THE Fire Authority’s decision to proceed with consulting on proposals that Labour feels will weaken the fire service and its ability to respond to real emergencies is hugely disappointing.

While we fully understand the need of the service to be flexible and to respond to differing levels of risk, the authority’s decision to remove some of the planned changes from its consultation with the public is wrong.

Significant examples include the proposed new response model, which will increase response times, and the move to the use of more reserve staff.

Labour proposed a deferral of the consultation to give more time to secure cross-party support for planned changes to the way the service operates and responds to emergencies, which was supported by Labour members and a couple of the other representatives on the authority.

But as this move was not agreed, I now urge the public to have their say through the consultation, which commences on July 20, and to express any concerns they may have on any aspect of the proposed changes across York and North Yorkshire.

Cllr Danny Myers (Labour), North Yorkshire Fire Authority member, Pembroke Street, York

 

ANOTHER Wednesday and another highly partisan rant from Chris Moncrieff (The Press, June 24).

Does he actually believe what he writes, or is it merely meant to provoke?

This week another attack on Ed Miliband, repeating the lazy cliché that he “stabbed” his brother in the back in the Labour leadership election.

It was an election and not the coronation that Moncrieff presumably wanted. This comment was an ill-judged one just before the General Election from Michael Fallon MP and embarrassed his own colleagues as well as eventually himself.

Moncrieff’s own party knows plenty about backstabbing.

William Hague once came to my workplace and on asking about his friendships in politics, he said he had more friends in opposition parties than his own. Any backstabbing indicated?

John Major also had plenty to say about the vilification received from his own colleagues.

So come Chris, less of the ad hominem attacks and more thoughtful and nuanced comments about policies, please.

Colin Golightly, Dringhouses, York

 

TONY Fisher wrote quite a well-balanced letter (June 24) about the way the removal of education grants by the current Government is going to cause poorer families to be unable to afford having their offspring take advantage of higher education (HE).

He then spoils the thought provocation that he (presumably) intended to induce with his letter by referring to the parents of “probably Conservative-voting” would-be students as “mummy and daddy”.

Probably Mr Fisher is a well-educated person but why, oh why attempt to denigrate in such a childish fashion?

Be that as it may, I do agree with his sentiments with regard to the removal of education grants.

We often hear the phrase while watching Prime Minister’s Question Time that “it’s what the British people would want”.

One of the main things the British people want is to reduce the billions of pounds sent abroad in foreign aid.

Carrying out such reductions would mean more money for such things as education grants, reducing the NHS deficits and HS2.

Once we can afford to fund such as the above then restart the foreign aid funding.

Philip Roe, Roman Avenue South, Stamford Bridge

 

COMMENTS made by councillors Janet Looker and Ian Cuthbertson (The Press, June 23) that the official review of City of York Council’s handling of the 2014 Tour de France should not apportion any blame show how these two have already prejudged the outcome.

So will the review be fair and true? Or will it be the usual official, bland whitewash?

We are talking about huge sums of council taxpayers’ money here, so if individuals were at fault they must be named.

It is now a year after the event, so talk of the review taking up to a year is typical of official “long grass” mentality.

Just for once, council officials should show some urgency, however embarrassing their findings might be to colleagues.

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York

 

YOUR correspondent Mr Barnes suggests it was “strange” that York Minister distanced themselves from the careless words of Reverend Melvin Tinker and that it was a “slight” that York Pride was supported by some of the clergy from York Minister (Letters, June 25).

I am not a believer in any faith, but I do know my Bible well enough to know that there are approximately 31,000 passages in the Bible – and exceedingly few directly refer to homosexuality.

Meanwhile, the entirety of the New Testament encourages Christians to love thy neighbour and to not judge lest ye be judged. Perhaps Rev Tinker would care to restudy the New Testament and particularity John 8:7, which I recall is something about sin and casting stones.

It seems to me that the good folk at York Minster were doing exactly what Christians are supposed to do – following Christ.

Warm congratulations to York Pride for another fantastic festival.

I look forward to an even better one next year.

Until then, perhaps Archbishop Sentamu could demonstrate another good Christian act by coming along to Hull Pride on July 18.

Andrew Butler, Danescroft, Selby