Sir, - I was pleased to hear that the Hambleton District Council has finally, after lengthy deliberation, decided to have the Northallerton community centre revamped at a cost of £400,000.

When decisions are made as to what constitutes priorities, I hope automatic doors are considered, similar to those at Stone Cross council offices. These would be a real boon to disabled people in wheelchairs - also for young mothers, with children in push chairs and prams.

Better chairs would also be appreciated. The latest new ones give no support to the lower back. The heating in the small rooms is very noisy and drowns the speaker's talk.

It would be a very good idea if the opinion of council tax payers could be sought and, if possible, a plan of the new improvements put on show to the public.

GWENETH ATKINSON

Thirsk Road,

Northallerton.

Name game

Sir, - I travel in the North Yorkshire area, both dales and moors, quite regularly. You featured in your paper the fact that the ambulance service had difficulty in meeting its time-to-patient target.

I have always wondered why people will not:

a) put the name of their farm or home at the gate and at the lane end leading to the property,

b) put numbers on houses and gates.

This would greatly help the crews to find their destination more easily. I do not have any connection with the service, but used to hand deliver a small newsletter years ago and found it very difficult to find some houses with just a name and no further details.

If people felt they should be known, as they have lived there "all their lives" perhaps they should remember that the delivery people may often be new to the area.

V WALKER

Princess Avenue,

Knaresborough.

We'll fight on

Sir, - We write regarding a recent meeting of Northallerton town council where requested that the council considered allowing the Northallerton Wheelers to use the Applegarth bonfire site as a skateboard park.

Clearly a balance had to be struck between the needs of young people and the acceptability of the scheme to local agencies and of course minimising the effects on local residents.

The Applegarth site satisfied most of the criteria and bearing in mind that the piece of land is, we are informed, meant to be enjoyed by the young people of the town we believed it appropriate to request a lease for the group (the lease being a necessary mechanism to lever independent funding to equip the park).

Incidentally we in no way would wish to stop the annual bonfire (which is the only present use of the plot). We believe turf could be removed from a nearby grassed area for the bonfire and reinstated afterwards. Furthermore we acknowledge the site floods from time to time but the group would simply leave accordingly.

Some 50 young people attended the meeting of the town council. The motion was defeated by all other councillors present and the young people left in a silent and orderly manner. The composure of the disappointed skateboarders was awesome - they were a credit to themselves, their parents and their supporters.

We are now more determined than ever to help them achieve a dedicated skate park - somewhere central which satisfies the criteria and where the young people will feel safe.

We would appreciate the advice, opinions and comments of Northallerton residents and in particular those who would be affected by other sites presently under consideration.

Coun TONY HALL

Meadow Close,

Northallerton.

Coun DAVID BLADES

Bullamoor,

Northallerton.