Respect for mayor: Sir, - I read with astonishment the attack by Mr Morris on our Mayor, Coun Tony Hall (D&S letters, Nov 19).

My wife sat with the mayor and his wife in the church. They left the church on the instruction of the church warden and certainly did not rush as they followed the curate and other church members.

Over the last 17 months, I have attended a number of services concerned with honouring our servicemen and women who have died in conflict, all of which have been attended by our mayor. For the last two years, in July, I have laid a wreath in the grounds of County Hall at a memorial dedicated to service personnel who have died since 1945. On each occasion, our mayor was by my side, laying his wreath in memory of the fallen.

On learning of the death of our son, L Cpl Ben Hyde, on June 24, 2003, Coun Hall was one of the first to offer his condolences on behalf of the town council. When my wife and I asked if we could place a bench in memory of our son in Northallerton cemetery, within 24 hours we were told that the town would like to present a bench in his memory. Under the guidance of our mayor, the town council allowed me to erect a memorial to all six of the Royal Military policemen who died on that day in June 2003.

Coun Hall attended a memorial service for our son in All Saints' Church on June 24, 2004, he also attended a dedication service for the memorial to all six of the lads who died that day. It is very much due to Tony Hall that our son's name is now on the war memorial in Northallerton. My wife and I will always be grateful for the support we have had from our mayor, the town council and, indeed, the whole of Northallerton. They treated Ben as a hero. Ben loved his home town and Northallerton showed us how proud it was of Ben.

JOHN HYDE

Northallerton.

Conscience eased

Sir, - When composing my original letter (D&S letters, Nov 19) I had no idea of the reactions I was to cause.

Before 9am on the Friday of publication, I received the first of two phone calls from Northallerton's mayor in which he demanded an apology in your next edition with the threat that he would otherwise take the matter further.

Later in the day I was informed that he had already moved to take action. Going back on his word in this way is hardly the style of a gentleman fit to hold public office.

In fairness to the mayor I will concede that the reference to his rapid exit from the church was out of order in that, out of my sight, an official of the church had invited him to leave and I apologise on this point.

What has eased my conscience in no small way is the support I have received, especially from two former councillors, one of whom tells me that he had received no less than 12 messages supporting the attention I had drawn to the mayor's failure to display proper respect for the fallen last year and reporting that he had repeated the misdemeanour this year.

Both gentlemen have assured me of their wholehearted support if the mayor should take the matter further. Incidentally, I have to ask what method, other than the press, I could use to get the point across?

I would stake my life that I would not have been granted free speech in a public meeting.

During one of the telephone calls, Coun Hall referred to my suggestion about his electoral future and stated that he would not wish to represent me. In the heat of the moment he completely overlooked the obvious riposte. I and apparently a large number of others would not wish him to represent us.

Since he is so sensitive I would remind him of advice given years ago by a president of the USA. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

E D Morris

President, Royal British Legion,

Northallerton.

Full support

Sir, - Well done Eddie Morris "Lack of respect" (D&S letters, Nov 19). I agree with him.

As a wreath layer for a number of years, I can remember the first time. I have to admit to being a little nervous, but took guidance from the parade marshall and watched other people who had carried out these duties many times before.

If Mr Mayor did not know the correct procedure, why did he not swallow his pride and ask or just open his eyes? He could then have shown the respect expected for our fallen comrades.

P ARROWSMITH

Chairman, Royal Air Forces Association,

Northallerton.

Negative, emotive

Sir, - We are Quakers from the Bainbridge Meeting and are writing about the award of outline planning consent for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's office in Bainbridge (D&S, Nov 19).

We believe it is good stewardship by the authority to explore fully the potential uses of the building - this is only outline consent; full planning consent would have to be sought for any final use. This provides opportunity for full local consultation.

The two local councillors are quite rightly concerned for the safety, well-being and contentment of their constituents.

We are concerned that every effort should be made for all sections of the community to understand and live in harmony together, and would not wish to do or say anything which might ferment divisions.

Therefore the language reported in that article worries us as being negative and emotive, and raising inflammatory concerns. It sounds discriminatory against fellow human beings.

Can we remember how well the upper dale has welcomed other small-scale residential activities? Low Mill, Cringley (Askrigg) and the former Thornton Lodge Hospital? The aim behind Low Mill in particular were to share the good fortune of those who live here with those less fortunate from other areas.

We trust that our politicians will represent all opinions when arguing their cases and remember the needs of all.

DAVID G POINTON, LIZ BURRAGE, ANGELA LE GRICE, JENNIE WHITE, ROBIN WEST, PETER LEYLAND, MARY and GRAHAM WATTS.

Bainbridge.