Thursday's Letters: Labour's spending on schools was unrealistic

Ed Balls, along with everyone else in the education world, knew that the profligate way the programme began with its massive overspending could not be sustained and could never be completed in its original form.

Even before the election, the schools down the waiting list with graveyard humour were calling it "Repainting Schools for the Future".

Certainly, Michael Gove was ill-advised to rush his announcement, but the policy is the right one and it is naive of Jayne Dowle to think that the policy was only conceived when the Government took office.

As Shadow Education Secretary, Michael Gove got out to schools and in my experience was an excellent listener and learner.

Money will be spent on schools and if there are holes in the school roof, then mend them. If there are any secondary schools not on broadband internet, then building a new school is a very expensive way of getting connected.

From: John Holland, Lindeth Road, Silverdale, Carnforth.

From: Arthur Quarmby, Underhill, Holme.

I WENT to three very different schools during my childhood and youth but what they had in common was they they were all well over 100 years-old. The plumbing and heating were pretty antiquated but they worked, and the fabric of all these buildings was in excellent condition.

Post-Second World War, schools were badly built using cheap materials with no thought of lifespan and even less of maintenance, and these particular chickens are now come home to roost with the Building Schools for the Future furore.

We can see a welcome improvement in the quality of building and of the

materials being used, but the neglect of maintenance seems embedded in local authority culture, which it seems will always prefer to neglect, then demolish and rebuild.

Don't take these services for granted

From: David W Armitage, Oakwood Drive, Altofts, Normanton, West

Yorkshire.

MAY I respond to recent articles about ambulance times being the worst in the country and detail some statistical aspects of our local ambulance service? I would also counter the negative letters

occasionally submitted about hospital care.

Statistics are always very subjective, and therefore never contain accounts of the unsung services supplied by our local paramedics and nursing teams.

On Christmas Day morning last year, I was admitted to the Coronary Care Unit at Pinderfields Hospital, having experienced two cardiac arrests (total heart failure), one at home and one just prior to admission. I was told this in hindsight, as my recollection obviously was vague.

The paramedics responded very early on Christmas Day morning. They cared for me at home, and a decision was made to divert to

Pinderfields – rather than risk the longer journey to Leeds General Infirmary.

The long resuscitation was led by Dr Viswanathan, followed by the superb care of the Coronary Care Team of the CCU and Ward 5, led by consultant cardiologist Dr Helen White.

Without the rapid action and decisions of the paramedics, plus the

total care at Pinderfields Hospital for several weeks, there is no doubt I would have later become a mere statistic.

Our local ambulance service is far more than a transport service, it is a service vital for our care and bare statistics cannot show this. The expertise and care of the CCU at Pinderfields is outstanding. Neither should be taken for granted.

Penalty for the Dutch

From: Ken Kaye, Steep Riding, Brockholes, Holmfirth.

AS the Dutch football team drifts home from South Africa clutching their precious "runners-up" medals, they may care to reflect on the lasting damage their aggressive behaviour on the field of play and their total lack of respect shown to the courageous referee Howard Webb has done to the Netherlands tourism industry.

Their players, supporting staff and subsequently the Dutch press have missed a golden opportunity to show the world that despite losing the match narrowly, upholding fine sporting principles, being magnanimous in defeat and setting a good example to their nation's children, was vastly more important than winning a mere football match.

Those who might before the match have been considering visiting Holland to view their "tulips in Amsterdam", cruise along their canals or sample their famous cheeses, must now be having second thoughts.

Costs of Papal visit

From: Fr Neil McNicholas, St Hilda's Parish, Whitby.

WITH regard to the forthcoming Papal visit, and the reaction that is being generated to the cost involved, what doesn't always seem to be appreciated is that the Pope is coming here primarily as Head of State (the Vatican State) not as leader of the Catholic Church.

It is therefore somewhat puzzling as to why the cost of the visit was made public and has become the subject of public debate when such information is never normally released when other Heads of State are invited to this country. Is this yet another example of the anti-Church (and possibly also anti-Catholic) lobby in our midst?

The Catholic Church in this country is picking up the tab for that additional portion of the Holy Father's visit that is purely Church-related which won't therefore become, as some people seem to assume, a public expense. In addition, it is perhaps worth pointing out that Catholics will already have contributed to the state visit costs through our taxes and are then being asked to contribute additionally to the Church-related costs. This rather suggests that the indignation of some of your recent contributors (Yorkshire Post, July 9) is both misplaced and premature.

Insurance up in the air

From: Les Arnott, Athelstan Road, Sheffield.

YOU would think that I would be most grateful for British Airways having covered the costs of my wife and I, in a very agreeable Bangkok hotel, for a week's stay in the wake of the volcanic ash crisis – and you would be right.

My compensation for a hefty sum which I was forced to fork out at the time has just arrived.

Indeed, we should perhaps also be praising the EU whose rules made this possible but that I cannot do – it was a rank injustice. BA were not responsible for this scenario and yet were forced to pay for it.

How much better if Brussels had ensured that the insurance cover we had taken out had worked properly.

My wife and I were covered for delays – up to 3,000 each. Sadly, our insurance company refused to pay – stating reasons unclear when the policy was taken out. There was no mention at all of volcanic ash in the small print.

If Brussels wishes to interfere – and when doesn't it? – it could at least aim at the right target.

What I've learned from a long life of good fortune

From: Ken Hartford, Durham Mews, Butt Lane, Beverley.

REGARDING the letter from David Craggs (Yorkshire Post, July 7), he may be interested to learn of my experience.

After a somewhat meagre education at a good grammar school, I was called up for service in 1944. Leaving in 1947, I had no qualifications but worked in various spheres, eventually getting into teaching which I did for 15 or more years at colleges for further education (in

commercial and general studies).

I then went to get a degree (only a 2.2) but was able (and fortunately) because of the earlier experiences, to help people at Hull University to write their life stories, mostly in reasonably communicative English, though some writers had other languages to draw on as well (as I did myself a little).

Now, just beyond the age of 84, I'm living on the teachers' and state pensions I receive, writing books and helping charities for a pleasant (and possibly "useful") lifestyle for, I hope, the remainder of my years.

If any of your readers have doubts about my ability to do these things sufficiently, I shall be intrigued because I can't help my family to

survive on the money I'm receiving. Indeed, I'm finding it difficult to keep healthy physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

My background hasn't helped, of course, but that is because I tend to give things away rather than sell them.

I've only been up one mountain, but have flown a few times to other countries to learn from them. I'm certainly no more of an idiot than I've ever been. I haven't deserved the good fortune, but that's the irony of life, isn't it?

Our police are overstretched

From: David Speight, Bradford Road, Tingley, Wakefield.

IT is very clear the Prime Minister and his advisers have no idea about the police. They say officers will have to give more for less.

If David Cameron was in touch with today's policing, he would know that our police officers are overstretched.

Today's response officer has no work-life balance as they dash at risk from one job to the next. Not only are they putting themselves and

their careers at risk, but also the public.

Vital lifeline on the buses

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Littlefield Lane, Grimsby.

WELL said about the Bus Service Operators Grant in your Editorial comment "On the buses" (Yorkshire Post, July 12). It really would be short-sighted to axe such funding.

After all, buses are a lifeline among the poorest groups in society, helping their mobility. What's more, I understand that the Government may still consider subsidising London's Crossrail programme, showing again the bias against this part of the world.

Crew cuts

From: Roger Haw, Old Manor Drive, Oxspring, Sheffield.

I ALMOST laughed when I read Mark Smitherman's plea to exclude South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service from possible cuts (Yorkshire Post, July 12).

This is the organisation that has recently demolished a purpose-built headquarters which was not very old and has built a brand spanking new headquarters approximately half-a-mile from the original one. Was this an example of their efficiency?

Unearned pay

From: Ken Greene, Burnaby Close, Beverley.

REGARDING Peter Edwards's column (Yorkshire Post, July 12), why is it that when talking about high salaries in the public sector, he and other commentators use "earns" instead of "paid" when, surely, the latter is a better description? The people that he rightly criticises do not "earn" their ridiculously high payments.

Lack of interest

From: Godfrey Bloom, UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

THE Government has owed me a 3,000 tax rebate since April. Can I assume they will pay me interest? Or is it one way traffic?