Over to you... review of letters from 2011

ALTHOUGH a General Election galvanises readers into action, a local election can be just as demanding.

Existing and potential politicians make promises, produce denials and attack opponents.

Once an election is over some successful candidates continue to use the paper to keep readers informed of policies and local arguments, while others fade into obscurity. On a national level our local MPs were unusually quiet, although MEP Geoffrey Bloom appeared in print on 11 occasions.

As the year progressed, City of York Council leader James Alexander came in for special comment as it was alleged he managed to get letters printed almost on a daily basis. Not quite so, although post-election he was exposed on 27 occasions, with 12 published before he was elected leader of the council. This meant that Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing was pushed into second place with 33.

In May, one reader complained that too many letters appeared from councillors, to which the editor responded that “we are more than happy to print as many letters as possible from the ‘common people’ of York, but cannot exclude councillors’.” So there you have it.

Many of the ‘common people’ took up the challenge and during the year The Press published 3,627 letters from readers, not necessarily living in the local area. Indeed correspondence came from many parts of the UK and such far flung addresses as Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, New York and New Zealand. Clearly many people are reading about York online.

In all, The Press printed 1,484 letters from named correspondents and protected the identity of a further 45 due to the content of their letters. The Smith family was represented by 28 of its members.

In 2010, 2,886 letters were published from 1,289 individual contributors. As in previous years, the pages were dominated by contributors we have come to know (love or hate as you will). There were many new contributors, although only Gary Flakes managed to join the list of previously named super-scribes.

So what fired you up? The annual spat between the proponents of cycling and their opponents seems to have run its course. During the year the argument about house building ebbed and flowed, as did many other topics.

The year started with protests about a proposed development in White Cross Road. There was a plea that Mrs Goodrick should continue to write (which she did). On the January 10, two of our regular correspondents (Usherwood and Quarrie) made their second appearance of the year in print. Some councillors were quick to get their names before readers. There were mixed views about the reappearance of the Big Wheel and a blanket 20mph speed limit.

February brought letters recalling John Barry’s early days in York and regretting his death. There was more adverse comment about the Big Wheel followed by a range of opinion on the sudden awareness of bats.

Although spring was still a little way off, the rise in the number of letters from prospective local councillors suggested that an election was pending! Mr Bate’s objection to free bus passes brought some reaction.

Spring may now have been in the air but this did not stop readers complaining. The apparent disrespect when the Queen spoke to a man who remained seated was noted. There were objections to Britain’s interference in Libya with comments that there was no end in sight to this conflict.

When a sign says ‘No Vehicles’ it means ‘No’ although not to a number of York drivers. Was a councillor’s library fine justifiably waived? As for AV and the census forms, enough said. However there was praise for the way the Japanese reacted to the tsunami. On March 16, A Oliver had two letter printed! A short sharp letter from Geoff Robb asked “police numbers are being cut. Will anyone notice?”

In April there were pleas that the public should be listened to in relation to libraries, which to some should be renamed crèches. Dunnington residents took offence at criticism of their volunteers smartening up the village for the Britain in Bloom competition. And more was printed about AV and the impending local elections.

Although the Royal Wedding had taken place the previous month, it was in May that letters appeared about it – all favourable. On May 4, nine letters appeared about AV. Following the local elections many candidates wrote a letter of thanks to their voters.

A number of readers made comments about the outcome of the Chief Constable’s disciplinary hearing. The visit of the Queen to Ireland gained approval, but not the revised hospital parking, which for some was not necessarily a happy experience.

The reason why Labour required an extra executive member was not resolved. In addition to being printed in the national press, William Dixon Smith thought he might be better advised to wear his handkerchief as a face mask!

Following the pageantry at the Royal Wedding there was considerable praise for the way Britain Troops the Colour in June and how it was shown to the world by the BBC.

Mathew Laverack and Paul Cordock continued questing the council’s house building policy, now to be joined by John Jones. Proposed changes to city-centre traffic arrangements and the possible sale of the Clarence Street car park provoked anger. Comments about changes in the NHS were noted with teachers and others weighing in on the public sector strike.

The teachers going on strike brought an avalanche of correspondence in July. The potential sale of the car park continued to annoy and also comments that some property had already been destroyed to accommodate it. The people of Badger Hill took up the cudgels over students and possibly staff at University of York extension parking in their residential area.

August, often a quiet month for news, brought continued anger at the council’s desire to capitalise on the car park sale and then considerable support for the University of York St John’s U-turn by withdrawing its offer to purchase the ground.

The riots that spread across Britain provided a new topic of concern, especially as to the legal outcome of any public inquiry. It was noted that York Hospital received top marks in national comparative tables.

Philip Roe started September by raising the Israeli/Palestine controversy. Redevelopment in Malton produced many comments from readers in the town and adjacent villages and Monks Cross became a burning issue. The courage of a York High School pupil who made a public apology for a rude gesture on a photograph was noted, despite a counter-claim by one reader.

In October readers were quick to add fuel to the argument about the long-awaited improvement to the vacant White Swan in Piccadilly. Should York be a sanctuary for asylum seekers? was another topic that brought the best or worst out of readers. A case of horse-whipping angered some. As for the Local Development Framework, how many of our correspondents actually read its 789 pages?

November saw praise from an unlikely area when a Manchester-based reader said York is the most desirable place to live. Should John Lewis come to the centre of York or be located at Monks Cross? Apparent poor support for the Armistice march did not please some and the Stadium argument prevailed.

There was a further attempt to explain why the city’s house-building programme is at a standstill. And Mrs Clark took Mrs Goodrick to task – oh dear!

A letter appeared above the signature Hugh Manbeam which was stated to be an anagram. No one attempted to reveal the author.

And so to December when all the old chestnuts got a further airing. Monks Cross and the Stadium are unresolved. The Big Wheel has arrived amid objections from people whose property is directly overlooked. Parking, Clifton Green traffic arrangements, blue badges, bendy buses, gritting and many more – all topics that will more than likely appear at regular intervals in 2012.

As always a number of female readers can be relied on to provide us with interesting contributions and those catching the editor’s eye on more than ten occasions include Cynthia Glasby and Mrs Goodrick (both 11), Barbara Pettitt and Mrs Robinson (13), Janet Kitchen Cooper (15) Pamela Frankland (20) and Liz Edge (25). This leaves Heather Causnett our female star once more with 26 letters published.

So many readers are finding favour with the editor on numerous occasions that the bar has been raised once again. Although the editor is grateful for every letter received, only those who have had 30 or more contributions printed are able to be named.

So thanks go to Dennis Barton (32), Keith Chapman and Matthew Laverack (both 34), AP Cox and Gary Flakes (38).

Still writing regularly are Terry Smith and Kenneth Bowker (40), Philip Roe (45), Bob Waite (47) and Tom Mitchell (48). Not to be outdone Ken Holmes (51), J Beisley (61) and Geoff Robb (63) are in the super league.

That leaves one reader who has been a prolific letter writer for many years. Once again it is David Quarrie with 68 published contributions on a variety of topics who interested or annoyed us as the year unfolded.

So who will it be in 2012? A quick peep at contributions already this year perhaps gives us a clue!

So to the ‘common people’ grab your pens or attack your keyboards and provide The Press with short snappy letters which may or may not be controversial.