JUDITH Morris asked what I am doing to speak up for elderly people who face being moved from their care homes because of the council’s proposal to close two of them (Letters, September 25).

Ms Morris will be pleased to know I have been paying close attention to the consultation and I strongly agree there is a need to improve services, as highlighted in the Care Quality Commission report. However, the consultation on Grove House and Oakhaven does not close until October 16 and it is essential residents and their carers first have the opportunity to determine their preferences.

All my life I have been passionate about providing excellence in care and support for older people and believe how we treat older residents marks out the kind of society we are. Since being elected in May I have visited a number of care homes in York. I have also raised issues in Parliament to highlight the need to get the right investment, care and support for older people.

In order to find the right solutions here in York, I will look carefully at what the residents and their carers have said and will champion their preferences.

If there are any elderly people in my York constituency worried about their care, they can contact me by phoning 01904 623713 or emailing rachael.maskell.mp@parliament.uk

Rachael Maskell, York Central MP

 

I THINK Mark Gladwin is right when he says no parachutes were involved in the selection of Rachael Maskell as York Central’s Labour parliamentary candidate (Letters, September 26).

The way she arrived silently at exactly the right place and at exactly the right time (just before Hugh Bayley announced his retirement) showed a degree of pre-planning that bears all the hallmarks of a precision glider operation.

Just like Pegasus bridge in Normandy in June 1944, when the position was taken before anyone knew anything about it.

Matthew Laverack, Lord Mayors Walk, York

 

THE report “Railway depot could be at risk” (The Press, September 24) raises an interesting point about not only the future of railway facilities in York but also the use of the land available for development.

Your aerial photograph does not show the new Network Rail control centre in the southern part of the site. There are vast areas of the site that are already occupied, the National Railway Museum, St Peter’s Quarter, Carlisle and Carlton streets and the rail facilities adjacent to the station.

Each time the plans for this site are mentioned, the site expands like the Tardis, with shops, offices and housing. It appears that the smell of money has obliterated reality.

As this site is rail locked it seems that it is only suitable for rail facilities. I suggest that perhaps a radical solution would be to move the rail operation from the old carriageworks onto the Teardrop site, thereby providing modern facilities and use the carriage works site for much needed housing.

Contamination of the carriage works site would obviously need to be dealt with.

The use of the derelict land again for rail would also avoid the need for a very expensive connecting road and bridge.

Tin hats on, chaps.

Tim Short, Chestnut Grove, Acomb, York

 

WHY is the university allowed to overrun the entire area round their campus with cars?

I for one am sick of asking people to move their cars from the end of my drive.

I live opposite the play park so am happy to accommodate the mothers that park, on an occasional basis, opposite my drive.

But I now have the problem of either students or employees of the university leaving their cars (on a long-term basis) there.

Why are there not enough parking spaces on the campus?

For every student and employee there should be provision of parking since they obviously all have cars.

The green belt land the university is now building on has enough space to build a multi-storey car park.

Cars are here to stay so it’s no good putting your head in the sand and pretending if you don’t look they will go away.

Stop building for more students.

Let’s have what we need, more off-road parking and free off-road parking so that the students and staff will use it.

Rita Crombleholme, Deramore Drive, Badger Hill, York

 

SO the deposed Labour councillor, Tracey Simpson-Laing thinks that a resident living in Holgate should not be attending ward meetings in Acomb (Letters, September 19).

I will inform Ms Simpson-Laing that as a resident in York I am entitled to attend any ward meeting across the city if I think issues arising will affect my daily life.

I will start with the closure of the recycling centre in Beckfield Lane. This facility served west York extremely well before it was shut, the resulting trawl across York to James Street, creating unnecessary pollution and extra cost and time.

Then we had the cycle track put on the footpath in Beckfield Lane, both these issues were not supported by local people, but they were literally bulldozed through.

We also had the Tarmac scar imposed across Hob Moor, with ridiculous cycle wrecking contraptions at the entrances to the moor, which look like they were designed by a first-year apprentice. I know because they have damaged my cycle.

Bob Waite, Windmill Rise, Holgate, York

 

ACCORDING to Ivan Jones (Letters, September 21) individuals that leave the UK “give up their rights to be called British when they leave these shores”.

At that rate, why does the UK spend millions of pounds every year on overseas embassy staff and offices to assist British citizens when they run into problems beyond the UK shores?

I must remind Ivan Jones that the two individuals killed by British drones in Syria were not found guilty by an court of law.

I agree that Isis are an evil regime, if indeed they are a regime.

In my mind, Isis are a bunch of lawless outlaws and terrorists, but to take two British lives demands a full inquiry to be held.

The way to operate British law is through the courts.

Howard Perry, St James Place, Dringhouses, York

 

THE Prime Minister is always going on about ousting the president of Syria, President Assad.

Now he is turning the other foot, and saying he will drop his demand to oust Assad, but he wants Mr Assad to remain in power during a transitional government.

In a speech, Vladimir Putin offered Mr Cameron an olive branch and raised the possibility of a grand coalition between Russia, Europe and the US.

The Syrian government and their allies have been pally all through this crisis, so maybe with all these allies, there could be movement against the terrorist group Isis.

We will just have to wait and see.

Tom Mitchell, Mendip Close, Huntington, York

 

IN response to Robert Greaves (Letters, September 19) expressing disappointment at his pro-euthanasia rejection, he clearly undermines respect for human life.

The assisted suicide proposal is profoundly contrary to the Bible and denies the value of every person as an individual made in the image of god.

The availability of assisted suicide would ultimately pressurise vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of becoming a burden on others.

Once the law is changed in this area, there is always pressure for further liberalisation.

Once you start devaluing human life, you head into dangerous territory.

As Christians, we can be comforted that death isn’t final, but look forward to eternal life.

Julie Burton, Park Lane, Bishop Wilton