YEP Letters: February 3

Check out today's YEP letters
First White White Cloth Hall in ruins 6 Oct 2010 reproduced courtesy of Leeds Civic TrustFirst White White Cloth Hall in ruins 6 Oct 2010 reproduced courtesy of Leeds Civic Trust
First White White Cloth Hall in ruins 6 Oct 2010 reproduced courtesy of Leeds Civic Trust

No time to lose on Hall restoration

Martin Hamilton, Director, Leeds Civic Trust

Leeds Civic Trust has been campaigning for years to revive the Kirkgate area of Leeds, and in particular the First White Cloth Hall, which dates from 1711 and had a significant part to play in the development of Leeds into the major city that it is today.

We therefore welcome the news that Rushbond PLC (YEP, February 2), who have acquired the building, wish to make rapid progress to restore and rebuild it.

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We look forward to working with the new owners, Leeds City Council and other interested parties to bring the first White Cloth Hall back to life, and hope that this will act as a catalyst for more general restoration of Kirkgate. With every day that passes, the building deteriorates further, so there is no time to lose.

Time for city to look after its assets

Paul Seifert, by email

It really is the start of the end when Leeds, a city which prides itself on its greenery which sets it apart from many other major cities, cannot look after these assets.

Is it now going to be like the road sweepers where if you’re lucky enough to see one, it’s on the back of a lorry being driven to a smelting plant and the steel sold off to India?

It is ironic that it has been so long that the roads’ gutters have been swept, large amounts of soil and grass have collected and are now growing to such a height the grass cutters will need to be re-allocated to these areas. Why do cuts always seem to be in areas that reduce the look of the city? If you were to drive down into Leeds from Crossgates you will see nothing but litter, overgrown gutters and drains, one after the other filled to the top, never having been cleaned in possibly a decade.

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It’s not on! Leeds City Council constantly sending out posts asking its loyal city folk as to what makes Leeds great .. well the answer is quite simple .. nothing! Cut after cut from a council that is supposed to be the third richest city in the country. The people of Leeds work hard and it’s a shame that the council don’t match there efforts and work more efficiently and bring it back to a condition to where it would do us all proud. Ask the council when was the last time York Road was swept #dirtyleeds.

Get the city back on its feet

Roger Watkinson, Leeds 15

Leeds City Council are putting council tax up by 1.99 per cent + three per cent social care.

The council are cutting staff and services to care homes. Why have we got 99 councillors in Leeds, these should be cut down to a maximum of 60 councillors . Plus their expenses should be capped.

The so called wise heads on the council need to collect unpaid rent and council tax arrears which are being written off. This should be chased up and collected. The good people of Leeds who pay their taxes etc are being penalised. It is time the people on the council got this city back on its feet.

Elected Prime Ministers

Jane Taylor, Leeds 17

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I’d like to remind Richard Burgon (YEP Letters February 2) that Tony Blair was not elected to be PM, neither was Gordon Brown and every PM before and since. Theresa May is an elected MP but PMs are always chosen by the largest party winning an election. As a lawyer he should know that.

What’s all the fuss about?

B Leonard, by email

I can’t get my head around all the fuss about Mr Trump coming to England.

After all, we have had every other despot from around the world, from Bashar Al Assad to Robert Mugabe and Suharto of Indonesia to name but a few. Nothing said, but one man from the US caused all this bother.

I read that all the countries he has banned will not let you in if you have a stamp from Israel in your passport, they make it hard to travel around. We should have had a Donald Trump in England years ago, so I say put out the red carpet for him.

Referendum on EU agreement

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Kamran Hussain, Chair of Yorkshire and Humber Liberal Democrats Policy & Brexit Spokesperson

Liberal Democrats have tabled amendments to Article 50 and will urge the Government to:

1. Hold a Referendum on the proposed new agreement with the EU

2. Stay in the Single Market

3. Protect the rights of EU nationals currently in the UK

Firstly, guarantee a referendum on the deal at the end of negotiating process. Most people did not vote for the Hard Brexit that Prime Minister Theresa May has set out.

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That’s why the British public must decide at the end of this process whether they support the deal the government negotiates or would they prefer to stay in the EU. Unless the people are given the final say, Liberal Democrats will not support triggering Article 50.

Secondly, this Conservative Government’s reckless plans to take Britain out of the Single Market would be a disaster for our economy. Whilst both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have waved the white flag on membership of the Single Market, we will keep fighting to defend British jobs and prosperity.

Thirdly, EU nationals residing in the UK must keep all the rights they currently enjoy after Brexit, including the right to stay in the UK indefinitely.

These are people’s neighbours, colleagues and family members.

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They must be given assurances they can stay instead of living in fear and being treated as political bargaining chips.

The Liberal Democrats not only continue to represent the 48 per cent of the people who voted to remain, we also represent many of the 52 per cent that did not vote for a Hard Brexit.

Sorry, not in service

Carol A Gannon, Leeds 15

I quite agree with the recent comments of Y Burdon about the state of the bus services in Leeds.

Recently I had a 40 minute wait when our half hourly service went straight past the stop displaying the “Sorry Not in Service” sign.

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Yes, it was running five or six minutes late, but still no excuse for not picking up passengers who have a limited service to start with.

Even more annoying when we know some of these buses go back into service a mile or two down the road where customers are lucky enough to have the choice of several services into Leeds.

It left some with no choice but to get a taxi, even though they had a weekly/monthly bus pass.

I have also had this problem in the centre of Leeds when attending St James’s Hospital and often notice the number of empty buses in the town centre carrying the “not in service” sign.

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One afternoon three buses were shown on the screen, all due to travel past the hospital, five minutes later all three came up as “cancelled.” That meant nearly an hour to get from the centre of town to St James’s.

Perhaps we shouldn’t use the bus services in Leeds unless we are very, very patient and don’t mind getting cold and wet!

Life north of Watford

A Shipman, Leeds 13

Do we here in West Yorkshire not pay for our TV licence?

One would think so, judging from the BBC’s coverage of the FA Cup. Matches involving Leeds United and Huddersfield Town not given a look in, yet Millwall and Watford area for some reason given coverage.

Both our local clubs are doing well in the Championship which proves in itself that clubs outside of the M25 deserve having their matches televised.Every round of the FA Cup has been the same and, after all, there is life north of Watford.

MP should rethink position

Judy Goodwin, Altofts

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Labour MP Mary Creagh voted against the triggering of Artical 50 despite her constituents voting to leave the EU.

She is also in favour of HS2, again despite most of her constituents being against this.

Is it not time she re-thought her position as she is clearly not representing the majority of the people who voted for her.