thousands of people with epilepsy. To describe them as "epileptics" is to label them as different creatures from their peers.
In all the 20 years I worked for and with people with epilepsy, I never once met anyone of them who didn't loathe being call an epileptic, and being known as such merely creates an unfortunate stigma.
There is no such thing as an "epileptic", but there are men and women, boys and girls with epilepsy. The human being first and the condition second.
ALEC ASPINALL Vice-president, Epilepsy Research Foundation
Editor's response: I am grateful to Mr Aspinall for bringing this to my attention. There was of course no intention to cause any distress and I apologise to anyone who may have been offended.
Deplorable state of affairs
As a former town councillor I have been following the debate over the withdrawal of the town centre wardens with interest and fully support the town council in seeking to retain this important service providing security for shoppers and visitors.
What I do not understand is the mentality of a Government that seeks to cancel funding for the service in one hand and then in the other agrees to release 25,000 petty criminals from prison early and provide them with a £10 a day allowance.
With news reports highlighting those involved in drug charges, petty thieves (which will include pick-pockets and bag snatchers) and burglars among those considered for early release, the case for the wardens could not be made more clear.
Truly, the left hand does not seem to know what the right is doing and what a deplorable state of affairs from a Government which promised "to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime". The public have every right to feel outraged at these proposals. We should feel safe on the streets of our town, but when criminals are getting released from prison early and are paid for it then we must ask those responsible if this is right.
Under these circumstances, faced with an uncertain future and an environment of increased vigilance, one wonders how our wardens keep a smile on their faces in these morale sapping times. I for one applaud the good work they do and can only offer my encouragement. Keep it up guys, you do a fantastic job.
ROBERT PAYNE Alkincote Street, Keighley
Calculate your lifestyle
I know readers increasingly want to do their bit to help combat climate change - and knowing about your carbon footprint is a good way to start.
That's why we have this week launched a new online CO2 calculator, where people can find out their carbon footprint. The calculator will also suggest the practical steps we can take to cut our emissions and, often, save some money as well.
Things we do in our everyday lives have an effect - good or bad - on the environment. And more than 40 per cent of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions come from our homes and travel.
Most of us have become a bit greener already - for example, nearly all of us are into recycling now - but there are lots of other things we can do to reduce our impact on climate change.
Whatever your lifestyle, the Act on CO2 calculator will give you practical pointers about how to cut your emissions, tailored to the way you live.
To check out your carbon footprint, and find out what you can do about it, log on to: http://www.direct.gov.uk/actonCO2
David Miliband Environment Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London
Move the substation
Many thanks to Paul, of Riddlesden, for solving the problem of the loss of parking spaces for people with disabilities by telling them to "park on double yellow lines like the rest of the blue badge holders do". And can he now tell them how to get from the said yellow lines to the Shopmobility office?
Once parked they do not miraculously regain the use of their legs and become able to walk. The whole purpose of these specific places is that access to the wheelchairs and buggies is as available as possible.
The spokesman for Bradford Council thinks the car park is the logical place for the sub-station. Is it not more logical to find a different site for the sub-station than to find a different site for the parking spaces.
Many people have problems even getting from the present space to the Shopmobility services, so moving them elsewhere cannot be a feasible alternative for them.
BRENDA ROBB Woodhouse, Keighley.
Not just talking shops
I wonder where Andrew Dundas has got the idea that parish and town councils are undemocratic because of their voting process.
Keighley Town Council Wards unlike the district wards vary in size.
In some small parishes like Addingham, for instance, the area is not in wards; the council is made up of 11 members. This year there were 30 candidates for those 11 places and every elector in Addingham had 11 votes.
In Ilkley, where the parish wards are of similar size, three councillors represent the four wards. Keighley is different again with large wards where there are three town councillors to a small ward with one councillor. Why Mr Dundas considers the parishes are exempt from the ways of British democracy I do not understand his reasoning. They are not just talking shops but an important tier of local government closest to the people which vary dramatically in size.
Parish elections by law are every four years and link in with the district elections, and conducted in accordance with the Representation of the People Acts and the voting arrangements were not set up by Bradford Council.
CLLR Brian Hudson, Mayor Mrs M Bailey, Town Clerk
Equality at no extra cost
How could it possibly happen that each person in Guardhouse has only a third of the votes that people in Bracken Bank, Fell Lane, Oakworth, Riddlesden and Spring Gardens have?
We all of us assume that in every election, we can rely on our democratic tradition of equal votes for everyone. I'm not surprised that Councillor Brian Morris is so shocked (Keighley News, June 12) to learn that votes are very unequal in Keighley. Cllr Morris may not realise what's going on in other parts of town.
When our town's council tax is decided, each elector in Guardhouse has only Cllr Morris to speak and vote for them. In most of our town, each elector has three councillors on their side. However effective Cllr Morris is, he can always be out-voted by three-to-one, because the Keighley system is heavily biased against his electors. Electors of councillors Ali and Newton share that same disadvantage.
To answer John Briggs directly, these eccentric voting systems are neither statutory nor similar to either district or Parliamentary elections. British laws and the Electoral Commission govern those systems. Our district council in Bradford supervises Keighley's voting system in a quite different manner.
Nor does it cost any more to ensure equality of votes in parish and town elections. For example, the same number of councillors represents each elector in Mr Briggs's Cullingworth Parish. Adopting equal voting rights throughout Keighley could be done at no extra cost.
Usually, the Labour Party does not contest either parish or town council elections, unless another major party does. As in this district, parish and town voting arrangements are usually set up by Conservative controlled districts. My concern is that, as Keighley Town Council builds up its financial and controlling power, all Keighley voters should each have correct representation.
Andrew Dundas Chairman, Keighley Labour Party
Editor's note: I have allowed this response as a number of readers asked for a clarification of the points Mr Dundas raised in his first letter. Please feel free to respond.
Know Veteran's rights
On Veteran's Day, we at the Legal Services Commission are keen to ensure that people who have served in the armed forces, and their dependants, know that they have rights and where to find information and advice about these.
We produce a leaflet called Veterans: Rights for former servicemen and women and their families, which is part of a series of legal information leaflets produced by Community Legal Service Direct, designed to ensure that people know their rights.
This leaflet includes information about what financial help is available, pensions, claiming for compensation, help with finding somewhere to live and to work and getting hold of service records.
The leaflet is available online at www.clsdirect.org.uk, or at your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
The Legal Services Commission believes timely information and advice reduces personal suffering as well as saving taxpayers' money.
We work with partners in the community to deliver a range of legal services that help people to solve their problems, often in ways that avoid the time and expense of going to court.
Peter Nelson Regional Director Legal Services Commission
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