YP Letters: Bradford does not deserve bad comparison

DAVID Behrens (The Yorkshire Post, May 5) compares Bradford to Craven on the liveability index. He makes judgements blaming Bradford Council for Bradford’s low rating, but gives little evidence of which policies exactly he takes issue with.

He misses a wider context. Deindustrialisation and integration are not problems facing Craven. Bradford faces both these challenges at a scale and intensity more than most UK cities. Overcoming these challenges will take time, maybe generations. Bradfordians, new and old, are beginning to feel they belong. Windrush has not helped. But fortunately Bradford is much more than politicians at the town hall or Whitehall.

Health research in Bradford is world-leading. The Born in Bradford cohort study is the largest of its kind, intervening to improve outcomes for 30,000 children. Research into frailty of old age in Bradford has changed practice across England with the development of its electronic frailty index. We are looking forward to a literature festival this summer, and world curry festival this autumn.

There are many more stories of hope from this city, and Bradford will rise once again and Mr Behrens would be welcome to get on board.

Don’t blame the boomers

From: Mick Webb, Leeds.

THE BBC keeps telling us that “baby boomers” owned their own homes at the age of 21 – what a load of garbage.

They may have had a mortgage, which in no way is owning a house.

Ask those who had their homes repossessed at the time of negative equity. I know many “baby boomers” who have rented all their lives.

Many of today’s young will do something “baby boomers” never did – inherit property. The young of today should thank their lucky stars they were not the young people who had to fight in the First and Second World Wars.

Before people go to university, they should evaluate the chances of employment when they finish. Obviously, many don’t. One advantage was “baby boomers” didn’t have idiots telling them what they should expect from life.

These are the same people who, not so long ago, were telling men that the retirement age would come down to 60 for both men and women.

Looking back gives the illusion everything was so simple but we hear a lot about the destination, nothing about the journey.

The one thing certain about life is that it is unpredictable – all you can do is get on with it and treat the doom-and-gloom merchants with a pinch of salt.

No sacrifice of our farmland

From: John Goodman, Grove Close, Beverley.

IT has to be of great concern that 900 acres of agricultural land in the Spurn Point area can be destroyed for wildlife purposes. The reason is to compensate other loss of such land on the south bank of the River Humber. It should not be acceptable that agricultural land is a bargaining chip for such schemes.

If the Environment Agency wishes to create wildlife areas it could promote the protection of the Holderness coast by a pass-through reef from Bridlington to Spurn Point. The build-up of silts between the reef and the coastline would create a huge marshland, protect the coast and provide ample wildlife habitat.

Did pub row rescue beer?

From: Malcolm Toft, Windsor Avenue, Silsden.

AS A member for many years of the Brewery History Society and CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), I was glad to read your report (The Yorkshire Post, May 10) that Carlsberg is making an effort and returning some of the brewing of Tetley ale back to Leeds.

I hope that the ear-wigging I gave to two of that company’s employees last year may have played a part in the decision. That meeting, at the bar, took place in a former Ind Coope public house a short distance from Leeds Railway Station.

The two men were drinking the Wolverhampton-brewed version of Tetley Bitter. I was most vociferous in condemning the fact that Carlsberg closed the Tetley Brewery and moved the brand out of Leeds.

Where is our opposition?

From: PL Taylor, Milner Street, Lockwood, Huddersfield.

IN A vigorous and healthy democracy like the United Kingdom, which is probably the envy of the rest of the free and democratic societies of the world, the party in power very much benefits from opposition parties which are sensible and fairly representative of a large sector of the population.

It is my view that Mr Corbyn and the other opposition political party leaders should get their acts together and fire off a few salvos which will deter the party in power from making rash or extreme decisions.

Save the trees

From: C Balmer, Victoria Gardens, Hull.

WHAT should be Dan Jarvis’s first priority as Sheffield City Region mayor (The Yorkshire Post, May 6)?

Well, I think he needs to preserve the remaining trees in Sheffield by sorting out the abuse of power by the local councillors and their misuse of the police power and resources.

Snail mail

From: Coun Tim Mickleburgh (Lab), Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

I KNOW technology is the way forward and this, like other letters to you, is being sent by email.

But when I’m waiting for the computer to get into gear I still often have fond memories of when I could put a piece of paper into my typewriter and start straight away.