Letters to the Editor (From Ilkley Gazette)

Letters to the Editor

9:54am Thursday 17th May 2012 in Letters

Councillors will need to discuss new options

It is disappointing that Edwin Schirn shows a lack of courtesy in not waiting for me to reply to his recent letter, before rushing off to the press to ask the same questions.

For the benefit of readers, the Localism Act gives a number of freedoms and powers to parish councils.

The General Power of Competence gives parish councils the chance to deliver more for their communities based on residents’ needs.

Parish councils can also express an interest in taking over the running of a local authority service.

Additionally, when community assets come up for sale or ownership, community groups and parish councils can bid to buy the asset when it comes on the open market.

Under planning reforms, parish councils have a role in developing Neighbourhood Plans and can bring forward development proposals, subject to meeting certain criteria and demonstrating local support.

The parish council has the right under existing statutes to raise money by precept and can spend or use this money where it has a statutory power to do so. Prudently, Ilkley Parish Council decided to retain its reserves this year to ensure that it had sufficient funds available if it decided to exercise any of the powers conferred by the Localism Act.

As the legislation is so new, councillors will discuss the options available as and when Government guidance is published.

As for Philip Chinque’s daft comments, he is the one who is wrong, wrong etc.

Much of this year’s precept increase is to pay for overdue investment in the Christmas Lights and to augment money set aside for election provision.

Only a small percentage is being spent directly on the jubilee celebrations. The annual increase for a Band D property amounts to £3.15, which equates to six pence per week.

Councillor Heathcliffe Bowen, Chairman, Ilkley Parish Council

Let’s have no ‘mooar’ mistakes with dialect

We had such fun filming and singing at the Cow and Calf Rocks last Saturday and applaud the initiative to raise funds for the Yorkshire Regiment and Air Ambulance while promoting ‘our’ song (pictured above).

However, what words were being sung? “On Ilkley Moor baht ’at” ... and there’s my sticking point. I have always sung “On Ilkla Moor baht ’at”. So when I got home, I looked up what the dialect authority Arnold Kellett had to say on the subject: It is often sung very badly, even by Yorkshire people, with the original West Riding dialect giving way to standard English vowels and vocabulary – Ilkley being pronounced ‘Ilkli’ or ‘Ilklay’, instead of ‘Ilkla’, ‘moor’ instead of ‘mooar’.

Are we trying to make the song more universally understandable so it will sell? Happily Brian Blessed gets nearer the mark with his rap version.

This issue quite overtook my frustration at finding most of the Olympic souvenirs have been made in China!

Margo Atkinson, (born and bred in ‘Ilkla’)

Saving our greenbelt will be a priority issue

May I use your pages to give my heartfelt thanks to all the people who supported me with their votes on Thursday, May 3.

I am conscious of the trust that they have once more placed in me, and assure them that I will carry on working for the benefit of us all, with a concentration on trying to protect our greenfields and greenbelt from the developers.

I would also like to thank all the people who helped in many ways with the campaign, and am only too pleased that their sterling efforts were not in vain.

Councillor Graham Latty, Guiseley & Rawdon Ward, Chairman NW Outer Area Committee, (Deputy Conservative Whip)

• Editor’s note: Last week we inadvertently described Councillor Latty as a Liberal Democrat. Coun Latty is in fact a Conservative member of Leeds City Council. We would like to apologise for the mistake.

Enforce law equally for cyclists as well as drivers

Fifty-seven per cent of cyclists admit to jumping red lights according to our latest poll.

The main reason given for jumping lights is because it is safer to get ahead of other traffic (38 per cent do this). At the same time over half (54 per cent) of cyclists think that cyclists should improve their behaviour by sticking to the Highway Code at junctions – poor road layout and junctions were a top concern for half (48 per cent) of the cyclists polled. Other findings are:

• Seventy three per cent of cyclists ride on the pavement, with the top reasons being: because the cycle path doesn’t join up completely (59 per cent), to avoid a busy section of road, which doesn’t have a cycle path (55 per cent) and to avoid a busy junction (47 per cent)
• And 43 per cent said they would be less likely to jump red lights if advanced stop lines were more strongly enforced.

Cyclists are right to feel that roads are not cycle friendly enough, and this is reflected in their behaviour. But while poor junction design, inconsistent cycle paths and inconsiderate drivers put cyclists at risk, cyclists also have to help themselves.

Changes to road layouts and junctions can improve safety for cyclists, but no junction will ever be safe for those who continue to jump red lights. It’s dangerous and illegal.

The police need to enforce the law as strongly when cyclists put themselves and others at risk by jumping the lights, as they do for drivers.

They also need to ensure that drivers are pulled up for crossing advanced stop lines that protect cyclists.

Simon Best, Chief executive, Institute of Advanced Motorists

Meningitis trust is there for those who need it

To coincide with Action for Brain Injury (ABI) Week between May 14 and 20, national charity the Meningitis Trust is raising awareness of the fact that meningitis and septicaemia can be the cause of acquired brain injury.

The annual awareness week aims to educate people on the effects of acquired brain injury and increase support for people and their families who live with the condition.

Both meningitis and septicaemia can cause acquired brain injury.

This is injury to the brain that has happened after birth. The brain takes over 20 years to fully develop.

If a child or young adult has had meningitis or septicaemia the development of the brain can be affected.

The impact may not be apparent immediately after the illness; it may take months or even years to be identified.

Action for Brain Injury Week is an opportunity to remind people of the devastating, often long-term, impact of meningitis. We are appealing to anyone struggling with the burden of a serious illness to seek help. The Meningitis Trust offers a wide variety of services to individuals and families affected by meningitis.”

More than ten per cent of children have illnesses that can cause brain injury and 500,000 children are treated in UK hospitals every year for head injury.

Loss of memory, poor concentration, tiredness and headaches are after-effects of meningitis and, in a small group of people, severe problems such as learning difficulties and epilepsy can occur.

The Meningitis Trust is the only organisation in the UK that is focused on support after meningitis. Every year it helps around 20,000 people through its range of professional support services. The charity is urging people to be aware of the services and support available to them.

For more information please visit meningitis-trust.org or call 0808 80 10 388.

Sue Davie, Chief executive, Meningitis Trust

Battlefield pilgrimages are open to everyone

Each year the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Battlefield Research Section organise pilgrimages to the battle areas of the First World War.

The tour is in September covering France and Belgium. This year we plan to visit the Somme battlefields, the Ypres Salient, Arras, Vimy Ridge and Loos battlefield areas.

The trips specialise in visiting specific cemeteries or memorials on the battlefields as and when they are requested, and an experienced battlefield guide accompanies each trip. The Battlefield Research Section was formed as a charitable hobby in 1990 by former servicemen who have years of experience in conducting visits to the First World War battlefields of France and Flanders. These trips are open to anyone and we welcome all enquiries.

For more write to John Battye, 32 Rhodes Street, Hightown, Castleford, West Yorkshire WF10 5LL or telephone 01977 734614. We ask for a medium-sized SAE for all postal replies.

John Battye, Castleford