As a core city, Leeds has one of the fastest growing economies in the country; this, in turn, brings great prosperity to towns and cities in the surrounding area. We have seen vast economic improvements in the North over the past 25 years, with continuing growth and expansion attracting more business and more new inhabitants.

I do not agree with the conclusions of the report and believe that all areas that need regeneration deserve the funding to improve, regardless of their geographical position.

While our administration does not agree with the Government's over-inflated housing policy ideas, we do recognise that rational action and regeneration needs to continue to accommodate the ever increasing northern population.

We are working closely with neighbouring authorities to improve our transport infrastructure, with many projects in the pipeline, projects that will need further central government funding if we are to produce a superior public transport system.

The ignorance of regeneration by the Policy Exchange is breathtaking.

From: Coun Nader Fekri, Liberal Democrat spokesman for regeneration and development, Calderdale Council.

I FEEL I must write in response to the astonishing suggestion from the Tory-leaning think tank Policy Exchange, for people from towns and cities of the North to pack their bags and move to the South, which
is appalling.

The idea that people should abandon the North and move to the already crowded South-East, where house prices and living costs are sky high, is an insult to people living here.

I am staggered that a think tank so close to the Tories is making such a call. I am appalled that they are saying that large swathes of Yorkshire and the North can simply be abandoned. But, frankly, I am not that surprised.

Every time the Tories try to paint themselves as new, caring, and in touch with ordinary people, along comes something like this to remind us all that they haven't changed much from their Thatcherite roots.

What the Policy Exchange has done is to highlight thelack of understanding many Tories have of the North and to show that they
are too weak here to be taken seriously.

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn.

I HAVE never read such an objectionable proposition as that put forward by the so-called Tory think tank, advocating the running down of the big northern cities and at the same time suggesting that the population move to London and the South-East.

As a life-long Tory voter, I could never support such a motion if it ever became part of of their manifesto. What on earth are they thinking about. Apart from the South-East being congested already, it is hardly possible to abandon the big cities like Leeds and Bradford to fend for themselves without any government support.

I understand that our present administration has rejected the whole idea. I should think so.

From: Jeff Pearey, director – head of Leeds office, Jones Lang LaSalle.

ON the one hand, the Policy Exchange report seems to be suggesting that we turn our backs on centuries of history and cultural development and, on the other, it just seems to be a provocative statement from authors who appear to have a lack of understanding of regional economies.

I have little doubt that the fundamental outcome of this report will simply cause consternation and broaden the ignorance that exists about regeneration in the North.

The likes of Hull and Sunderland have undoubtedly suffered following the decline of the ship-building industry, but, equally, have made phenomenal strides in the last 20 years.

Equally, places like Bradford and Sheffield have undergone radical transformation, sometimes assisted by government policy and sometimes driven simply by the ambition and grit of local people.

To say that their policies have failed and funding should be switched to places like Cambridge and Oxford is not only grossly unfair, but misses the point. The UK is, and should be, a diverse island.
I don't disagree that people need choice, but, equally, all our towns and cites have a right to prosper under their own steam.

Regeneration in the North is not doomed to failure as this new report suggests. While the rate of growth in our Yorkshire towns and cities may have been slower, the improvements in the fabric of each are tangible and self-evident, as any visitor will see.

The fact that new towns have had a history of taking years to succeed and become genuine settlements in their own right is well documented. The regeneration of our northern towns and cities does throw up a number of challenges but, clearly, investment has been, and still is, very worthwhile.


Why coal is vital for Britain's energy needs


From: T Whapplington, Bridle Road, Stanfree, Chesterfield.

I HAVE no political bias but
feel tired of politicians using every opportunity to score points off one another, rather than actually being constructive.

Does Charles Hendry, Shadow Energy Minister (Yorkshire
Post, August 12) not recall how his party destroyed Britain's coal industry, followed, of course, by Labour's negative view.

He states that we have storage for only 14 days of gas, whereas France has up to 122 days.
Coal could be stored for years not days.

Coal burn at power stations has actually grown recently, due to the incredible price increases of oil and gas, but because of successive government policy, the vast majority of coal used is imported. What a balance of payments disaster.

The Warm Front programme has obvious benefits in helping to insulate homes, but, of course, has a total bias against solid-fuel heating.

Huge grants have been available to install new gas systems and up to £5,000 made available to install oil heating in areas off the gas main, with no mention in any literature provided regarding highly efficient modern solid-fuel systems.

The Government has also sponsored local authorities to strip out solid fuel and replace with gas and oil. So they have actually sponsored fuel poverty as solid fuel is now proven to be the cheapest heating.

Let us not forget that oil and gas are fossil fuels and solid fuel is the only option where wood can assist in heating the home in a carbon-neutral manner.