Investigate legal costs for tree

Would it be possible please to investigate the origins of the £250,000 “costs” involved in the case of the Irton beech tree? (Yorkshire Post, October 5)

Surely, routine legal matters such as this should be dealt with by the well-qualified staff of the county and borough authorities, and no extra costs need to be incurred and borne by the public.

It is difficult to imagine that any specialist consultants would need to be called upon, but if this was so, perhaps the cost-effectiveness of local government should be looked at – and urgently.

Fitting faces for trains

From: Graham Lund, Dalrymple Street, Girvan.

I visited Keighley by rail recently, and was disappointed to see that the class 158 unit carried the image of Barbara Castle. While the script seemed to associate her with developing the transport system, some may identify her with rail closures.

I suggest there are more fitting people to portray on our trains. Actors like Rodney Bewes and Molly Sugden, sportsmen like Adrian Moorhouse, Harvey Smith and Anita Lonsbrough, and some of those who work tirelessly to develop the rail system in their own time should join Keighley’s retired celebrity librarian and respected factotum, Ian Dewhirst – a decent fellow indeed.

Cameron not a true Tory

From: David Quarrie, Holgate, York.

Margaret Thatcher’s press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham, says that we should not yet be looking to get rid of Prime Minister David Cameron, because he is head and shoulders better than any of the rest (Yorkshire Post, October 12).

I totally disagree. He is the worst Tory PM since 1946, even worse than Ted Heath – and that is saying a lot.

Mr Cameron is more like a Liberal Democrat; he most certainly is not a true Tory.