THE council executive has been asked to approve plans to create extra care beds in the city.

It also said it would push for a new care home on the Burnholme School site.

They are also planning to close two more council homes following Oliver House and Fordlands, which closed in 2013.

With the cuts in council funding in the last Conservative-led coalition Government, the Labour-led council had to make some hard decisions.

With big savings to find, the only place to go was social care, which led to the loss of care beds and the closure of care homes.

Now a Conservative Government is set to cut council budgets even more.

It will be interesting to see if this Conservative-led council can provide extra care beds and make cuts elsewhere without destroying other services.

The reality is probably more care homes will be closed with no new ones to replace them and the overall number of care beds reduced.

Chris Mangham, Lindsey Avenue, Acomb, York

 

WE are all gullible (excuse the pun) when it comes to protecting wildlife creatures, including foxes, bats in the belfry, especially considering I am an aged sabre-toothed tiger, and that became extinct.

However, when it comes to the culling of seagulls and hackles are raised over fox hunting, we can only blame ourselves for any infestation caused by their presence away from their own habitat.

Many species of wildlife have been driven to foraging within our towns and cities, seeking food from remnants left disregarded on our footways from fast food outlets, especially in seaside resorts.

More concern should be directed towards dog owners whose animals frequently are allowed to foul our highways with faeces which contributes towards canine diseases and the increased threat of rabies returning to this country from abroad.

Those who protest too much with regards culling, enjoy your Sunday roast dinner. Beef or lamb.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Walk, Huntington, York

 

I AM never concerned about receiving criticism in letters, but I wish that Terry Smith of Heworth had researched his facts before putting pen to paper (The Press, July 25).

He states that 30 million people will benefit from the cut in taxes. He does not provide any evidence for his claim, but I have written evidence by established authors and printed statements from the media from dependable reporters and Government-approved bodies that prove what he states is incorrect.

He ignores that people in their early and mid-20s will now be unable to claim housing benefit.

He seems to believe that the unemployment figures in York are going down, but I have asked publicly for the last year or two, and the now retired MP for York Central, Sir Hugh Bayley, had been attempting to get the Department for Work and Pensions to inform him as to the numbers of people that have been sanctioned, and are therefore no longer classified as being unemployed.

If, using Terry Smith’s words, “it is important we stick to the long-term economic plan that will bring further recovery”, he means ignoring the poor and enriching the rich.

Howard Perry, St James Place, Dringhouses, York

 

MAY I respectfully suggest that all who oppose fox hunting put their hands together and say a special prayer for all ground-laying birds and animals.

This is the time of year when Reynard causes mayhem. Can you imagine the grief of a mum returning to her nest with feed, only to find her babies gutted by a cunning, vicious, evil fox?

Foxes are like all conmen and women, they belie their looks and are far from as cuddly as they look.

Knowing the countryside as I do and knowing the evil, viciousness of foxes, I, for what it’s worth, will strongly support fox hunting until the day I die.

Long live the hounds, the red coats and their followers.

Ken Holmes, Cliffe Common, Selby

 

FOLLOWING the recent Tom Jones concert, I found that I couldn’t get his songs out of my mind. All day long Delilah, Green Green Grass Of Home etc, I couldn’t get them out of my mind.

Finally, fed up and with no proper sleep and rest for the accursed songs, I went to see my doctor.

After explaining my problem, he looked through his medical books and came up with his diagnosis.

“You have Tom Jones syndrome,” he said.

“Oh, is it rare?” I asked.

He replied: “It’s not unusual.”

D M Deamer, Penleys Grove Street, Monkgate, York

 

FURTHER to Mrs Whitehouse’s letter regarding her pleasure at being able to sit on the seats in Parliament Street and “watch the world go by” now it has been cleared of markets, etc (Letters, July 27).

Perhaps she would like to go and try it now.

R Hutchinson, Sherwood Grove, York

 

ON February 19, 2015, at New Earswick Folk Hall, Tim Atkins, the council representative, told the 120 people present, that a “fantastic offer” was on the table for York City Knights.

Home games would be played at Bootham Crescent and the training facilities of York St John University would be available immediately after the contracts were signed.

Like most people, I looked forward to the new season. Shortly after, we discovered that the offer had been withdrawn on November 12, 2014.

The long months of negotiation are finally over, the contracts signed, so York City Knights can look forward to their first home game at Bootham Crescent.

Or can they? And when can they? Are there any further impediments or delays?

Jim Bone, Danum Road, York