Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. 

This letter responds to another reader’s letter, published in last week’s column. The reader felt re-wilding in residential areas of Harrogate looked ‘awful’.

How I agree with the writer who commented on the state of Harrogate’s grass verges.

They are dreadful, but also the Stray itself looks unkempt. Effort is spent to keep the actual centre of town tidy(ish). The grass is cut with frightening regularity, but the grass verges are not.

Nor are the streets swept; the streets in the centre of town are laden with litter, together with cigarette butts and paper bags lying around.

Recently I visited Barnsley. What a difference.

The town is clean and without litter, despite not many litter bins in sight. It’s remarkable.

I think North Yorkshire Council needs to make a few visits to see what could be done.

Valerie Cooke, Harrogate

I counted six drains in Harrogate – five of which were blocked

This letter comes after people pointed fingers at the council following extreme flooding in Knaresborough earlier this month. Questions have since been raised about the infrastructure of local drains. 

So much for councillor Duncan’s comments on gully cleaning.

2,664 over three years is hardly a large number.

I counted six drains on Harlow Moor Road, within about 100 yards of each other, five of which were blocked.

No wonder the road turns into a river with heavy rain, washing away even more road surface and creating greater potholes.

Michael Smith, Darley

The council should just scrutinise public questions ahead of meetings

This letter responds to news of North Yorkshire Council banning questions from the public at budget meetings.

Reading your article on questions asked that are not relevant to the subject of the meeting, I presume there is an acting chairman who could rule on the question asked and its relevance to the subject being discussed.

I would have thought that setting the budget should be important enough to be the sole subject under debate.

Who scrutinises these questions before they reach these committees? It would save a lot of time and trouble if the council themselves managed it better.

They sound as if they need a stronger chairman.

As for councillor Dadd “losing the will to live” – well, he obviously hasn't got a lot of stamina for a meeting that extends beyond the usual length…

Sandra Theobald, Ripon

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.