Our view | Opinion/Letters | Homepage - Wharfedale Observer

Honesty’s fine – but do we need Twitter insults?

3:50pm Thursday 23rd May 2013

“Why can’t they just tell the truth, plain and simple?”

• Have your say

Join neighbourhood fight against crime

3:31pm Thursday 16th May 2013

Some activities, just because they’ve gone on for so long quietly in the background, are too easy to take for granted despite their undoubted worth to a community.

• Have your say

Social history can't go to pot

2:39pm Thursday 9th May 2013

Remnants from a community’s shared history can provide fascinating insights into its past – and provide an emotional, as well as intellectual, link to those who came before us.

• Have your say

Welcome return of jobs workers

2:03pm Thursday 2nd May 2013

When Otley’s Jobcentre was closed back in 2004 its loss, coming on the back of other local closures, was described as a ‘nail in the coffin’ for the town.

• Have your say

Shameful need for food banks

1:38pm Thursday 25th April 2013

The very fact that a country as ostensibly well-off as the UK needs food banks at all is both perplexing and shameful. Perplexing because, despite the continuing economic stagnation following the financial meltdown of a few years ago, the UK is still ranked as one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

• Have your say

Mill goes, but is it a positive move?

3:04pm Thursday 18th April 2013

Large employers, especially ones that stay in business for centuries, play a vital role in close-knit communities like Otley.

• Have your say

Patients deserve full investigation

3:23pm Thursday 11th April 2013

The timing of the decision to suspend operations at the Leeds children’s heart unit was unfortunate to say the least.

• Have your say

More positive side of cancer battles

4:19pm Thursday 4th April 2013

Cancer. Even the word itself can cause many of us to instinctively wince.

• Have your say

Scheme thankfully beyond party politics

3:42pm Thursday 28th March 2013

Otley Town Council’s meeting on Monday was a great example of why scrapping party politics at this level of government might be, to use the inelegant business jargon of the hour, a ‘no-brainer’.

• Have your say

Financial decisions impossible to make

2:33pm Friday 22nd March 2013

Even in these difficult financial times the axing of any service connected to children is bound to find little favour. So it is no surprise that parents are dismayed at plans to take away free transport for pupils travelling to faith schools.

• Have your say

Why wasn’t this thought of before?

5:18pm Wednesday 13th March 2013

Politicians are always talking about the need for joined-up thinking – and sometimes an idea comes up which quite clearly fits the bill.

Perfect time to introduce new cycle strategy

5:17pm Wednesday 13th March 2013

Otley’s cycling credentials, which have always been strong, were boosted to a whole new level last year with Lizzie Armitstead’s stunning Olympics silver medal.

Sad day as last business packs up and leaves

3:27pm Friday 8th March 2013

As part of Guiseley’s once thriving textile industry, Springhead Mills has played a central role in the lives of generations.

• Have your say

We can help little Ellizeah's parents

4:20pm Thursday 28th February 2013

The birth of a premature baby must be one of the most frightening experiences parents can face. It is heartbreaking to feel so helpless as you watch the tiny child you love so much fighting for life.

Helping Charlotte Wormald meet challenges

4:20pm Thursday 21st February 2013

Charlotte Wormald is a happy little girl with an inquiring mind who impresses everyone she meets. But the cheerful six-year-old faces daily challenges as she is unable to sit, stand or walk unaided.

• Have your say

Experts' findings are fascinating

2:11pm Thursday 7th February 2013

The confirmation this week that a skeleton found underneath a car park was that of Richard III was great news for Leicester – and for Wharfedale.

• Have your say

Why has hospital service stopped?

3:34pm Thursday 31st January 2013

These are tough times and the NHS, more than pretty much anyone else, is under massive pressure to keep functioning effectively while ‘finding’ huge savings in its annual budgets.

• Have your say

Otley BID money could be cash well spent

4:24pm Thursday 24th January 2013

No-one likes to be asked to pay more money. And for many local businesses, who will tell you they are already paying over the top on their rates, the prospect of giving extra – no matter how small – is not a welcome one.

• Have your say

Wait and see on the budget

3:52pm Thursday 17th January 2013

When does an increase become an unacceptable one? And how, exactly are we meant to measure value for money?

• Comments(1)
• Have your say »

A step towards a lesser society

2:24pm Thursday 10th January 2013

When “the big society” was being touted before the last General Election there was much debate over what – if anything – it really meant.

• Have your say

Cracking start to the New Year

8:00am Thursday 3rd January 2013

What better way to start the New Year than with royal recognition of one of this area’s greatest sporting heroes.

• Have your say

The spirit of kindness: 1

2:30pm Thursday 27th December 2012

Christmas is a time for families to gather together.

• Have your say

A compelling case for Otley

2:15pm Thursday 20th December 2012

A cracking year of sport – with an appeal broad enough to enthuse even those of us usually more interested in the arts, science or politics – has been rounded off in the best possible way.

• Have your say

Let's show them that we care

12:54pm Thursday 13th December 2012

With hardly any shopping days left to Christmas and a mad whirl of parties, the festive season can be totally exhausting.

• Have your say

We're proud to play our part in crime fighting campaign

3:16pm Thursday 6th December 2012

The Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer is proud this week to announce it is sponsoring a new campaign to fight car crime at our beauty spots.

• Have your say

Political football that is the civic centre

2:54pm Thursday 29th November 2012

So, once again Otley Civic Centre has become a party political football to be battered about by councillors who sometimes seem more concerned with scoring points.

• Have your say

Changing face, changing times

3:05pm Thursday 22nd November 2012

Politicians often seem too keen to announce big shake-ups of things many of us – teachers, doctors and nurses – would rather they left alone.

• Have your say

First rule should be... courtesy

2:58pm Thursday 15th November 2012

Readers this week may be experiencing an unpleasant feeling of déjà-vu. Because it was only a month and a half ago we told how Pride of Britain award winner and wheelchair user Danielle Bailey, from Otley, had been left stranded after a bus driver refused to put down the access ramp.

Drive ban delay is legal travesty

12:29pm Friday 2nd November 2012

When 16-year-old Jamie Still was killed by a drink-driver, his family were faced with overwhelming grief.

• Have your say

Grant could get initiatives rolling

11:42am Friday 26th October 2012

Otley’s failure to secure Portas Pilot status – and the £100,000 that would have come with it – earlier this year seemed a real blow to the morale of the town and its economy.

• Have your say

Family that is an inspiration to us all

4:16pm Friday 12th October 2012

Edward Clarke is just two years old but he has already had to endure more than any child should.

• Have your say

Helping disabled passengers must be a priority

4:17pm Thursday 4th October 2012

Real-life heroes are in short supply.

• Have your say

Greek ordeal not over for innocent businessman

11:36am Friday 28th September 2012

With the decision in Greece this week to clear Otley businessman Fran Prenga of all charges his family and friends could have been forgiven for starting to pop the champagne corks.

• Have your say

Legal challenge to heart unit bid was inevitable

12:05pm Friday 14th September 2012

It was a fair bet that the more messy the debate over the future of the children’s heart unit at Leeds General Infirmary got a move to launch a judicial review would be on the cards.

• Have your say

Residents must be kept informed of local decisions

2:54pm Thursday 6th September 2012

Most people would find it hard to argue travellers and gypsies need more sites to stay at.

• Have your say

Town and parish councils are vital in fight for fairness

3:25pm Friday 31st August 2012

Parish and town councils are making a huge contribution to local affairs. They deal with true grassroots issues and often act as the real voice of the people, without any political overtones.

• Have your say

Stupidity of some people is simply out of this world

10:00am Thursday 23rd August 2012

If the man from Mars could look down and read this edition he would surely be baffled by two stories.

• Have your say

Don’t let negative exam comments spoil your dreams

4:00pm Thursday 16th August 2012

Hundreds of young people will today receive a sheet of paper or an electronic message which may well dictate what they do with the rest of their life.

Spurring us into getting fit is real Olympic legacy

4:05pm Thursday 9th August 2012

There’s a wisecrack going round at the moment that if Yorkshire athletes win any more Olympic gold medals there won’t be any red post boxes left in the county.

• Have your say

Champion Lizzie is a role model for all to follow

3:57pm Thursday 2nd August 2012

Cyclist Lizzie Armitstead is not short of Yorkshire grit, that’s for sure.

• Have your say

Olympic hopefuls will help town to move forwards

3:15pm Thursday 26th July 2012

Campaigners in Otley have every right to feel miffed after being rejected for the second time to become a Portas Pilot town.

• Have your say

New scheme for household waste’s food for thought

9:57am Thursday 19th July 2012

It’s a funny old world as the old saying goes. In many parts of the world people are starving – yet a major problem on our doorstep is disposing the amount of food we throw away.

Decision to move children’s heart unit is just wrong

11:35am Thursday 12th July 2012

Standing back and taking a detached, cold analytical view of the decision to axe the children’s heart surgery unit at Leeds General Infirmary shows only one thing – it is wrong.

Speed initiative is vital in cutting road casualties

3:51pm Friday 6th July 2012

The moves to turn all of Otley’s residential streets into 20mph zones has to be welcomed by all concerned.

• Have your say

Let’s find a local Olympic legacy after procession

4:18pm Thursday 28th June 2012

They came in their thousands to catch a glimpse of the Olympic Torch passing through the area. Crowds the size of which have not been seen for years – or even seen before – packed the streets along the route.

Clash of opinions on future of our local countryside

4:10pm Thursday 21st June 2012

There’s no question that many thousands of new homes are needed to cope with the population needs of the future.

• Have your say

Baby cemetery theft is shocking sign of the times

3:39pm Thursday 14th June 2012

It’s a seemingly never ending story – there are those people in our midst who are willing to plumb the depths common decency to make money.

• Have your say

Institution that has helped to unite the nation

2:48pm Thursday 7th June 2012

No matter what you may think of our Royal Family you would be hard pressed to find an institution which can unite a nation as firmly as it does.

It’s vital to keep the needs of the public in mind

3:24pm Thursday 31st May 2012

There must always be an element of ‘just in case’ when deciding on staffing levels for front-line services.

More Our view»