YEP Letters: March 16

Incinerator ‘odour’ problem?

Andy Killingbeck, Seacroft

is it just me with my keen sense of smell, but are any other readers having the same problem?

For weeks now (when the wind is from the SW) I get the distinct smell of burning plastic wafting around my nostrils whenever I got outside my kitchen door. The smell is definitely not coming from inside, and as a former fireman I know exactly what the smell of burning plastic smells like!

I can only conclude that this disgusting odour is coming from the new incinerator at Cross Green. I’ve reported the matter to my local councillors and wonder what (if anything) LCC are going to do about it?

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Devolution has become political wrangle

D Angood, by email

The devolution issue has now become a political wrangle between the major parties and this will only cause more delay.

Are the politicians fighting to secure a future for Yorkshire or themselves? One group, Labour led, wants a city region and a mayor for it whilst another group, Conservative led, wants a greater Yorkshire region.

Any independent observer would know, looking at how the populace voted in the last election, that Labour want the city region because they know a Labour mayor would be elected and a greater region would favour a Conservative mayor. Surely the prime objective of devolution is to secure a vibrant future for Yorkshire as a whole? Sheffield have elected to go city region and therefore seem to have given up Yorkshire status.

One of the problems is that the majority of the electorate see the role of mayor and their staff as just another layer of paid political bureaucrats.

We have 54 Yorkshire MPs and their loyalties are divided between party and constituents with party concerns their priority. Scotland has 59 MPs and their priority is Scotland and their party, their party of course being SNP so loyalty is natural.

If we are to have devolution for Yorkshire we need solidarity among MPs but that will never happen with the sitting MPs because of their politics. We need an independent Yorkshire party whose priority is Yorkshire and not a political party. Yipee, Yorkshire Independent Party at every event. Tongue in cheek, yes, but could it be achieved and bring some much needed Yorkshire “nous” to the table.

If we are going to try for a greater Yorkshire region and a mayor it should include all of Yorkshire as it was. Return to the old boundaries and instead of a politician aligned to a party, let us see if we can persuade an independent Yorkshireman who believes in Yorkshire and its folk.

Somebody who is prepared to fight for Yorkshire and not to appease whichever political party is in power, whether in central or local government.

I’d willingly take the part of mayor for expenses only, if I could, and try and unite business, industry, trade and transport by kicking a few backsides (political ones I might add) to give us that Northern Powerhouse that at the moment is a politicians’ dream.

We need a Yorkshireman to make that dream a reality and not another political nightmare.

Pint pot is overflowing

Lindon Dove, Prospective UKIP Councillor for Ardsley and Robin Hood

Andrea Jenkyns MP applauds the boom in new housing taking place in Morley.

There are many things we may agree about and indeed, I was glad to stand alongside Andrea and Councillor Robert Finnigan on the steps of Morley Town Hall in a cross party support of the leave Europe campaign.

However, I find it impossible to be pleased at the massive rape of green belt land to feed the needs of a soaring population. I am particularly aggrieved that the need is a self-inflicted injury created by successive governments’ failure to protect Britain from the nonsense of Europe’s open borders policy.

Migrant Watch, an independent organisation monitoring the effects of migration in the UK states: “Immigration is a major factor in the demand for housing. Official data shows that over the last twenty years, over 60 per cent of the additional households created in the UK were headed by a person born abroad. Over the last five years that figure was 90 per cent.”

Current net migration figures for the year ending September 2015 is 323,00. In three years if the migration rate continues at this level, and there is no reason to suppose differently, we will need to create housing and other infrastructure, school places, doctors’ surgeries etc. sufficient to meet the needs of a city the size of Birmingham.

We cannot go on like this. Even the most pro-European advocate cannot justify this continuing flood of migrants and the impact it has on a relatively small country. England is second only to the Netherlands for population density in Europe. The pint pot is not only full but overflowing.

Patient confidentiality

Malcolm Shedlow, Moortown

I believe it has taken a horrific intentional plane crash to change the ruling that has restricted doctors from reporting their patients, as in the case of the pilot who only two weeks before crashing a plane killing 150 people was diagnosed to have suicidal tendencies.

Because of the doctor being tied by the patient confidentiality ruling the doctor did not report the pilot to the aviation authorities. Had he done so, it would have saved all those lives. At least now that the doctors are allowed to divulge obvious signs of drivers with disabilities, making them a danger on the roads, they can report the fact to the DVLC.

It’s only common sense that any one either on the roads or in the air, especially if they have passengers, should not be allowed to drive or be a pilot if they are not fit to do the job.

Bonus for savers

Ernest Lundy, by email

As ‘One Foot in the Grave’ actor, Richard Wilson would say: “I caaaan’t believe it”! When I hear news that those able to save £6 a month for two years will be awarded £600 bonus by the government, I too cannot believe it.

It’s a sure thing that many pensioners with savings would love to get their hands on (a stated) 50 per cent return for so doing. Problem is that in ripe old age some of us may not live long enough to get benefit.

On the other hand, in line with the interest (joke) we get from savings, more likely than not we will still have to settle for the pittance interest of around 1.4 per cent we obtain before tax at 20 per cent.

It would be far better idea to award my generation and those following tax-free status on becoming pensioners, rather than complicate things further with awards such as the one suggested, tax credits and the like.

Share in decision making

Richard Evans, Chief Executive Officer, The Society and College of Radiographers

Philip Plant, Chair of the Public and Patient Liaison Group

The phrase ‘patient centred care’ is frequently said but how often do we, as patients, feel that we have a voice and can influence the quality of care that we and our loved ones receive?

Nine out of 10 patients who go to hospital will see a radiographer. Either a diagnostic radiographer who produces images such as x-rays, CT or ultrasound scans, or a therapeutic radiographer who uses radiation to treat cancer.

The Society and College of Radiographers wants more people to join its Public and Patient Liaison Group, which is made up of patients and carers.

Members of the group can influence the radiography profession about the issues that are important to them. If readers go to the ‘About radiography’ section of the Society’s website at www.sor.org, they can read more about the group and its work.

Or they can email Liz Robinson at [email protected] and she will provide more information and answer questions.

It is important that patients use this opportunity to share in decision making about the care and treatment that they receive.