Readers' letters

I HAVE read and re-read the front page article of the April 19 edition - MP calls for action over GP phone delay - and there was no ‘attack on hardworking NHS personnel’, as suggested by Margaret Thompson in her letter to this paper.

Alex Sobel is our MP, elected to represent us as constituents, and he was asked by local residents to follow up patients’ concerns over the administration of the surgery since One Medicare Ltd took over.

In particular, they raise concerns about the telephone service being outsourced to a call centre in Leeds which have been far from effective.

Concerns about Westgate Surgery have been picked up by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which monitors providers in our NHS. Their report in March states that: ‘This practice is rated as Requires Improvement overall’ and specifically mentions improvements needed to provide safe and well led services.

The issues, therefore, are over the administration and not the hardworking NHS staff - which is exactly the point that Mr Sobel has raised.

One Medicare Ltd is a for-profit organisation who took over this practice in 2016. It surely is time enough for them to have overcome their ‘teething problems’.

They should use their profits to put back into the surgery to improve the vital NHS healthcare services they are being paid for.

Instead of trying to blame our MP for raising patients’ concerns they should use their efforts to deliver a good, even excellent service to the residents and taxpayers who pay for their contract.

Leonie Sharp,

Bridge Avenue,

Otley

More spaces not further restrictions

I THOUGHT the car parking consultation was to find more places where cars can be parked in Ilkley. So how does it help to paint yellow lines, introduce more parking charges, raise existing charges and shorten parking limits?

Ilkley needs many more visitors to keep our shops and catering establishments going so surely we need more parking, not restrictions!

Is there a feasibility and cost study going on, looking at the three or four areas which may be suitable for more parking spaces?

Making The Grove one-way will not be practical as traffic would speed up and also put even more strain on Skipton and Leeds Roads as people wouldn’t be able to take the alternative route through and into Ilkley. If cars were parked correctly on the Grove it would help.

An alternative would be to make The Grove carriageway one car width wider, still leaving a very wide pavement.

I wonder how much the consultation process is costing us? There seems to be little positive outcome.

There is a suggestion parking charges for Ilkley Lido could impact on Denton Road – so yet another consultation will take place.

Malcolm Atkinson

26 Middleton Road

Ilkley

Town does have a Women’s Institute

HAVING spoken to some ladies recently and mentioning that I belonged to the WI I was surprised to find that they didn’t know Otley had a WI - Women’s Institute.

How many ladies in Otley don’t know we exist? We meet at the Children’s Centre near the Maypole every second Wednesday in the month at 7pm.

We go out to lunch once a month (ladies who lunch).

We have a coffee morning on Friday, May 4 at the Methodist Church Hall in Boroughgate, 10.30am. We also have one in November, same venue.

We have a Christmas tree in the Parish Church which we decorate with a different theme each year.

In August we are having a trip to the Stained Glass Centre in Cayton, near Scarborough, which we are looking forward to.

At our monthly meetings we have some very interesting speakers, we have tea and cake afterwards. We have an annual dinner which this year is at the Chevin Inn.

If you would like to join a very friendly group you’d be made very welcome. Come along and see what you’re missing.

Ann Walker

Newall Close,

Otley

Family connections to the post office

I AM hoping some of your readers may be able to help me search into my granny’s family (maternal) who was connected to Guiseley Post Office and her husband’s family of St John’s View, Menston (in 1879).

My grandparents were Annie Morrell, date of birth 23/6/1877 and Jabez Wear (1879). Jabez’s parents were Thomas and Mary Lofthouse. Annie’s were William and his wife, whose name I haven’t found in paperwork so far.

I do know Annie’s father’s parents were Benjamin and Hannah, and their children’s names and a granddaughter, unusually called Adela Parker Morrell and apart from very old photos of my granny’s family without much detail, that is all I know and I am not on the internet.

I have very little to go on.

If anyone is able to offer any information I would be grateful.

Susan Wood

5, Swain Mount,

Bradford, BD2 1HJ

Foreign investment raises confidence

IT is one year before we leave the EU. The comments from those who wish to leave or remain are interesting but not facts.

However there are some facts as guidelines.

In 2017 German state owned DB Shenker trucking co, bought Redhead Freight of Bradford and state-owned Deutsche Bahn made a major investment in rail freight in Doncaster.

Deutsche Post bought UK post for £25 million and DHL started the construction of a mega UK hub. So they must all expect an increase in trade after Brexit.

International investments into the City of London are going ahead including a one billion new development under construction by Goldman Sachs, and the new European HQ for Bloomberg.

The recent decision by India’s largest bank to make London its international hub should also give us confidence.

In 2017 there was more foreign investment into the UK than all other EU states combined including into new tech. There was a 59 per cent increase in the number of new tech companies launched.

Pragmatic international business sees a bright future for our country so this should give us all confidence.

I have exported around the world including EU states for over 40 years.

Right product at right price gets the order, owt else is waffle.

Howard Scaife

Backstone Way

Ilkley