Our delight at restoration of Wharfedale's landscape

Back in March 2011, Mr Fox of Yorkshire Water did his best to convince visitors to their public consultation at Bracken Ghyll Golf Club that their proposed application to erect new ‘monster’ turbines was to save the planet! This made little sense to those of us who had done the maths showing that Yorkshire Water and their American owners Citibank, would profit by about £25 million if this were approved. We tried to discuss this and other startling revelations with Mr Fox a few days later, but sadly he had disappeared without trace, pursued by the very determined Ilkley Fox Hunter and the Skipton Stone Turner.

Mr Basierak stated under the same headline that “the Chelker Wind Farm development has provided clean energy for nearly 25 years to power the Lobwood pumping station”. Really? Not according to Ofgem’s website it hasn’t. This last four years it has generated precisely zero.

Not too many boiling kettles from Chelker then? Fortunately Craven District councillors saw through all this nonsense, promoted by these bankers dressed in “green” clothing, taking a robust stance, unanimously refusing planning permission, and threatening to apply an enforcement order on Yorkshire Water to remove the rotting tooth stumps in the Chelker industrial graveyard.

Mr Basierak also states in your article that Craven District Council were informed of Yorkshire Water’s decision to surrender nearly four months ago, so why did they not inform the residents and the local press? How strange.

PACT now wish to thank our signed up activists, our legal advisers (pro bono), the Fox Hunter, the Stone Turner (forensic accountancy ) and of course Mr X.

The planning process produced many objection letters, one of which was from English Heritage who wrote that the effect on the Listed Heritage site of Bolton Abbey would be disastrous, also adding that Yorkshire Water had “misrepresented” their comments following a private meeting between themselves. Tut, tut!

However our main thanks go to our Member of Parliament, Julian Smith (Ripon and Skipton) who took on the “wind farm bullies” (his words) and who has been tireless in his national campaign to change the planning law so that the opinions of local residents now take precedence over renewable energy targets imposed on reluctant local authorities. Julian’s successful campaign now means that hundreds of local communities throughout Great Britain now have the weapons to fight back against the wind farm vandals.

Finally, our thanks to Sir Bernard Ingham the founder of Country Guardian, who wrote to us this week. “Congratulations on this massive victory to save Wharfedale’s wonderful landscape from those who would wreck it.”

Peter Rigby, Chairman Parishioners Against Chelker Turbines, Beamsley, Skipton

Problems with trying to pay for Beech Hill parking

On three occasions now I have encountered difficulty with regard to the coins which parking meters in Otley will accept.

The first occasion occurred when I was in a hurry to get to my dentist for an appointment. I parked in the Beech Hill car park and went to the meters. I had seven 10p coins. The meter accepted three coins but four kept dropping through both meters. I had no more change, and I was going to be late, so went to the dentist.

My appointment was with the hygienist but I also had a crown which needed refixing. The dentist said that, if I could wait, he would see me. At that point I went back to the car park via a chemist. I now had change and put a pound in the meter and went to my car with the ticket to find that I had a Penalty Charge Notice on the windscreen. The Civil Enforcement Officer was still there and I explained my predicament. He said that he would mention it in the office and I wrote to Parking Services, pleading my case. A lady replied to my letter, refusing my plea, and saying that ‘it states clearly that a ticket must be displayed’. However, if I paid within 14 days I would get a twenty five pound discount – £25 instead of £50. I did suggest that the parking meters needed some attention to accept these newer ten pence coins.

The second occasion was also in the Beech Hill car park, This time I had six ten pence coins, three of which were accepted and three which fell through. Not wishing to get another fine I put a pound in the meter, so finished up paying £1.40 for a forty pence duration.

Earlier today I went to Otley and parked in the Licks car park. When I went to the meter a gentleman somewhat older than myself was there.

The meter accepted three of his ten pence coins but one kept dropping through.

He was somewhat perplexed and upset that as he had no more change, he couldn’t get a ticket.

Not wanting him to worry about getting a fine I did my good Samaritan deed for the day, put a pound in the meter and gave him the ticket, for which he was very grateful, and then I got a ticket for myself. Obviously there is a problem with the meters but will Leeds City Council do anything about them because they probably make more money as they are at present.

Roy Francis, Moorland Crescent, Menston

£100 fine seemed a lot for outstaying welcome

I have recently been invoiced for £100 at Guiseley Retail Park where Costa Coffee, Marks & Spencer, Mountain Warehouse etc are housed. If I pay within 14 days they assure me this will be reduced to £60.

I was not aware of the signs warning car drivers not to outstay their welcome. My circumstances were genuine. I was listening to a good friend who has a lot of unfortunate circumstances happening in her life at the moment. Then I did some shopping and left. I was there for three hours and 27 minutes. The invoice came through exactly a week later.

I decided that £100 for 27 minutes over the allocated time was a huge amount of money and made the decision not to pay this. I sent my receipts to Parking Eye with a letter and the charge was waived. My advice to others in these circumstances is not to pay this and to keep your receipts so you can prove your visit to the local shops.

I understand why they restrict the time in this retail park due to the train station being in close proximity. However, five hours would perhaps be better. Car drivers be aware – shop, eat and drink quickly...

A S Pawley, West End Drive, Guiseley

My dismay over plans to impose parking charges

I was very dismayed to read your report on September 19 about the proposals by Leeds City Council to impose pay and display charges on Burras Lane and Charles Street car parks in Otley.

I live on Queens Place, which is very close to the Burras Lane car park, and I am very concerned about the likely inconvenience and congestion this is going to cause in the immediate vicinity for local residents, workers and businesses. All the residents on my street will be affected and other local streets too, such as Station Road, Whiteley Croft and Myers Croft. These streets are already very congested and will become even more so if parking charges are imposed to Burras Lane car park.

There will be nowhere to park nearby. Moving free parking to Cattle Market Street will be very detrimental to this part of Otley. It is too far away to be of any use, especially for anyone with small children or elderly visitors, or people carrying heavy bags or women walking alone all that way in winter, or in the dark. It seems the proposal has come about from a few comments from local traders only. This appears to be billed as a “boost to the local economy”, yet Otley is already a very busy and thriving market town with lots of shoppers. Indeed there is already plenty of convenient parking for shoppers around Otley, including free parking at the supermarket car parks for up to four hours.

There is simply no need to change any of the existing car parking arrangements; indeed if I was being cynical I might think this was a measure simply designed to boost Leeds City Council’s coffers.

There is a belief by many locals that the land for this car park was donated for the people of Otley for free parking in perpetuity, and so it seems these proposals may not even be legal. I understand that Leeds City Council last tried to impose parking charges in Burras Lane car park in 2005 and had to abandon it due to a local outcry. Hopefully they will abandon it this time too. I have written to Leeds City Council and Otley Town Council to object and I urge any other concerned residents, workers or businesses to do the same.

An Otley resident (name and address supplied)

We are at White Wells to make living, not for a joke

Re: Free Water at White Wells. In response to Owen Wells’ letter (3/10/2013) concerning our apparent meanness at not giving a free drink of water to Jack Bacon, and our suggestion that he tries to obtain one from one of the cafes in town.

Quite what this has got to do with Mr Wells we don’t know. But for the record, on the occasions when people have been taken ill at White Wells we have of course given them a glass of water free of charge. Perhaps we should have mentioned this fact in our original reply. It would have saved paper, ink and time in having to answer Mr Wells’ somewhat churlish remarks.

In Mr Bacon’s case he hadn’t been taken ill. He simply wanted a glass of water for free.

To reiterate our point: We are at White Wells to make a living, not for a joke.

We would also like to thank all the people we have seen around Ilkley who have voiced their support to us for our stance on this, and who think we were right in our response to Mr Bacon’s original letter.

They also know that we are not fools, nor do we suffer fools, and for this reason we will not debate the issue any further with Mr Bacon, Mr Wells, or anybody else.

Mark Hunnebell and Joanne Everall, tenants and proprietors, White Wells

Please - everybody to get behind the Olympic park

As the person leading a great team in pursuit of our own Olympic legacy I welcome Councillor Nigel Francis’s honest comments in last week’s paper. It’s critical that potential issues are raised as early as possible so we can address them. First of all, comparing Don Valley and Chevin Olympic Park is not valid. Don Valley was a 25,000-seat selective sporting arena; our vision is of a multi-sport, community-based facility. Don Valley is being replaced by other facilities; the Chevin region has no such comparable amenities. The proposed Chevin Olympic Park will have formal school links, it will have multiple sporting connections for the whole community irrespective of creed, gender or disability, and it will be available to everyone in the Chevin region. We need everybody to get behind this so the planning and funding authorities can see it really is needed.

Please visit our Facebook page (Chevin Olympic Park) and like us!

Tony Walker, Chairman of the Chevin Olympic Park steering committee

Thanks for for your cash to help us beat diabetes

To all of those who helped to collect money for the diabetes collection in Tesco, the weekend of October 4, 5 and 6, thank you.

I would like everyone who contributed in any way to know we collected in excess of £500, as it still has to be counted due to my enforced stay in hospital.

Peter Maufe, Airedale Diabetes Group