IT seems that local government is having a competition with central government to see who can appear the most detached from reality.

So Councillor Cowling thinks that repairing potholes in Richmond will benefit Ryedale? What? Do you know what would benefit Ryedale, Coun Cowling? Repairing the ridiculous state of the roads IN Ryedale!

As for Ryedale becoming ‘a centre for cycling’, no cyclist would dare negotiate some of the roads in Norton, particularly Church Street, unless they had to.

That particular stretch of road now looks like a cross between a patchwork quilt and a bombing range.

As we have ‘unallocated funds’ available (yes, we, this is OUR money the council is giving away) perhaps those should be ‘allocated’ to looking after the people of Ryedale?

To quote Coun Cowling: “We are not an island, we are part of Yorkshire.” We are indeed, but the Ryedale tax payers expect their taxes to go towards Ryedale, not Yorkshire.

As for Coun Elizabeth Shields thinking it would be ‘churlish’ to refuse the request for money, perhaps she should consider the needs of the local people before being concerned about what others may think.

Perhaps we should also help fund the Skipton monthly coffee morning for the Max Wall Appreciation Society just in case any of them come to Ryedale for a coffee in the future? It would be churlish not to...

Dave Beck, Norton