Letters - February 17, 2016

Regretfully I received a disappointing response that the Mayor has prior engagements with no offer of the Deputy Mayor attending either. Despite also contacting a senior Blackpool Council officer about this (who is responsible for the development of visitor economy), unfortunately the decision remained the same as they are otherwise engaged over the two-day period from noon til 11pm.

Sadly it’s my view and that of our team of supporters, we have been personally let down by the Mayor’s office. Many decent folk, including councillors from all over Fylde coast and Lancashire from all political parties are happy to support this event and the beneficiary Trinity Hospice .

I’m hopeful that next year’s two-day event will be renamed ‘The Blackpool & Fylde Coast Jazz and Blues Fest’ with the support of two neighbouring borough councils.

Blackpool Council is keen to promote its economic development with arts and culture offerings . The town’s motto is ‘Progress’ including council correspondence which states Blackpool as ‘A fair place where aspiration and ambition are encouraged’.

It’s the support of musicians, singers and volunteers which really counts the most to stage a big-two day event. Despite the absence of the Blackpool Mayor attending this year ‘The Show Must Go On’ and I plan to make this one of the finest free events staged within the county of Lancashire.

Stephen Pierre

Artistic Director

Festival 2016

* A Blackpool Council spokesman said: “On this very rare occasion, both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are unavailable to attend the event on 9 and 10 April. Both are regularly found taking time out of their personal lives during evenings and weekends to promote and support the town, however unfortunately it was not possible for this event.

“The Deputy Mayor was pleased to be a guest of Mr Pierre’s at his Jazz Festival in August and The Mayor was delighted that he was able to attend the Mayor’s Parlour on 19 September.

“The council and its tourism arm, VisitBlackpool, are supporting Mr Pierre’s event, both through a discounted parking offer and through free inclusion in Visit Blackpool’s extensive marketing activities.”

NHS

Immigrant fears ‘confirmed’

Fears felt by many that uncontrolled immigration is bringing the NHS to the brink of disaster has been confirmed by a world renowned cancer specialist.

It comes as no surprise to most of us and hopefully the comments of Professor Angus Dalgleish will convince the rest of our population that we really cannot go on like this any longer.

He has warned that our continued membership of the EU will put our health service under intolerable pressure and lead to it collapsing. He has described the NHS as being “bled dry” by European migrants arriving here to use our free NHS services and causing a £3bn deficit.

He has hit the nail on the head when he points out that NHS Trusts were not prepared for the millions of EU migrants who have arrived here because the Government estimate was nowhere near the reality.

And as well as the massive impact on hospital services it also affects our GP services which are also collapsing because of the numbers they are having to treat. No wonder less than 20 per cent of students want to become General Practitioners.

Our hands are tied by Brussels and David Cameron’s laughable negotiations will not free us. Only by voting to leave in the long-awaited referendum can we start to salvage our health services which we all depend upon.

Louise Bours

UKIP health spokesman

LITTER

What unpaid work 
is carried out?

Every evening (or almost every evening) when I read my Gazette I see that at least one wrongdoer has been sentenced to carry out a specified number of hours of unpaid work for the community.

Judging from the filthy litter strewn condition of many of our streets and lanes, these wrongdoers are obviously not employed in clearing litter. If they were then the sheer number of them would result in our streets and lanes being completely litter free at all times.

Can someone with experience in such matters please tell me what work IS carried out for the benefit of me and my fellow citizens by the small army of people who are carrying out that unpaid work.

A Law Abiding Citizen

PROGRESS?

New computers can’t even print

Can any member of our impoverished council explain why all of the fit for purpose computers in Blackpool libraries have been scrapped and replaced by systems unable to do a simple printing process?

Despite the best efforts of an experienced IT user and helpful library staff it was necessary to contact a friend with a printer.

An important and urgently required document was printed in less than five minutes.

Disgruntled and cash strapped council tax payer

Kingsway

Blackpool

BREXIT

Cameron has
let us down

David Cameron and the other scaremongers think the general public don’t understand what is going on.

Well, Mr Cameron, we do.

It appears they forget that both Switzerland and Iceland (both classed as Europe) are NOT in the EU and don’t want to join as they are doing just fine as they are, but are trading partners with not only the EU, but also with other countries around the world.

I think that Cameron has let us down with his so-called negotiation. We need to secure our borders and look after our own people before this situation gets any worse.

Cliff Fazackerley

Address supplied