If you are to field candidates at this election then try to select educated people who live in the communities where they are seeking to stand. Whenever possible try to ensure that a selection of candidates have children growing up in the ward where they are seeking to get elected.
For too long selection panels have parachuted their own chums and outsiders into our villages and towns to help toe the party line on the city council. Instead of fighting for the communities where they are elected these political carpetbaggers often vote to divert resources away from our villages and towns to other parts of the city. We are informed that this is all for the greater good. The greater good for whom, I ask?
At the local council elections in 2004, I noticed that several of these political carpetbaggers failed to place their full address on the voting ballot papers. The lack of political transparency here in Leeds is causing voting apathy and causing the rise of extremists within our society, yet our political leaders haven't woken up to this fact as yet.
At the forthcoming elections, please vote for an educated candidate who lives in the ward and who is willing to fight for the community.
Help kick out the carpetbaggers.
PAUL COCKCROFT
Tingley, Wakefield

Glad to leave the 'high life' behind
I read with interest your article about the missing bridge at the City Island development (YEP, March 23). As a resident at City Island (soon to be ex-resident) I am completely unsurprised that the bridge is still missing and that Mayfair Developments even failed to give an explanation why.
I have been left with no hot water on seven separate occasions over the year I have lived at City Island. Finally, a workman fixed my boiler properly last week. I am not the only one that has had boiler problems.
The 'secure' underground car parking' is fantastic – but if only it was secure. Teenagers have just wandered into the car park and stolen bikes.
It's fine to live at City Island if you have no friends or family that want to visit because there is absolutely no parking provision for visitors – even the poor supermarket delivery vans risk a parking ticket whilst they are forced to park on double yellow lines.
I am all for the development of city centre flats. But Leeds does not need this type of development tarnishing its reputation. Lucky for me I am renting and can leave the 'High Life' behind me.
Miss N Lees, Gotts Road, Leeds

Big benefits of city's Chinese link
I refer to your article (YEP, March 15) about funding for the Chinese Community Centre and the council's attendance at the 2006 World Leisure Expo in our partner city, Hangzhou in China.
The Chinese Association's funding crisis is not because Leeds City Council has taken money from them. As an administration, we have in fact given them more money than the Association were ever receiving under the previous Labour administration. We remain open to provide them with further funding and look forward to receiving a properly costed business plan setting out the services they would like assistance with providing. That is a minimum requirement for any organisation that approaches us for financial support.
The issue of whether communities throughout our city receive effective support from the council is an important one for us. For the first time ever, several months ago I asked for a comprehensive report showing on what basis we allocate funding, taking into account the criteria and the percentage of funding according to the proportion of population of each religious, black and minority ethnic community group in the city.
In terms of us attending the World Leisure Expo in China, it is a simplistic and misleading calculation to make out this money should be used instead to support a particular community, in this case the Chinese community.
The World Leisure Expo is a hugely important international event which will provide us with an opportunity to market Leeds to up to 20 million visitors. Every pound spent on this event – and most of it is being paid for by other public and private organisations – will bring thousands of pounds worth of tourism, business and commerce back to the city.
Leeds was the only city in the country to be invited to this event by our partner city, Hangzhou, and we have been given by far the largest space at the Expo completely free of charge.
Leeds's wealth has always been based on the fact that we are a trading city. We cannot continue to build that wealth if we shut up shop and stop telling the world what we have got to offer.
Coun Mark Harris, Deputy Leader of Council and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Leeds City Council

Let's put PFI
plan to the vote
I READ the letter 'PFI spinners' (YEP, March 16) and previous articles on the 'regeneration' of Little London with some interest and concern.
We have seen mention of 'consultation', 'survey', 'analysis' and 'proposals'. Worryingly, there is no mention of the word vote.
If Leeds City Council plan to embrace the concept of PFI in order that the city can be regenerated so that not just a privileged few can 'live it, love it' surely the way forward is to generate support by looking at the long-term advantages.
From the molasses like speed with which Little London's rebirth is progressing, it seems that the pubic embracing of PFI is a little uncertain, possibly because the long-term plans are yet to be clearly outlined.
Surely the council, who have trusted the democratic process once to see them elected, should trust it again in gaining the public's overview of something that will effect lives and jobs. Unless of course they fear that the answer given would be a resounding 'No'.
Before we start finding ourselves reading about 'polls,' 'preference', 'selection' and anything else in a thesaurus, we should perhaps consider the most important word of all, vote.
David Newell, St Chad's View, Headingley

Election funding
In reply to another Blair-bashing letter from M Naylor (YEP, Mach 20) I wonder whether he is aware that David Cameron is also in favour of state funding of elections.
Also, why do the Tories choose not to publish their loans/ donations towards of the said elections?
M DAVISON, Park Lane, Kippax

Carter's 'jaunt'
at our expense
Well, Mr Carter, I wonder what your boss, David Cameron is thinking about your jolly, little jaunt to the South of France, hiring a luxury yacht to 'promote' Leeds.
There are plenty of other ways to promote Leeds, not exactly in the most expensive way you are doing at the taxpayers' – our – expense.
My Tory friends and I are seriously thinking about this coming local election. If this is the way our hard-earned money is being spent, we shall have to think very hard indeed!
MRS ELEONORE WRIGHT, Shadwell Lane, Leeds

Pretension by
the riverside
The Arts Council – who obviously know art when they see it – has given £15,000 of the public's money so that trees on the banks of the River Calder in Wakefield can be wrapped in what during the day looks like upmarket toilet tissue.
Best viewed at night when UV lit, this 'special fabric' becomes the moving sculpture called Aura. It sounds pretentious.
The common adjective "crap" would be more apt as a title.
LOUIS KASATKIN, Peterson Road, Wakefield

Shining examples
Having read the article 'We can beat school bullies together' (YEP, 23 March) I would just like to say how much I admire the year 10 pupils Danny Pantry and Nathan Clough.
It is excellent that young people are offering support to one another to try to stop bullying. Bullying does not have to be an inevitable part of going to school. We can learn to respect and care for one another from a young age and these two lads are shining examples of that.
Sue Warnes, South Milford, Leeds

The place to be
What has happened to Great Britain. High unemployment; highest crime rate ever; no more free speech for British people; no flying of national flags; very little industry and lots of debt.
Heigh ho, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I love it.
J SHEDLOW, Fir Tree Vale, Leeds