Not so enthusiastic

Longstanding formal arrangements allowed retired officers and their families to use sports facilities at Newby Wiske Hall. Last summer my wife was injured when playing tennis there.

What happened following her accident can only be described as a shambles. Twice staff handling the accident report suggested inaccurately she had no right to be there. Without warning the tennis nets disappeared and notices erected later intimated the courts were for the use of staff only.

I wrote to the assistant chief constable seeking an explanation and confirmation my wife had not been trespassing. I was promised a response but was obliged to write again four months later.

He told me he had passed my original letter to the staff officer to the chief constable because she had made the decision to withdraw the facilities. He confirmed my wife had indeed been entitled to play tennis and added the decision was temporary until doubts about insurance had been resolved.

I wrote to the staff officer and, after consulting the chief constable, he told me the decision was permanent and applied to all sports facilities. This was curious because even now, many months after this alleged "permanent" all-embracing decision, the formal rules have not been changed, members of the force and the retired officers' association have not been told about the withdrawal of these facilities enjoyed for 25 years, and non-staff continue to enjoy other sports facilities.

I was given no explanation or apology yet I was told the force would not communicate with me further on the matter.

I protested to the chief constable herself about this unacceptable letter apparently sent at her behest and I was told through her personal assistant that I would have a full response when she had read the papers. I was later obliged to supply a copy of my first letter because the original had been mislaid. Ten weeks later I still await the promised response.

I worked under seven chief constables. I cannot imagine this shambles would have occurred under any of them. If it had I am in no doubt whatsoever they would have apologised for making a pig's-ear of it. That we now have a chief constable who is not prepared to apologise or write as promised is a cause for serious concern.

D F SEVERS

Retired chief superintendent, North Yorkshire Police

Borrowby Avenue,

Northallerton.

No Respect

Sir, - I recall reading a letter about three weeks ago from the Respect Party in the D&S .

It consisted of the usual vote catching phrases on health, education, pensions and the environment etc, with an emphasis on the word "respect".

I thought no more about the letter until I received my postal ballot forms for the forthcoming MEP elections and there listed under the list of parties was the Respect Party with the name of George Galloway underneath in brackets.

Who is George Galloway many of you may ask. Well George Galloway is the Labour MP who flew to Bagdad at taxpayers' expense and grovelled at the feet of Saddam Hussain praising him for his bravery, benevolence, wisdom, magnanimity and greatness. We need little reminding of the exploits of the despot dictator Saddam Hussain.

He is directly responsible for:

* the murder and killing of over one million people;

* use of biological weapons on his own people and his neighbours;

* the practice of genocide;

* shooting dead his two sons-in-law in front of their children and his grandchildren;

* urging Iraqis to fight to the death against coalition troops before he was found hiding in a hole like a rat;

* building a dozen or more obscenely luxurious palaces for himself while starving Iraqis of food and basic medical care.

When the Respect Party put forward Galloway as their main patron they must have the same praise for Saddam Hussain. Then how can they be serious about winning the votes of the decent voting public, the majority of which are well aware of the evils of Saddam.

I can think of a more appropriate title than "Respect" for a party headed by Galloway, such as "Traitor" or "Despicable".

TREVOR NICHOLSON

Mill Lane,

Leeming.

Mayoral thanks

Sir, - I would like to thank everyone who, over the past two years, has helped make my time as Mayor of Richmond so very special.

I have had a wonderful time and I have greatly enjoyed every event I have ever attended - over 1,100 at the last count.

Richmond is a fantastic town and is recognised nationally as such. I have travelled many thousands of miles in the last two years and everyone I have met speaks very highly of Richmond and its community.

The spirit of Richmond is in the community and we are lucky to have such a happy and pro-active population. Our schools are superb and both teachers and pupils rise to the challenge and set fantastic examples to us all. Our future is secure thanks to their excellent achievements.

Our relationship with Catterick Garrison is growing in strength and that is mainly due to the patience and kindness of Col J Hackett (Garrison Commander) and of Brig H Munro, who is in charge of the Infantry Training Centre. They have been incredibly supportive of this town and of our projects.

If everyone offers the same level of support to Mr Mayor (Coun Russell Lord) this year as they have shown to me over the last two then Richmond will have another bumper year.

Finally, if anyone finds me wandering around the Market Place muttering sadly "My Chain, My Chain. My Kingdom for the Chain" could they please take me gently by the hand - and slap me!

I have been honoured to have served Richmond for the last two years and I am very grateful to everyone for their encouragement and support and for all the beautiful cards and gifts which I received last Monday.

Coun STUART PARSONS

Reeth Road,

Richmond.

It doesn't add up

Sir, - I have just been informed that my dentist, the last NHS practitioner in Northallerton, reluctantly intends to treat most of his patients privately in future.

When is the Government going to stop prattling and promising improvements to NHS dentistry, and get its finger out and actually do something?

I have every sympathy with my dentist. He is faced with the choice of working every available hour to try to see enough patients to pay the bills whilst giving each adequate treatment; or to go "private", and work reasonable hours for a reasonable return.

He tells me that during his discussions with the Primary Care Trust and face to face with the NHS, one suggestion was that "other dentists see 80 patients a day, so why can't he"?

The NHS evidently can't do the maths, but I can. Allowing that he impossibly and illegally works 12 hours a day without a break, that leaves nine minutes per patient.

I spend longer than that each day just cleaning my teeth.

CHRISTOPHER M PURSER

Front Street,

Sowerby,

Thirsk