Sir.,- I must respond to a letter (D&S Oct 25) from a member of Northallerton Town Council, Rob Kennedy, especially as Brompton residents have subsequently drawn this letter to my attention in my capacity as the chairman of Brompton Parish Council.

Mr Kennedy refers to the town acting as "parent through its services to Romanby, Brompton and all the villages throughout its hinterland". He also makes reference to the staffing levels of the town council and Romanby Parish Council.

This statement is somewhat misleading. Brompton Parish Council is a local council in its own right, with no connection to either the town council or to Romanby Parish Council. It has its own clerk. It does not have a larger compliment of staff as it employs contractors to undertake such work as grasscutting and general maintenance.

Mr Kennedy gives the impression that the town council is in some way the parent body for Brompton. For the information of readers, and more importantly electors living in the parish of Brompton, I wish to make it clear that the local council for that area is Brompton Parish Council which has nine councillors (again unpaid) elected by the democratic process.

The parish council also acts as its own burial board and is responsible for Stokesley Road Cemetery and St Thomas's churchyard. It has two play areas and some of the largest village greens in the area, the management of which is the parish council's responsibility. It is also the body with which the planning authority consults on all planning applications in the Brompton area, and which expresses its own views when consulted on a wide variety of matters both nationally and locally.

The council is very active and would like to think it is both forward thinking and innovative. It holds its own monthly meetings in the village hall at which the public are given the opportunity to ask questions concerning parish council issues.

R COLLINS

Water End,

Brompton.

'Parent' tag puzzle

Sir, - Rob Kennedy's letter (D&S Oct 25) seems oblivious to the concern expressed by David Wright and other local people about the cost of running Northallerton Town Council.

In effect he says the comparison between Romanby and Northallerton is as different as chalk and cheese. Not so, both councils deliver the same services, just that one does it more economically than the other.

We are told by Mr Kennedy that the town council's costs include:

1 Running the town hall: I understand that the district council sold the building including the shops to the town council for a nominal £10. Surely running costs are paid for by the shop rents and income from letting upper and lower floors of the hall.

2 Looking after the play areas and open spaces: These areas were either left to the town by residents or are owned by Hambleton District Council and leased to the town council at a peppercorn rent; the town's main costs are cutting the grass. This, I believe is done by contractors and not by any of the eight employees.

3 The town council acts as a parent to Romanby, Brompton and surrounding villages: This is a new one, I and those I have spoken to, have no idea what Mr Kennedy is up to.

4 The town's effort in Britain in Bloom: The town council worked hard at this and it and those local business people who have planted out the main roundabouts with beautiful floral arrangements should be congratulated.

But the charge remains to be explained. Northallerton Town Council has one of the highest council tax charges among all local market towns and parish councils. Last year saw an increase of 20.1pc. How can this be justified?

IAN PARMINTER

Oak Tree Drive,

Romanby,

Northallerton.

Wide of the mark

Sir, - We all agree that high quality training and staff development for public servants is a good idea. However, the letter by Mr Humphrey of October 25 suggests he may need some help in understanding local government operations.

Living in East Harlsey, he may need to know that the town council has no role in provision of services for that area.

Secondly, he might want to reflect upon the observation that every organisation will normally have a distribution of more and less highly trained and qualified personnel. To imply that all staff are untrained and unqualified is both untrue and an unwarranted exaggeration.

Mr Humphrey should be careful not to embody the worst qualities of his famous namesake from the television series Yes Minister, namely having a flair for hyberbole that verges on distortion of the truth.

SHEILA GIBBINS

Clerk to Northallerton Town Council,

Northallerton.

Female form

Sir, - Initially may I thank your reviewer for attending my show at the Old School Arts Workshop, Middleham, and her comments regarding my creativity. However, from this point I feel that PL has lost the thread running through my photography.

We must get away from viewing the female form from one standpoint only, that of a voyeur, instead concentrating on the femininity and sensuality of the female form. There is enough tat available for those who think otherwise.

My models, to their credit, project my ideas without inhibitions or prurience. Come on PL, you missed the point.

Howard Fricker

The Terrace,

Bellerby,

Leyburn