YP Letters: Homes tax could flood Dales market

CARL Lis and colleagues (The Yorkshire Post, January 13) will be aware that a punitive increase in domestic rates for second home owners in the Yorkshire Dales may flood the market with properties for sale by those unable or unwilling to afford this additional expense.

The effect may be to devalue the properties not just of second home owners, but also of those long-term residents who may need to “unlock” capital from their own properties via equity release.

Clearly house prices are a real and very genuine concern for those unable to get on to 
the local housing ladder but this, to greater or lesser extent, is part of a national problem, not entirely confined to the Yorkshire Dales and which 
is clearly apparent, for example, in the North Leeds conurbation.

Forest means losing land

From: Robert Hunter, Sandy Lane, Middlestown, Wakefield.

DAVID Behrens (The Yorkshire Post, January 13) makes no mention of loss of agricultural land re the Northern Forest.

From what I’ve seen, there will be quite a lot used towards the eastern end of the M62.

We cannot afford to keep losing good land, lovely as trees are.

Also, isn’t it ironic that new forestry is planned within sight of Drax, where millions of tons of wood pellets from destroyed North American forests are being burned after being transported there entirely by diesel-burning transport?

Question of priorities

From: Mike Lacey, Elloughton.

A SIMPLE question. which is the better use of taxpayers’ funds?

To reduce the rail journey time between London, Birmingham and eventually other northern locations by 15 minutes, or,

To eliminate the alleged £20bn hole in the Ministry of Defence’s budget and have properly equipped, and manned, Armed Forces, capable of responding to the on-going defence needs of the UK, and in addition to try to resolve the problems currently faced by some parts of the NHS?

Answers on a postcard please!

Hanging on the telephone

From: Janet Berry, Hambleton.

ON the subject of NHS appointments being cancelled, it can take 10 to 15 minutes for GP surgeries to answer the phone. Perhaps people just gave up.

I did feel very guilty last week when my husband went to the dentist and asked when my appointment was.

He was told that it was now and my husband should have gone the day before. Guilty as charged.

Diplomacy for Trump

From: Mrs A Rotherham, Coxwold View, Wetherby.

Should Donald Trump come to London? That is a matter for diplomats in both countries.

Although the initial response is briefly an appalled silence on all sides, we must remember that we are, in effect a long-established neighbourhood of nations, and we have had within our own country in living memory those who have not been a credit to us and whom 
we would have preferred to disown.

We have welcomed in the past, for reasons of diplomacy, those whom we would not invite into our lives or into our homes, and this is no different.

A single ill-disciplined youth does not disturb a respectable street for very long, nor does one foul-mouthed tenant disturb a neighbourhood for ever – although the experience is very unpleasant while it lasts.

Donald Trump may not wish to come here any more than we would wish to welcome him, but there may come a time in the general way of things and of international affairs that such a visit becomes appropriate.

If that does become a necessity, no doubt diplomats on all sides will work to ensure that the proprieties are observed and that offence is neither given nor taken. We hope.

From: Phil Moon, Listers Court. Ilkley.

Should Donald Trump and the leader of North Korea take heed of the statement which was made by J Robert Oppenheimer (The father of the atomic bomb)?

Upon witnessing the first nuclear tests, he said: “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds”.

It might cause them to think about the consequences of their childish actions.

Post offices plug bank gap

From: Molly Preston, Austwick.

Recent letters in The Yorkshire Post are bemoaning the demise of banks on the high street.

I do all my banking requirements through the local post office (more trade to keep them going).

As for the demise of cash machines, the cashback system at supermarkets on your debit card covers any cash requirements.