Sir, - On June 18 and 19, North Yorkshire County Council held two health and well-being days. Obviously, the council, eager to blow its own trumpet about how good it is to staff, sought publicity for this event and subsequently articles were published in local newspapers, including the Darlington & Stockton Times.

As well as covering the health and well-being days, the articles also stated that the council used the event "to launch a new employee discount scheme for use at leisure centres in Hambleton and Richmondshire."

As a member of staff at North Yorkshire County Council, I had been unaware of this new scheme and no one I spoke to knew about it either. So much for the big launch!

Nevertheless, I was pleased that the council was finally doing something for its staff that other employers in the town, such as Hambleton District Council, the Friarage Hospital and the remand centre, have been doing for years, something that would benefit the staff and help boost morale.

After trying in vain to get further details about the scheme from those who are running it, a colleague, who obviously has better connections in the organisation than myself, was able to glean some information.

Unfortunately, the reality has turned out to be very disappointing and does not live up to the hype that the council is giving it. The details are that there are 200 books of vouchers worth £25, which are valid from October. Staff may apply for these from August, on a "first come first served basis."

Considering that the council has approximately 19,000 people on its payroll, a swim at Hambleton Leisure Centre is £2.65 or an induction to the gym is £10.50 then £3.40 for each use, this means that only 1.05pc of staff will benefit from the scheme and all they will get from it is less than ten swims or an induction and 4.26 goes in the gym.

When compared with the other employers' schemes which offer the benefits to all staff every time they go, the county council scheme is not an employee discount scheme at all but just another cheap publicity stunt by a council whose care is not for its staff but for its own public image.

A C THOMPSON

Grassington Avenue,

Romanby,

Northallerton.

Debate starts here

Sir, - The advertisement launched this week by the anti-euro no campaign marks a turning point in the euro debate.

The advert features Bob Geldof, Harry Enfield, Jools Holland, Rik Mayall and Johnny Vaughan among others.

The film, which will be seen by more than five million people in cinemas across the country, is aimed at younger voters who have been turned off by conventional politics. Only 39pc of 18-25 year olds voted in the last General Election. The film uses celebrities to get across a serious point - that joining the euro is not "inevitable," as pro-euro groups claim and that the choice is in the hands of young voters.

The film also features business people and people from Eurozone countries who argue that the euro would be bad for jobs and living standards.

The pro-euro lobby have, in the past, tried to portray the no campaign as old fuddy-duddies - those who took part in this film did not do so to win in the popularity stakes, they did so, to quote Tony Parsons: "Because it was the right thing to do. Because it would have been gutless not to."

As the deadline for any possible euro referendum gets closer, the anti euro campaign is broadening out into a popular coalition bringing together business people, politicians of all parties, and non-political figures from all walks of life. The Government refuses to talk about the euro - but the no campaign intend the start the debate anyway.

JOHN ELLIOTT

Business for Sterling North-East.

Cost of sterling

Sir, - Mr Elliott, having tried everything else, has now seized on car statistics,claiming that since the car-production in Britain last year has increased by 17pc, the euro would be bad for us (D&S, June 28).

I would like to offer him a few more statistics for his records. Since the introduction of the euro two-and-a-half years ago, 3,500 jobs are being lost in Britain every month, each loss costing the taxpayer £12,500 per year.

Even long-established British firms,such as Ferguson Tractors, have had enough, and relocated their production plants into the eurozone (France, in their case).When Nissan, Samsung, and others follow them across the Channel, I hope Business for Sterling North East,will apologise and offer to pay the mortgages of the Nissan and Samsung workers.

The Chairman of Business for Sterling North East should also take on board another statistic: a sentence taken from the D&S leading article appearing on the same page as his letter states that the North-East economy continues to underperform relative to the other regions of Britain.

OLLY ANDRLA

Press Officer,

Richmond Labour Party,

Leyburn.

Charity thanks

Sir, - The Kilimatinde Trust charity auction held at Middleton in Teesdale last month raised £403, which myself and Anne Beckett Wise will be taking to the doctor in charge when we go to Tanzania later this year.

The money will go towards putting in a water supply infrastructure for the water from a new dam which is being built.

Very many thanks to the generous donors of items for the auction and to the supporters and punters who came along on the day. Your kindness will make a direct difference to many lives in the Rift Valley area of Tanzania.

JOYCE JACKSON

Meadow Close,

Middleton-in-Teesdale.