FOLLOWING on from your letter in the Gazette & Herald from Cllr Nathan Garbutt-Moore, I write as the chairman of the Livestock Market Company in Malton, to applaud your words “that a million people believe in the hard work and dedication that goes into producing food in this country that we can proudly say has some of the highest welfare standards in the world”.

Our part in this is the traditions of Yorkshire farmers supporting that wider picture through the local initiatives, and indeed through our livestock market, which as you know is in Malton and is within the Ryedale Plan to move to Eden Camp.

Your foresight and your insightful words offer myself, and the farmers I represent, a shining light to follow.

Your words herald a leadership we identify with. As a district councillor that represents a rural area with farming at the heart of our community, I should like to share

our thoughts and principles on how much farmers here pride themselves on our work, and need the new market to be in place as soon as possible.

The wider picture of sustainability, self-sufficiency, food security, and looking after the environment, whilst maintaining the highest animal welfare standards resonates with our folk.

Indeed at this particular time the food for the future has a significance beyond cost, but endorses value, life and availability.

We believe that you, as our district councillor, have objectively and incisively pinpointed the main issue - the future of our livestock market.

Pat Foxton, Chairman, Livestock Market Company, Malton

Shared concerns

I SHARE the concerns of previous correspondents regarding proposed planning reforms.

They place too much reliance on development companies to appropriately serve the local area’s need for house building. Their primary aim is to make money.

In Kirkbymoorside the large site on the A170 is a prime example of development with minimum regard for the town.

The noise from the Countryside Properties site has resounded across the town at a time when homes and gardens have been particularly important.

It could have been significantly reduced had they converted the strident reversing alarms to the quieter and safer new white noise alarms.

However, they have rejected approaches to do so by Ryedale District Council, MP Kevin Hollinrake and the Considerate Constructors scheme.

Their primary excuse for not doing so is that it is not illegal to use the old technology.

This may change if Kevin persuades ministers to ban the strident

alarms.

Countryside Properties current stand highlights the fact that they will not respond to local concerns on a simple issue like this.

How then can big companies be trusted to address local housing needs?

Ann Gray, Kirkbymoorside