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Letters, Thursday, April 10, 2008
Readers write to the Times & Citizen and Bedford Today.
Abortion stance makes Nadine out of touch
SIR – Nadine Dorries MP (Mid Beds) appears out of touch with the reality-based community, having last week been taken in by an internet hoax distributed by American anti-abortion extremists, and generally watching one too many episodes of the TV drama West Wing.
I am inviting Mrs Dorries to a public debate, open to all, to discuss issues important to our constituents.
I have ideas on housing, how to make our schools world class, how to make neighbourhoods safer and how to make the world a more stable, greener, peaceful and prosperous place for all. I also want to hear what matters to constituents and their views.
I am concerned that Nadine Dorries MP is turning her back on constituents in order to court the national press and make a name. This is her opportunity to prove me wrong and present her ideas to the people of Mid Beds, and not just readers of national newspapers.
I am a young Bedfordshire family man, a sergeant in the Territorial Army, and a management accountant for a world class university. Mid Beds people and Mid Beds issues; that is what I am campaigning for.
David Reeves
Labour parliamentary candidate, Mid Beds
****
Michelle's run on stilts a real marathon effort
SIR – A Bedfordshire scout leader, Michelle Frost, is about to make
history when she competes in the Flora London Marathon on Sunday. For she will be the first to attempt the race on four-feet stilts, bidding for a place in the Guinness Book Of Records.
A fashion graduate, Michelle has been chosen by the BBC to feature in credits for this international event. She has just recorded a race sequence to be shown in news broadcasts the day before the marathon. Her progress in the race itself will be followed by TV cameras along the route.
This Wootton Upper School pupil has trained for ten years for this event, ever since she first walked on stilts at a scout jamboree when she was 12. Last year she spent a fortnight on stilts at the Centenary World Scout Jamboree in Essex. In March she took part in the Sports Relief mile event in Manchester using special spring-loaded stilts. In May she has been invited to compete as a special guest in the Luxembourg ING marathon.
But her determination to succeed has a poignant family link. Her elder sister, Samantha, was born with only one hand and Michelle is running her race on behalf of Reach, the charity that helped her sister cope with this disability. You can support Michelle's attempt by logging onto the Reach website to make a donation at www.reach.org.uk/
Peter Sutherst
Bedfordshire Scouts media manager,
Molivers Lane, Bromham
****
A walk around Priory Marina is a soggy affair
SIR – If you have tried to walk round the lake at Priory Marina recently, you will find that it's just about passable in your 'Sunday best' clothes, but if you have a wheelchair or pushchair you stand no chance!
The park proudly flies its Green Flag for excellence, but I am willing to bet that if the park was inspected now, it would not reach the required standard. It would not cost much to lay some wood chippings on the muddy bits, so let's see some action, please. By the way, the central path through Bedford Park – another Green Flag site – needs attention too.
Ted Baker
Stanley Street, Bedford
****
Counselling centre still going strong
SIR – The BCC is ended, but the BCC lives! To avoid confusion, always a good idea, we all know that Bedfordshire County Council is shortly coming to an end. But fear not, the Bedford Counselling Centre continues to go from strength to strength. Despite rumours to the contrary, we are here as always, at 12 Foster Hill Road, for wall-to-wall training and counselling services, on 01234 346077. We hope to continue serving the citizens of Bedford and district for many years to come.
Rosemarie Langley
Brackley Road, Bedford
****
Travellers at The Wixams would suit all
SIR – I have been reading the ongoing debate relating to the siting of the statutorily-required travellers' pitches, and believe that Dave Lewin may be on to something. Including the required pitches at The Wixams is a win-win scenario, and I am surprised that the council has not included the idea in the planning process.
Firstly the council win because they are able to fulfil their legal obligations once and for all, without the risk of upsetting existing
communities. The current residents of our outlying villages would not have to be "angry and concerned" by proposals to site travellers near to their communities. Further to this, the council would not be bombarded by "racist" comments about the nature of the travelling community because there are currently no residents in The Wixams.
By building the pitches prior to the housing, they would be able to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to ensure that the travelling community have all of the services they require to integrate fully into their new environment. This would act as a shining example of the council's commitment to inclusivity and political correctness.
The two communities could grow together in an atmosphere of understanding and mutual tolerance.
The travelling community also benefit from this proposal as they will obviously gain the much-needed extra pitches and the necessary
services required to ensure they are able to maintain their living
standards. They would also be able to register for council tax and pay rent, which would further legitimise their status as valuable members of society. By building the pitches prior to the housing, it would be possible for the travellers to be offered gainful employment on the site. As founding members of The Wixams' community, they would be better placed to integrate and foster positive relationships within the development.
So there we have it – a winning plan for the future. Perhaps the council could point out any flaws in this proposal.
Liz Lovell
Rectory Lane, Bedford
****
True Romanies look after their sites
SIR – I find it extremely sad that many people in Bedford have not been taught the difference between a group of travellers and a family of Romany gypsies.
Romany gypsies would never dream of keeping their living site less than clean, likewise their trailers. They are a proud people who have a tradition of being good to visitors.
To have this latest slur on their collective characters must be a total humiliation, and I am very sad to see it. I have personal friends who are Romany and also family links to the nation. I am far from ashamed of them, rather I am proud to speak of it as they set a good example of
cleanliness and good manners that everyone could follow without fear.
Rachel Ward
Honeysuckle Way, Bedford
****
Council could collect my rubbish too, but won't
SIR – It's good to see that the council will be collecting the rubbish from the caravan parked illegally near The Oasis swimming pool – as it does every time people like this come and go around our town.
I have a business nearby, and pay over 1,000 in rates per month. The council does not collect my rubbish, nor any of the rubbish from all my business neighbours.
And by the way, when I park illegally in Bedford, just for a few minutes beyond what I paid for, I get fined.
Discriminated against? Sure, that's exactly how the decent folk of Bedford feel.
John Anderson
Falcon Avenue, Bedford
****
Some talk of saving post offices, others act
SIR – I read your article on post offices (T&C, April 3) with some interest.
It seems the Lib Dems will stop at nothing to get their names in the paper.
The vote in parliament to save our post offices took place on March 19 yet the Lib Dems have only just got their comments out now. Borough Conservatives got our message out last month on this.
However, the fact is this. While the Lib Dems talk about their
opposition to post offices closures, Conservatives act. It was the
Conservatives who called the Opposition Day debate in parliament in the first place, announced by the shadow minister for post offices Charles Hendry MP during his recent visit to Bedford no less.
Where was the Lib Dems' motion?
Conservatives will continue to oppose the closure of any post offices in the borough and we hope residents will join us in our 'Keep The Post Offices Open' campaign.
Coun Andrew McConnell
(Con, Brickhill)
****
MP Hall 'complacent' about a very real threat
SIR – I was very disappointed to read the complacent comments by
Bedford and Kempston's Labour MP Patrick Hall on the scandal of impending post office closures in Bedford borough (T&C, April 3).
When the time came to stand up and be counted on behalf of the people who he supposedly represents, the local Labour MP did the opposite and voted in favour of the closure of essential post offices. I have received messages of support for my local post office in Kimbolton Road from hundreds of local residents, and I feel outraged on their behalf that Bedford and Kempston's MP cannot find it in himself to support his
constituents publicly in parliament.
Post offices are losing customers because the Labour Government is stripping away service after service, including the most profitable
services, so even busy post offices struggle to stay afloat financially.
Mr Hall's 'wait and see' approach ignores the fact that the Post Office's closure plans for Bedford were revealed last year. It seems to be Mr Hall's head which is stuck in the sand, while his constituents take the real threat of closure of their local post offices very seriously indeed.
Coun David Sawyer
(Lib Dem, De Parys,
Bedford Borough Council)
****
Question: what is an 'affordable' home?
SIR – Our Prime Minister, our ministers and our politicians, both national and local, keep banging on about how many 'affordable' houses they are having built all over the country. But I for one, and I am
certainly not alone, do not understand the word 'affordable' when used in this context.
Affordable to who? How much money must I have to have to buy an affordable house? Is it of a certain size? Is an affordable house in
Bedford the same price as one in Birmingham or Bristol? If not, how is the figure calculated? Is it affordable if it's below a certain price? W
Who decides what's affordable and what is not? I am puzzled and seek clarification.
Bedford Borough Council is trumpeting in Bedford News that it has received an extra 14.5 million from the National Affordable Homes Programme, and it goes on to say, "this funding in Bedford will now pay for 532 new affordable homes" for rent or shared ownership. If I divide 14.5 million by 532, I get 27,255. That sounds affordable, but I have surely got my maths wrong as you could barely build a garage and garden shed for that.
Mark Adkin
Putnoe Lane, Bedford
****
Danger to cyclists
SIR – My biannual letter to Beds County Council producing no response as usual, I am writing to the Times & Citizen to highlight the potentially lethal arrangement of the traffic lights at the staggered crossroads of Kimbolton Road, Polhill Avenue and Park Avenue.
Cyclists crossing over on the green light, travelling up Kimbolton Road to Putnoe Lane, will encounter traffic turning left on the filter light at Park Avenue. There is insufficient time for a cyclist to clear this junction safely. Child cyclists are particularly at risk, especially at dusk. An accident or a fatality is inevitable. Is this what those responsible await?
Avis Jenkins
Putnoe Lane, Bedford
****
Help to eradicate school bullying
SIR – Many of your readers will be familiar with the issue of bullying in schools and the impact which it has on victims.
School toilets are recognised as a hotspot for bullies. A recent survey from the UK Youth Parliament showed that 40 per cent of pupils feared the behaviour of other students in school toilets.
Many people believe that it is possible to 'design out' bullying from school toilets. I have just written a free factsheet which brings together the specialist knowledge which has been developed and helps schools to make the right decisions when planning new school toilets and washrooms.
The factsheet is aimed at pupils, parents, teachers and
governors.
Entitled 'Reducing the impact of bullying and anti-social
behaviour in school toilets and washrooms', the factsheet can be obtained by e-mailing Wallgate Ltd at: schooltoilets@wallgate.com or by writing to: 'School Toilets' Factsheet, Wallgate Ltd, Crow Lane, Wilton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 0HB.
Jean Donovan
Author, by email
****
Fairness to children has to be the aim
SIR – In a survey of three, randomly-selected local authorities, the Government has discovered that 13 per cent of schools are furtively applying illicit criteria to determine their admissions. And who are the guilty parties? 'Overwhelmingly faith and foundation schools'.
When challenged about its commitment to faith schools, the Government routinely quotes 'the value placed by parents on the high moral ethos set by such schools'. And how does this show itself? By exploiting their privileged position as their own admissions authority to flout the rules, and then dissemble about it. It's difficult to see by what logic the mission statement of the great faiths of this country should include the endorsement and encouragement of privilege, hypocrisy and falsehood.
This is not a victimless crime. For every school that grabs more than its fair share of the talented, the well-supported, the prosperous and the compliant, another school gets fewer, thus pushing ever further out of reach what is really every parent's aspiration, a good school in every neighbourhood.
The overriding aim has got to be fairness to children, and if this can be achieved only by facing down the self-serving demands of the more ambitious and vocal parents, then this is a bullet worth biting. Sadly,
children don't have a vote.
It remains to be seen whether this shocking finding will at last shake the Government's complacency on this issue. But in the meantime there is nothing to stop our own county council scrutinising the practices of those schools which act as their own admissions authority, and publishing its findings. If Bedfordshire is squeaky clean, that would be something to be proud of.
Charles Baily
Sidmouth Close, Bedford
****
Censorship of views
SIR – I hope the taxpayers whose views have been censored (re: Mid Beds District Council's consultation on traveller pitches) are able to impress their outrage over their loss of free speech to their councillors and council officers, hold them to account and prevent re-occurrences.
Margaret Baker
by email
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Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
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