YEP Letters: July 2

Make it a sell-out for showman Barry

Jennifer Bookbinder, Leeds 11

GREAT news, Mr Manilow is back in town, at Leeds First Direct Arena on 1st September.

His previous show “One Last Time” was not, it seems. But we are lucky to have him back as he is only doing a very short tour.

So let’s make it a complete sell out for the most charismatic showman of our time.

*Look out for a great competition coming soon in the YEP to win front row seats at the Barry Manilow show at Leeds Arena.

Concern over clean air zone charges

Michael Green, Tingley.

LEEDS Council is still proposing a system of charges (or fines, which is what they really are) for certain types of vehicle coming into the proposed Clean Air Zone.

I’m sure that the owners and operators of HGVs and other delivery lorries, buses, taxis etc will want to do their bit.

So I’d like to suggest that they get together and announce, now, that when the clean air zone comes into force, they would propose to stop driving their vehicles into the zone completely; that they would instead just unload their passengers and goods at the boundary, to walk or be carried. That way, there would be an instant and dramatic fall in pollution.

Okay, the council won’t get its new eagerly anticipated income stream. And the city may well suffer a long and lingering death. But the air will be clean. And that’s what the council actually want, isn’t it? Surely it can’t be doing this just to rake in the money?

End of life care challenges

Paul Brown, by email

ONE of the most difficult decisions which NHS staff have to make is how to deal with someone who is approaching the end of their life.

Having hit the headlines recently, our politicians, and national news media, are, as usual, avoiding any intelligent discussion of the subject.

If a young person is taken to hospital with an injury or disease, the options available to hospital staff are predictable.

In the case of a very old person, the doctors and nurses have to decide whether treatment will allow the patient to return home within a reasonably short time or if anything other than painkillers and sedatives will just result in their patient having to suffer a long period of potentially painful, and intrusive, medical intervention without any realistic expectation of a positive outcome.

Having to take responsibility for such situations is one of the most challenging and stressful experiences faced by hospital staff, and one for which they receive no credit from our politicians.

We’ve reached saturation point

Marjorie Whitehead, Chapel Allerton

OH! Yipee! There is a chance we may be getting a new bar and restaurant in Chapel Allerton (YEP June 18).

Just what we need, there’s a novelty. I can’t believe that consideration is even being given to this planning application. Surely we have reached saturation point here with coffee shops, bars and restaurants. In this upper part of Chapel Allerton there are about 20 and I haven’t included the ones on Gledhow Valley Road, and the four hostelries all of which serve food. Then there are all the eateries on the Dominion Parade, plus the Three Hulats. Come on now, Leeds City Council. And is this form of business all that can be thought of? How about something useful? Thank heavens we still have some good independent shops and long may they survive to give Chapel Allerton its character.

That is as long as the rates and rent don’t force them out.

Importance of mini roundabouts

Helen P Young, Ossett

I must reply to the letter sent in by Godfrey Lomas ( YEP June 23) about mini roundabouts.

Some time ago I was driving in Dewsbury from Sainsburys petrol station to the mini roundabout near to KFC. I looked to my right and the road was clear so I moved onto the roundabout. A man came from the left and drove straight across without stopping.

My window was down and I shouted to him, “This is a roundabout, you should give way to traffic from the right.”

He replied, “Oh, sorry love, I’m not from round here, I come from Cleckheaton.”

What more was there to say, you couldn’t make it up.

Carbon has to be emitted

DS Boyes, Leeds 13

THE myth of electric cars being almost emissions-free was shattered by a special report showing as much carbon was generated making and operating them as petrol ones - albeit in different ways.

So-called renewable energy is the same as, for example, the carbon produced in making, transporting, installing and maintaining wind generators is always ignored by the climate change lobby.

Let’s face it, in energy like everything else, there really is no free lunch. If you want to make omelettes eggs need breaking. For energy, carbon has to be emitted.

‘Farcical’ review of rail

Colin Cawthray, Bridlington

LEEDS City Council Leader Councillor Judith Blake is leading a review of the rail disruptions.

I really find this is farcical as Leeds City Council is run by a group of transport ignoramuses.

Lack of respect

David Whitaker, Menston

regarding decrying the dearth of respect and good manners, not only are online retailers and so-called financial advisers in the habit of adopting Christian name terms with people they have never met, but the nursing profession is also guilty in this regard.

When one becomes of senior status particularly, surely there should be an overture of ‘Sir’ or ‘Mr’ until permission has been given to be more familiar? One nurse called me “my lovely” for Pete’s sake!

Renewed cause for optimism

David Mitchell, National Chairman, The British Polio Fellowship

After reports of polio surfacing in Kenya and Venezuela, news Nigeria has marked 22 months without a new case of polio gives renewed cause for optimism.

Perhaps we are on track to see this terrible disease vanquished by the time we mark 80 years of The British Polio Fellowship in 2019.

Success is down to the hard work of vaccinating on the ground, but money matters. Problems in Venezuela are largely down to the economy, so you can see why acts like Gates Foundation paying off Nigeria’s $76m debt to Japan are so important in helping countries defeat polio.

That amazing donation led to 80 percent vaccination coverage achieved; remarkable in a sometimes high risk country with access and security challenges.

The British Polio Fellowship supports the efforts of Rotary and others working to make global eradication a reality.

Once achieved, survivors will need support with Post Polio Syndrome (PPS) that still affects 120,000 people in the UK.

Even after the last case of polio, its unwanted legacy will live on for years to come. Our members still wait six years on average for a diagnosis of PPS and our experience will be invaluable in guiding the PPS patients of the future.

Our support can be accessed today by visiting www.britishpolio.org.uk or call 0800 043 1935.

Any sites will be carefully considered

Coun Denise Jeffery, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth, Wakefield Council.

It’s clear that people are concerned about the potential for new development in Wrenthorpe.

Like all local authorities, we are required at certain times to review the district’s Local Development Plan, which provides an overview for future development in the district.

Last year, as part of this review, we asked people to submit potential development sites to be considered for inclusion in the new Plan, and a number of sites in the Wrenthorpe area have been put forward.

I would like to make it very clear that nothing has been decided at this very early stage. We work to national guidelines to carefully consider any sites that are put forward.

At the end of the year, we will produce a new draft Local Development Plan, which people will be able to comment on through a public consultation.

We will listen to the feedback from the consultation, before creating a new Local Development Plan, which will be publically consulted on again, before being submitted to the Government to consider. It’s important that residents are also aware that any new sites adopted into the Local Development Plan are subject to all of the unusual planning procedures.

Get in touch

The YEP would like to hear your views. Please email your letters to [email protected] and keep letters under 300 words.