CUtherue Letters Good to see civic pride at work
I REFER to the letter from Mr Robin Addyman in last week’s "Advertiser and Times,” in which he was critical of certain aspects of the devel opment at the railway sta tion. Perhaps I may be
of the station platforms,
given the opportunity to set the record straight. The complete rebuilding
which took place last year, was necessary before a regular train service would be permitted to use it. The emphasis on safety imposed by the Depart ment of Transport and the Health and Safety Execu tive is such that the origi nal platforms were seen to be inadequate for regular use. Many would agree that the safety require ments now being imposed
on the railway industry seem to be excessive, especially if one compares them with the apparent free-for-all which seems to apply to the road trans port industry, but it is coarly the intention that
electricity is small com pared with the cost of replacing items destroyed by local youths. The restoration of the
rail travel shall be as safe as is humanly possible; hence the need for the cor rect height, width and length of platforms (the latter in relation to the maximum length of trains which will be permitted to use the station). It would appear to be a
bit over the top to have the platforms lit each
evening, but it has been shown that this exercise has proved very effective
in cutting out the petty vandalism which had taken
Clouding issue
in cash debate over Roefield
THANK YOU, Mr Pickup, for your reply to my letter stating that, in my opinion, the users of the Roe- field Centre should pay to make it cost-effective and not the local taxpayers; but what a raw nerve I must have touched to provoke such a savage and unwarranted attack on that opinion and on my personal courage.
hold such opinions and fighting to the death to defend that right?
Mr Pickup seems fond of using quotations! Does he remember the one about peoples’ right to
Mr Pickup know the meaning of my nom-de-plume, he also knows from the spelling that I am male in gender.
What a wonderful thing education is! Not only does
tion of the French Revolution. They quite rightly associate it with emigration in general and leaving one’s country for political reasons specifically, and well done, Mr Pickup, the word is of French origin.
Centre, the Ribblesdale Pool and the Longridge and Clitheroe civic halls, none of which 1 mentioned in my letter, and I fail to see how any facility which runs at a financial
In the manner of all politicians, Mr Pickup attempts to cloud the issue bv dragging in the Longridge Sports
...................... .
tens of thousands of pounds to the Kibble Valley Coun cil taxpayer."
loss can be. in Mr Pickup’s words, "saving
tionary in the field of local government and, in an attempt to ridicule my opinion, he seems to draw comfort and guidance from the quotations of Charles Lamb (1775 — 1831).
His sister killed her mother in 17110 in a fit of insanity and Charles Lamb himself was mentally deranged in 17115/0, with a very real threat of insanity.
He and his sister had a history of mental instability.
someone to quote to promote your cause where clear thinking about the future of the Roefield Centre is required.
local government that got him removed from office. I remain, Mr Pickup, yours unabashed.
EMIGRE. Deserving of thanks
1 FEEL I must write to correct Mr John Heap about Roefield Leisure Centre. His description of it being a private business venture is inaccurate and deluding. The tennis dome is a private business venture, but Roefield is OURS, the people of the Ribble Valleys. We worked very hard (unpaid) hoping to keep the costs down so that everyone can enjoy it.
(unpaid) to look after OU R interests Perhaps Coun. David Smith and Coun. Allan Kay
There are trustees (unpaid) and a committee
have been misled and, when considering grants, 1 would like to think that they will look equally care fully at all accounts where grants have been made and not just the £135 to the Ribble Valley Sports and Recreational Council. As it seems that the council officers are planning a
new sports council, I would like to point out that members of the Ribble Valley Snorts and Recreational Council have fostered many different sports for many years and have given so much of their time (unpaid)
have been without its help?
BARBARA MEADOWS, Oukficld.Whalley Road, Barrow.
A cowardly
attitude SO the cowardly "Emigre (why can’t these people sign letters with their real name?) would close Roe field Leisure Centre down on the basis that it is not (quite) self-financing and that it is only used by a
minority.
Well, while were at it, let's also close down Clitli-
,
e r o e an d W h a l l e y libraries, Trinity, the
bowling greens and chil dren’s play areas at the Castle, Ribblesdale I ool and Longridge Sports Centre, to name but a few that would qualify for immediate closure if the same c r i t e r i a were
applied.
C o u l i l t h i s b e “Emigre’s" interpretation
. .
of “Back to Basics, i.e. close down everything that promotes physical and mental well-being in the community, unless it can show a clear profit on the balance sheet?
ROBERT SMITTON, 35 Buccleuch Avenue,
Clilheroe. • LETTERS )<
• that they may hr rititra or condensed at Editor's discretion.
tion are accepted only on the itndcrstandiny
>'■ puhltui the
that thev surely deserve our thanks. Where would Ribble Valley amateur sports people
It was the voters' perception of his idea of good Perhaps he was not the best possible choice of
' Just one final thought for Mr Pickup to consider regarding being a revolutionary in, and his contin uous promotion of, good local government.
Mr Pickup seems to take pride in being a revolu . . the The dictionaries that 1 have read make no men
place when the platforms were unlit. The cost of
station building is an entirely separate project, coinciding with the open ing of the rail service but not essential to its opera tion. For many years the building, which occupies a prime position in the town, has been an eyesore. The owners, Daniel Tlnvaitcs and Co., wished to see the building put to a worth while use rather than con tinue in an unrestored state as commercial prem ises. The restoration now taking place is the result of a partnership between the owners and Kibble Valley Borough Council, which has secured a lease on the property. Together
with support from English Heritage and Lancashire County Council, the land lord and tenant have funded the work. Within weeks we shall see the building restored to its original exterior splendour as a good example of a Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway station building, but, more importantly, the interior will be available for use as exhibition space for local artists and tour
year, an area of the town which has remained unin spiring and under-used for many years will spring to life. As time goes on, the development of the former auction mart site, together with the planned creation of a new bus station and taxi rank next to the rail way station, will give the area a totally new vitality.
ing exhibitions, a neces sary requirement as a result of a recent arts audit within the borough. Additionally, there will be a visitor centre and it is lioped that in due course it may be possible for the tourist information office to be located within the building. At the end of May this
Not surprised that public meeting became emotive
ON reading Coun. Ken Ford’s letter in last week’s “Advertiser and Times,” I was sur prised at his comment “most of what I heard at the meeting was emotive rhetoric from people
with vested interests.” Call me naive, but I rather supposed that was
THE current review of local government has been initiated by the Govern ment in Westminster and is being conducted by the Local Government Com mission on its behalf. It was. therefore, unfor tunate that neither was
An open letter to our MP
represented at the well-at tended public meeting about the review held in Longridge on January 2-1 th. The representatives of the Ribble Valley Bor ough Council who had called the meeting did their best, but we were left feeling frustrated because we were not able to put our points to the p e o p 1e ta k in g th e decisions. I hope, therefore, you
the meeting held in Lon gridge Civic Centre to consider the review of local government was well attended. Everyone pres ent wanted to keep a separate Ribble Valley Council. Most wanted it to continue to work alongside Lancashire County Coun cil. This would avoid the upheaval and expense which a change to the present arrangements for the delivery of services to the people of the area will inevitably involve. We were, however, advised that the Government has recently altered its guid ance to the Local Govern ment Commission in such a way as to virtually rule out this possibility and make a major upheaval in the delivery of services inevitable. You are both a member
will be willing to publish the following open letter to Nigel Evans, who is in a key position on this issue; "As you will have heard,
what public meetings were
for. When people perceive their way of life being threatened, be it schools, services, funding etc., is it any wonder that they become “emotive?”
i:
interests" and priorities, including Blackburn, Pres ton and Burnley, who have their own urban responsi bilities and problems. Does the councillor hon estly believe that by being split up and annexed to these authorities, the interests of the Ribble Valley would be better served than if it was given unitary authority status?
Everybody has “vested
and happy to belong to the Ribble Valley and feel privileged to live hero. I, for one, have always been happy with the services provided and have long hoped that my postal address could read Ribble Valley.
Many people are proud
scoffs at the idea of Rib- chester being uprooted and floated down river to Preston — given the
Lastly, the councillor
recent levels of rainfall, wouldn’t be so sure.
MARGARET IIOWARTII, Snccury Lane, Mellor.
cial c u t -b a c k s and recession, it is good to see that an element of civic pride still prevails in our town. I remain convinced that Mr Addyman will become proud of what has been achieved.
Secretary, Ribble Valley Rail.
DAVID.I. 15 UTTER WORTH,
Merger with Craven still an option
M A Y I e o r r e c t t h e impression your “Skipton link fades" article gave on the front page last when you stated; “The prospect of a merger between the Ribble Valley and Craven in the forthcoming local government review ended this week." Paragraph 72 of the
in these days of finan
Residents are still fearful for health
MR 1SHERW00D, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Pol lution officer-in-charge of Castle Cement, demon strated most effectively the very reasons why resi dents in the communities surrounding Castle Cement are fearful for their health and safety.
(i.e. waffly) letter from his boss on the inner pages. He had to shout from the rooftops that we must believe him how safe this mixture of chemical waste is.
He is not content to leave the issue with a diplomatic
were made during experiments months ago, before commercial use, by a firm paid to do them by Castle Cement.
No matter that the tests used to justify his claims
cement kiln are far removed from managed conditions in “test burns."
No matter that everyday working conditions in a
just about, at last, to do tests of its own. No matter that he announced “unannounced tests”
No matter that, after 18 months in use, IIMIP is
on the front page of the local newspaper. No matter, since HMIP cannot conduct tests unan
has our health at heart, that he did not insist that provision for independent testing was in place BEFORE authorisation was given to burn these
nounced, it needs Castle Cement’s consent. No matter, despite Mr Isherwood’s claims that he
wastes. He made all these statements across our front page
the week before HMIP’s own tests. Will anyone in our community now believe HMIP’s results?
of stack sampling in the wet kiln. Does anyone believe it is pure coincidence tn..‘. 1 .o wet kiln was shut down for a thorough clean out immediately prior to these
As 1 pointed out. Castle Cement needs prior notice tests?
report of the commission ers to the Secretary of State on the future of North Yorkshire, pub
lished on January 2-lth, clearly states that the door is now open for such links to commence. At a meeting at Bolton-
have from a clean kiln etc., as a true reflection on normal running.
Even if we believe them, what value will the results
S. ASHWORTH, 9 Elm Street, Rawlenstall.
by-Bowland on January 28th (attended by three Craven councillors), repre sentatives of Ribble Valley parishes emphatically endorsed such a merger to be a principal option of both authorities.
BRUCE HOWLES, 1-15 Whalley Rond, Clitheroe.
Beyond belief
MAY I say how much I support and agree with every single word written
in a letter by Catherine Darby, in the January
20th edition. To allow this project at
Gibbon Bridge to go ahead i is beyond belief. She
MARGARET ROBINSON, Wilsden, Chipping.
HMIP told us nothing
CASTLE CEMENT and Her Majesty’s Inspec torate of Pollution went to a great deal of trouble in your paper last week to tell us (the population) precisely nothing! W e w an t t o k n o w
exactly what is being burned in the cement kilns
and, more importantly, what is coming out as emissions? It was not revealed that
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N. P. SUTHERLAND, Whitcstone, Iloldcn.
Statements blow to dignity
AS a group of university students who are also qualified nurses, we are g neatly concerned about comments made at an inquest reported in
the “Clitheroe Advertiser and Times” on December 9th. The story was headed “Patient choked after eating chocolate bar” and concerned the death of a resident living in a hospital.
r __________________ ____ .
of the Government and MP for the Ribble Valley. 1. Are you in favour of this alteration in the
guidance? 2. If not, what steps are
JOHN B. EARNSHAW, Red Barn, Millhousc Lane, Longridge.
you taking to have the o r ig in a l g u id a n c e reinstated?
pie with learning disabili ties (formerly described as mentally handicapped) "had to be treated like very young children.” This implies that they are all totally dependent on others for their needs and should not be allowed to develop. This comment, albeit probably well intended, is a gross mis conception and as such could devalue the skills and abilities that many adults with learning disa
bilities have acquired. There are different
It inferred that all peo- they were children does notliing for their dignity and very little to enhance society’s image of learning disabilities. The terminology within
the inquest report can give the wrong impression.
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levels of disability and, despite them, people can enjoy full and varied life styles, striving to be recognised as valued mem bers of the communities in which they reside. To refer to them as though
Mr Evans should keep to his promises
1 READ with interest the article in last week’s paper showing Nigel Evans in Belgrade.
. I wonder if anyone else notices, as I do, just how much publicity our MB seems to court, both in the newspapers and on TV. I, for one, was very con
and boys." It is a pity that Mr
cerned when the Conser v a t iv e P a r ty chose
someone from Swansea to represent us in Parlia ment. Could it be it has b ig p la n s fo r o u r hign-flyer? Last week, he was dis
Evans cannot keep prom ises to his own constitu ents. Does he remember the housing issue at Cal- derstones? How long are we to wait for an answer to our query? Perhaps there is not
cussing the health service on television, something I hasten to add he showed very little knowledge
about, in terms of what staff on the “shop floor"
27 years, until retirement last year. Never has morale been so low and never have so many lies been told by managers and
worked in the NHS for
was going up by more than 50% over the next three years. This was untrue and I have a letter here to prove it. I had a meeting with the
enough high-profile public ity to be gained, or could it be the fact that it means crossing swords with a trust board. We feel, as a group of people, that we have been discriminated against. The hospital owned four
rises. Come on, Mr Evans,
chief ex e cu t iv e , Mr Abbott, just before Christ mas and he blamed the Government for the rent
different sets of houses. It sold two sets and refuses, now that the trust has taken over the manage
ment of them, to sell the rest. Surely this is not
fair?
MPs about what is actually ‘ ";h
happening to our healtj service — managers, inci dentally, who owe an alle giance to the Conservative
Party. This is “jobs for the girls
Not only that, the trust intended to raise our rents by over 200% in the next three years. Helen Ste venson was quoted in the “Advertiser and Times,” just before Christmas, as saying that nobody’s rent
help soil this out for us. It was Tory policy that everyone living in a coun cil, police, hospital house or, indeed, any home owned by the Government should be given the right to buy. Please could you answer
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