Letters - Thursday February 18, 2021

Put best foot forward for better pavements
See letter from Andrew DennisSee letter from Andrew Dennis
See letter from Andrew Dennis

During the pandemic, people have rediscovered the simple act of walking – the oldest, cheapest and greenest transport there is. It has allowed us to stay healthy, happy and connected to those around us.

But lots of us still struggle with narrow, cluttered, uneven pavements; crossings that prioritise cars rather than people; and growing numbers of speeding vehicles.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That’s why I support Living Streets’ Manifesto for Walking, which calls for candidates in our upcoming election to pledge to end pedestrian deaths and injuries on roads, tackle air pollution, make school streets safe and make walking easier by cutting the clutter on our pavements.

It is time we redesigned our streets around people not cars. That way we can all continue to enjoy the benefits of walking and healthier, happier communities.

Andrew Dennis

address supplied

Council

It is our money they are wasting

Blackpool council own Houndshill shopping centre. I have now heard they have purchased abbington market. Could someone tell us what is going on?

we have people who are homeless and a shortage of council housing. They don’t seem to care for those of us who live in the town. Also B&Bs are closing down and they are building a hotel - the public should know it’s our money they are wasting.

Nathan Bailey

via email

Local government

Let’s go back to square one

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Politics is out of control and nowhere more so than on a local level. It is time for a clear out and re-start.

Now it is seen as a career and not a vocation, there is a real need to look at the structure. Parish councils need to become the voice of the people, and borough and county councillors banned from them, otherwise the very essence of why they are there is spoilt. Parish councils are made up of volunteers who are there because they want the best for their community.

But too many are taken over by the borough and county councillors who make or influence decisions based on their borough or county needs, rather than the community’s.

Borough councils should trim their number of members. Why do wards need two or three representatives?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This either results in one proactive councillor doing all the work, while others claim credit, or, worse still, all members ignoring the community and waiting for each other to act.

County councils should be scrapped altogether because representatives are usually on the borough too and act like a mini-Government.

If local government was trimmed, it would make it simpler for people to know who to approach. It would cut down, not only on the cost incurred by MPs and borough and county councillors, through wages and allowances, but also ensure town halls could shed all the officers who are duplicated in each authority. That would free up more of our council tax to be spent on services and give us more for our money. I am sure the politicians would reject this as they know they are on to a good number, but thanks to Covid and its effects on the economy, it must be addressed as soon as possible.

Simon Crabb

via email

Society

Proposals are not the answer

At long last Robert Jenrick, the Housing and Communities Secretary, has released the Government’s proposals to help those poor leaseholders who are locked into purchasing properties which have defective cladding.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Only politicians and the mandarins in Whitehall could have come up with such a scheme.

If you live in a building 18.1 metres high you are eligible for support but if your property is 17.9 metres high you have to fund it yourself via a loan. The height difference is 0.2m (eight inches in old money).

The Government is correct to step in to resolve this problem, albeit far too late. However let us not have some arbitrarily stupid height criterion.

Alan Carnall

via email