This is a real hazard

I have never encountered any traffic problems nor seen any action since the racing seems to take place well away from the road thus causing no distraction to drivers.

On the other hand, I drive every Sunday alongside Catterick racecourse. It is amazing that there has been no serious accident caused by the people using the Sunday market. Many pedestrians, once they leave their cars, seem to think the road becomes a pedestrian precinct and wander aimlessly in the road.

That road is fairly busy at all times but on Sundays some market-goers deliberately ignore motorists whose business does not involve the market and make no attempt to keep out of their way.

At times traffic is tailing back from the traffic lights at the Brompton-Scorton crossroads to Catterick Bridge, and since traffic wishing to turn right towards Scorton only has the chance of three cars getting through at each light change one can be held up a very long time.

So, I sympathize with the autograss people and suggest that people complaining of traffic problems at Kiplin should drive between Catterick Village and Scorton every Sunday, not just a few Sundays per year.

JEAN WILLIAMS

Noel's Court,

Catterick Village.

Kiplin's complaint

Sir, - I am writing to counter some of the views expressed last week (D&S letters, May 21) and in the previous week's article regarding autograss racing at Kiplin.

The aim of objectors in the parish is not to close the autograss club down but to stop every other weekend of summer being totally disrupted for parish residents, visitors to Kiplin Hall, fishermen and Coast to Coast walkers by the noise, dust and traffic.

Kiplin is a rural parish with a Grade 1-listed building at its heart and the autograss racing is just not appropriate.

Despite what was stated by Mr Gill, noise levels have not been measured frequently and there have been numerous complaints over the years by residents which have been ignored/not logged by Richmondshire District Council.

The autograss club has not complied with its current temporary planning permissions in that it has erected barriers, not removed cabins as required and frequently camped in the field overnight.

Richmondshire has continually failed to enforce these conditions and has now approached the club to put in an application to extend the planning to include whole weekends and allow more permanent structures with a notion that this will give the council better control.

It seems iniquitous to residents that the club can ignore current conditions and be rewarded with a wider remit. Residents were initially not consulted on this application - it was only by accident that we found out there was an application - and the parish meeting has had to continually ask for consultation over the years when dealing with this.

The council planning officer originally recommended in 1994 that this activity should not be allowed but was over ruled by a decision of the planning committee for reasons only known to themselves.

There have been objections to Richmondshire District Council at all renewals of the temporary permissions but they have not been properly recorded.

Mr Gill is wrong to imply that there have been no complaints and to attempt to justify his case in this way. Proper procedures have not been followed by Richmondshire Council regarding consultation, public notices, enforcement of existing permissions and availability of information.

Highway safety considerations have been ignored and it is not good enough to say there has never been an accident.

The club said in the article of Friday 14th that it gave money to good causes, including a village hall, but we do not have a such a hall and charitable giving does not justify making some of our residents' lives a misery every sunny weekend.

The club may have local members but a large proportion, including most of the club committee, are from areas outside North Yorkshire and do not pay rates here.

The activity brings no economic benefit other than to one local farmer and we now feel that it is time that it moves to a more appropriate site. Kiplin residents and visitors should be allowed some peace and quiet.

LIZ ATKINSON

Northallerton Lodge,

Kiplin,

Richmond.

Improve this path

Sir, - With regards to the footpath on Stockton Road, Thirsk, which I use every day when out with my husband walking the dog. People are unable to walk side by side due to the path not being wide enough.

Each year the path gets smaller. I think the money spent on the cycle track which very few people use, could have been put to better use to widen the path, which many people use.

Also, they could trim the trees so that people don't have to duck down every time they pass by them.

I think whoever is responsible for the path should get it sorted and give us a decent path wide enough for two people. Surely that's not too much to ask for.

(Mrs) S SMITH

Springfield Close,

Thirsk.

Help at hand

Sir, - I would like to thank everyone who helped me with my friend who had a stroke at Thorp Perrow Arboretum on Tuesday, May 18.

The management and staff were extremely helpful. In addition, four holidaymakers on a visit to the arboretum, gave very valuable assistance as one was a paramedic from the Kirkbymoorside area (on a day off!). His long suffering wife and two visitors from Ipswich gave the extra help until the ambulance arrived.

Just in case they may see the letter, thank you all for your unstinting help. My friend is now making good progress in the Friarage Hospital, in very good hands there.

V WALKER

Princess Avenue,

Knaresborough

Shooting at myths

Sir, - Claims that shooting is linked to conservation have been disproved by secretly-filmed video on the Cawdor estate, near Inverness, which shows the illegal use of five gin traps set in a circle around a rabbit carcass.

Investigators also found evidence of extensive snaring on the estate, which breeds hundreds of game birds for shooting and a League Against Cruel Sports investigator has said: "The sheer density of snaring we've witnessed effectively turns this area into a virtual death trap for wildlife". In 2001 a golden eagle was found illegally poisoned on this estate.

On the Huddington estate, near Worcester, an undercover investigation has established that a programme of "predator control" undertaken by gamekeepers also involves the extermination of hundreds of wild mammals and birds, and the persecution of birds of prey.

When three dead buzzards - a protected species - were found (one hidden amongst feed sacks) tests revealed that one had been illegally poisoned and information was passed to Defra for further investigation. This persecution is being carried out to protect the selfish interests of the shooting community.

When investigators infiltrated the Plas Machynlleth Fox Hounds (one of mid-Wales most established gun packs) during the 03/04 hunting season they filmed an unprecedented show of cruelty. This included a fox caught in a tug of war between two hounds, before breaking away and being chased for several more minutes before being fatally injured.

This explodes the myth that foxes are killed by a single bite to the back of the neck and further erodes the credibility of the official portrayal of the activities of gun packs.

Video footage of foxes being dug out of holes where they had sought refuge (lasting 30 minutes and about an hour) reveal one fox suffering stress and injury inflicted by both blows from a spade entering the earth and by baiting by terriers. About fifty minutes into the dig, and after a sustained underground attack by these terriers, the investigator glimpsed the fox, which appeared to be facing away from the terriers, and so was unable to defend itself.

Finally the fox was dug out and trod on by one man, then shot in the head.

This evidence of gross cruelty demonstrates that hunting with gun packs is neither different nor less cruel than hunting foxes by mounted packs.

V L LONSDALE

Nosterfield,

Bedale.

The full context

Sir, - Last week your edition contained two brief but separate reports about councillors who had been referred to the Standards Board for England (D&S, May 21), but fails to give the full context in which those referrals and the decisions of the Standards Board were made.

Richmondshire District Council received a confidential report from the Audit Commission, which contained a clear embargo on publication prior to the due date.

On hearing that the report had been disclosed without authority on two occasions the Audit Commission were insistent that the council take formal action against the alleged perpetrators.

To his credit, Coun Parsons has always accepted that he was responsible for one of these "leaks", claiming that he did not, like other councillors, receive a covering letter advising of the embargo.

The role of the Standards Board at this stage is simply to decide whether or not to investigate - as their notification explains they are making no finding of fact - but in deciding not to refer this case for investigation they did not request further information as your report indicates. Further information was, as you rightly say, requested in the case of Coun Pelton and this has now been supplied.

In reaching these decisions the Standards Board has stated that the information disclosed "...would be considered confidential under the Code of Conduct..." - ie a breach of that code - and so whatever the board's decision on whether to investigate or not the referrals were justified since the public are entitled to expect the highest standards of those who are elected to and work in local government.

HARRY TABINER

Chief Executive

Richmondshire District Council

Swale House,

Richmond.

Britain first

Sir, - As negotiations continue to heat up on the EU constitution there are worrying signs that Tony Blair's so-called "red lines" beyond which the UK could not be moved are now turning a washy shade of pink.

Firstly we hear that the Foreign Secretary is preparing to give up the British veto in some areas of criminal justice which would effectively destroy the independent legal system in this country. We also discover that Michael Howe QC, a respected lawyer, has published a paper stating that the incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights into any EU constitution could effectively shift the ultimate powers over UK immigration from Westminster to un-elected judges in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

It would seem that any of Tony Blair's assurances about a possible British opt outs would be worthless in the face of a powerful court in Luxembourg.

In these European elections, and in the forthcoming European constitution referendum, I hope the people of the North-East will put Britain first, something Tony Blair and his colleagues seem incapable of doing.

MARTIN CALLANAN MEP

North-East Conservative

Gosforth,

Newcastle upon Tyne.

Europe and us

Sir, - I am often asked "What has Europe done for us". A full answer would more than fill your newspaper!

One big influence has been to improve the working conditions for all British employees: at least four weeks paid leave each year; 13 weeks parental leave; greater protection against threats to health and safety at work such as asbestos, deafness and vibration; an end to discrimination on grounds of race, gender, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation; the right to information and consultation on matters that affect them.

These answers are just a few, but important issues where the European Parliament has successfully looked after the interests of working people in the North-East and Britain as well as other European countries.

Dr GORDON ADAM

Labour Member of the European Parliament for the North-East of England (1979 - 2004)

Newcastle.

Where the heart is

Sir, - Any concern about a threat to our economic stability from Al Qaeda is as nothing compared to the threat posed by Tony Blair's determination to sign up to the European constitution and be in the "heart of Europe".

What is and where is "the heart of Europe"? He can go and stay there, any times he likes, but most of the British people would rather stay in the United Kingdom and be governed by our own elected politicians and not by unelected Europeans.

Luckily we have a chance in the European elections on June 10 to tell him so.

(Mrs)S M PITMAN

Harmby House,

Leyburn.