Before we can decide whether our town needs a manager, we must try to decide what we want from our town.

Your newspaper has had a number of stories running over the summer that suggest we actually have no idea.

First, the stories about building new homes. There is apparently demand for “affordable homes”, but there is actually nowhere to build them, and if anyone suggests a site, there are genuine environmental concerns.

Of course, the concept of “affordable homes” in Ilkley is impossible, because as soon as the first buyers try to sell them the price will have risen to match what people are willing to pay to live in Ilkley.

So the question becomes ‘affordable by whom?’, affordable by the scions of the mansions on the hillsides or the offspring of the semis in the valley? How do we want the population of Ilkley to be made up?

Then there is the Tesco question. Opponents of the store say it is damaging to our good independent shops, but do many of those really exist? The notoriously high rents in our town dictate the type of shops we have, not Tesco.

If shops go out of business it is because they are too expensive for the quality of goods they provide, or their service is poor; we have several shops which survive because they understand this and provide quality and service. Otherwise, our independent shops are a tidal wave of coffee places, posh frock emporia, charity stores and knick-knack boutiques. Is this the sort of town we want, or do we need Tesco, to cater for those who want moderately cheap goods at acceptable prices? Our ‘leaders’ say we must look after our local businesses, but should we protect poor value at high prices, or subsidise the high rents?

There was also the regular story about visitor parking, and I must say it has got worse this year.

In Bridge Lane, which seems to have become a free car park, I have seen ambulances blocked in because of the cars lined up either side. One of our ‘leaders’ has called Ilkley a ‘Town for Visitors’, but if that means that residents cannot move around, is that what we want?

I could go on. Over the years our ‘leaders’ say they wish to improve education, but block necessary work at the Grammar School; they wish to improve the visitor experience, but block a visitor centre; they recognise a problem with through traffic, but block any constructive proposals. They are very good at identifying problems, and are equally good at fluttering their hands and wailing “what can we do?”. And they are true experts at the photo opportunity, like the one in your newspaper a couple of weeks back with three hand-flutterers posing with the chap who had organised the lights. But they are absolutely useless at actually doing anything, finding solutions.

So, before we have a Town Manager, I would like to see some coherent idea as to what our town should be. I would suggest as a starting point that we do not consider it a ‘Town for Visitors’, or looking after our local businesses or property magnates, but we consider it primarily a town for its residents, and have it run so that we who live here can go about our daily lives with as little friction as possible. Only when we get our priorities right should we start thinking about hiring a ‘Town Manager’.

Nick Beeson, Alexandra Place, Ilkley

Debacle of the proposed flotation of Royal Mail

I am a postman in Otley delivering to the LS21 postcode area with 25 years of service with Royal Mail. In my life I have seen many changes over the years not only in my workplace but in politics, family and friends. Never before have I experienced the debacle that is the proposed flotation of Royal Mail by the Government.

In the present financial climate people are told to save money, to bite the bullet, suffer higher rates of inflation than pay rises can accommodate or receive no pay rise at all. On the other hand we have huge companies dodging taxes and executives given astronomical bonuses, a confusing contradiction.

Last year Royal Mail made record profits yet the present Government of austerity wants to sell it off – or part of it, this is still unclear – and proposes to use a company, Equiniti Limited, as the administrator. The firm boasts an operating profit of over £30m and pays no corporation tax.

Therefore the Government wants to sell a public company owned by taxpayers that is profitable. The money could be used to pay off Britain’s ever expanding debt but Royal Mail wants to use as its administrator a company that pays no corporation tax.

To make this more palatable to employees 10 per cent of the business will be issued as free shares in what smacks of a ‘let them eat cake’ attitude.

The share issue may sound tempting but Royal Mail employees have been here before. Previously we were offered ‘colleague shares’ in a scheme not open to the public.

This ran for over three years and employees were given dividend payments due to the company’s success. Over 20,000 jobs were lost during this period. One month before an estimated £2,700 pay out, the senior management re-valued the shares and staff received nothing.

It is no wonder employees are a little dubious about Royal Mail’s touting of the possibility of free shares if privatisation goes ahead.

They come with more strings attached than the Skipton puppet festival. I have drawn up a petition and will send this to my local MP, Mr Greg Mulholland, with signatures from all staff at Otley Delivery Office, union and non-union members alike, asking him with all or any powers he has to suspend the flotation of Royal Mail and instigate an investigation on all the financial implications.

If the flotation goes ahead the service to all our customers will worsen, leading to higher postage fees, closure of sub offices, later and infrequent deliveries, closure of delivery offices, cherry picking by investors with the sale of more profitable parts of the business. Customers may have to pick up mail from private boxes and may even have to pay for this service. Any reason to cut costs and so line the pockets of shareholders will be implemented.

Public support has prevented the privatisation of Royal Mail for many years. I still believe the British public will not be duped by this or any Government into selling a profitable business with a proud and long tradition of good service.

Therefore could I ask your readers to write to their MP and let their feelings be known. It is not just present employees and customers who will suffer under another privatisation fiasco but the next generation to come. People in positions of power appear without conscience in their pursuit of profit. I do not wish our children and theirs to see it as the norm to demonise sections of our community and push people on to the scrapheap while measuring success with a pound sign. It is inhuman to do so and breeds contempt within out community.

R P Suttle, Albion Street, Otley

We are sick and tired of ‘pie in the sky’ ideas

It is rather ironic that in the next few days the Don Valley Sports Stadium in Sheffield will shut its doors for the last time and a part of Yorkshire sporting history will disappear forever, but at the same time it is announced that a new Chevin Olympic Park will, fingers crossed, appear.

The people of Otley would love something to remember the fantastic Olympic results from our local stars. It would inspire and help others to reach for their goal and target.

The new sports hall, cycle track, running track, the all-weather playing fields, a gym and fitness studio and meeting rooms will be something we must all support and work for. But will it happen?

Many people in Otley are sick and tired of ‘the pie in the sky’ ideas and shattered inspirations which, when they reach the powers that be, fall like lead balloons!

A new Civic Centre or a refurbished one, a bypass and new bridge, a new swimming pool, a hotel, a sports hall, even a ski slope down the Chevin – all have been mentioned and all are still some way off along the Yellow Brick Road. Next year we see the Tour de France coming to Otley. Whilst most people welcome this, there is still the question of who pays and who benefits from it.

We hear that it will fill the hotels which Otley does not have, bring people to the town, which is good, but can we cope with 35,000 plus? It will create some well-paid jobs for the few and cost £10m-plus for us all to pay in the long run!

Nigel Francis, Otley Town Councillor (Ind, Danefield)

UK wind sector is in good health and is here to stay

Wharfedale Friends of the Earth has supported the continuation of wind power production at Chelker Reservoir, so we are disappointed to see the turbines being removed. The area is very good for wind energy production, as we can see with the smaller turbines now operated by several farms nearby to Chelker.

However, as the turbines are obsolete models, they cannot be repaired. Since Yorkshire Water failed to gain planning permission for their replacement, its appropriate to dismantle them in line with planning conditions.

The Gazette suggests in its editorial of September 19 that the loss of turbines at Chelker is a landmark in the wider energy debate and that “the wind of change is blowing away from this type of renewable energy”. But the loss of four modestly-sized wind turbines at Chelker is not significant for the future of wind power in the UK as a whole. Anyone that has followed the progress of the wind sector in the UK will know that it is in good health, a mature industry and is here to stay. We have already 5,000 onshore and offshore turbines, plus a growing number of smaller, farm-owned turbines.

The UK wind industry currently generates an amount of electricity each year equivalent to the needs of nearly six million homes.

By 2020, wind power will be providing about 20 per cent of UK electricity demand, achieved with just a small part of the UK wind resource.

Our wind industry is providing jobs in engineering and construction, and is reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Offshore wind power is eventually expected to provide more of our power than onshore wind – very large turbines can be built at sea. But onshore wind will remain an important part of the low carbon energy mix, particularly as it costs less than offshore wind, tidal, wave and solar power. Finally, wind power along with other renewables allows for the decentralisation of energy supply away from the ‘Big Six’ energy companies, with wind turbines owned by farms and communities. With renewable energy, including onshore wind, we can all have a share in the business of energy generation.

Michael Baldwin, Wharfedale Friends of the Earth

A chair and a glass of water – without question

In their justification for not giving a glass of water to Jack Bacon, a walker in need of such, at White Wells, Mark Hunnebell and Joanne Everall state: “Perhaps he should ask in some of the well-known tearooms and coffee shops in the town centre and see what happens.” I did exactly that. When an elderly man was feeling faint outside Costa Coffee, I went in and asked if I could borrow a chair for him to sit on outside, while he waited for a car to collect him, and a glass of water.

Both the chair and the glass of water were offered immediately without question and without charge.

Owen Wells, Eaton Road, Ilkley

Great that Rotary is taking on Christmas Holly Ball

May I, through the pages of your paper, say how thrilled I am that the Rotary Club of Ilkley has chosen to take on the organising of the Christmas Holly Ball this year (and hopefully for many years to come).

I understand this year’s event is practically a sell-out which is wonderful news.

May I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous efforts and teamwork on the part of the Rotary Club of Ilkley who organised the event for much of its 27-year history. Their achievements should also be recognised and I feel it is very fitting that the Christmas Ball has now come under the Rotary umbrella once again.

We are all looking forward to a memorable evening.

Fiona Mann, Past President, Rotary Club of Ilkley