Dear Sir,
I awoke on a dark and wet New Year’s morning feeling a little befuddled possibly as a result of over imbibing whisky. Gathering my thoughts over my 3rd cuppa tea I heard something come through my letterbox and discovered a leaflet from the Labour controlled County Council entitled “Giving you your say”.
Having read the leaflet a second time I felt very misinformed. Can someone please enlighten me as to why we need two extra layers of government i.e. a Mayor’s office and an expensive super council with all the extra administration and expense that incurs? Someone it appears is going to get a massive salary financed by you and I.
Of course there is a big difference between asking for your opinion and actually acting upon your wishes as this is only a consultation exercise designed so that the powers that be can then blame the public if it turns out to be an expensive white elephant.
Perhaps someone can explain what benefits this expensive super council will bring to the hard pressed ratepayer who are also being forced to swallow a reduced Police force and longer waiting times in our hospitals whilst our County Council sits on a massive treasure chest…
It occurs to me that those same councillors who shed crocodile tears about the closing of local authority care homes, cuts to and council staff/policemen/firefighters and nurses are now proposing the creation of another two layers of administration.
Did anyone else note that Labour has announced candidacies for the posts of Police and Crime Commissioners? Labour policy is to remove these offices so is this not a little cynical? I am sure Ron Hogg has done his best to help the elected government with their austerity measures, saving money by reducing officers to the point where it is rare to see policemen on our streets. He is devolving traffic problems to county council officers and suggesting we ignore some drug use and the anti – social effects of this by disregarding parts of the law which are not agreeable to them. Cannabis use and sale is still illegal presumably.
The bridge connecting Whinlatter Place to West Park has still not been replaced after it was taken away for repair last year. Initial response was to close the right of way to save money. A 400 name petition was raised by local people to save the bridge given to Durham County Council along with £millions to maintain the bridge and other assets upon the demise of Sedgefield Borough Council.
Residents of Ashfield will recall that DCC promised to repair the road through Ashfield which leads to West Park in 2015. I now wonder if it will be repaired in 2016?
Happy New Year to all residents of Newton Aycliffe and let’s look forward to a happy 2016
Ken Robson