City in urgent need of fresh investment

I USUALLY find myself in total agreement with your Comment column, but under the heading “Power Games” (Yorkshire Post, June 29) concerning Local Enterprise Partnership for the Leeds City Region, I found the editorial totally unfair.

As a citizen of the once proud city of Bradford, I am no fan of the leaders of this city who have in effect almost destroyed the city centre, with numerous failed plans and grand, expensive designs that come to nothing, usually following ill-thought wholesale demolition.

Bradford city centre is now, in my opinion, dying. The whole area is in a state of neglect, the central area being sandwiched between a hole in the ground and a large, potentially imposing former cinema which is being allowed to fall down.

Your Editorial states that Leeds and Bradford are both facing the same economic challenges and that the “vast Kirkstall Forge” site will mean that the residents of Bradford will benefit from this project, in addition to the increase in investment in Leeds. Perhaps I am missing something, but how is this particular Kirkstall project going to benefit Bradford, what will the benefits be, and when will they be delivered?

Leeds has had massive amounts of investment, new shopping centres, the Leeds Arena, and now I read of yet another massive project for Leeds, City House, next to the station. Bradford has nothing approaching any of these and for further investment to be poured in to Leeds, already a vibrant, wealthy, thriving city, seems to have no logic whatsoever when one looks at the dire needs of its near neighbour.

Perhaps the members of the LEP might like to conduct a simple experiment. Take a walk around central Leeds, then pop over to Bradford and do a tour of that city centre. It should be immediately obvious which area has the greatest need. The MPs and citizens of Bradford have every right to be aggrieved, it is not simply a matter of sour grapes but a question of putting in the investment where it is most needed.

From: Michael Swaby, Hainton Avenue, Grimsby.

Phillip Green gives us a timely reminder of the North’s industrial achievements and the traditional skills that still survive (Yorkshire Post, June 30).

Regarding “southern desk jobs”, I regard the current City of London as something of a hybrid. While many are contributing to the common good, a veritable army appears to be occupied in the management and transfer of existing assets, rather than in the creation of new wealth. Amazingly, there are more managed funds than there are Stock Exchange listed companies.

As Mr Green points out, certain activities generate real wealth. Seemingly disparate countries like Germany and China are both highly successful at simply making things that people want. The City’s primary function is to provide a reliable financial platform for all useful economic activity, from tourism to manufacturing. This is incompatible with speculation, which should be kept at arm’s-length. It is very healthy that the Government is talking about rebalancing the economy, with an emphasis on manufacturing and increased exports. If history is a guide, it could also mean that we are in trouble.

Responsibility close to home

From: Mrs Maureen Hunt, Woolley, Near Wakefield.

IT is understandable that Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, praised the Government for their generous gift to Africa of £814m (Yorkshire Post, June 18). His roots are in Africa and a part of his heart will always be there.

Mr Cameron, having experienced the tragedy of a sick child within his own family, will have a particular empathy with the vaccination of children to prevent disease. However, we cannot save the world, although we may wish we could.

Recent reports have suggested that one day we may find ourselves on the slippery slope leading into bankruptcy. Our debt is escalating on a daily basis.

It is surely irresponsible to donate such a large sum of money when vital facilities in our own country upon which people depend, sometimes as a lifeline, are being closed down.

The message the Government should be getting across to us is that we all need to live within our means. To succeed in this, they need to lead by example.

It is obviously absolutely essential that we put our own house in order as a matter of priority. If we fail to do so, we could be in a position where we are unable to help anyone.

Dr Sentamu defines the Trinity as: “God, family, work.” Personally I prefer the definition: “God, love, life.”