NEWS CHANNEL
Published: 21/07/2010 10:22 -
Updated: 21/07/2010 17:10
SIR - Regarding Milton Keynes having an elected Mayor.
I am not happy with the concept of an elected mayor and have already submitted my reasons to the council's head of democratic services.
Several years ago I had correspondence with the late Neil Cawley. Whilst reflecting his opinion on the subject, we were obliged to agree to differ.
The first elected Mayor of Bedford, Frank Branston, was a well known public figure, forthright inexpressing his views and completely independent of any political party. Unfortunately I see no person here in Milton Keynes of equivalent stature.
How much information would be available to an elector (such as myself) (a) about a candidate's qualifications for the job, (b) ability to supervise a council annual turnover in excess of £200 million (c) ability to inspire the totality of the council's staff.
If the information available is typical of that circulated by the various candidates in the May local elections, pity help the elector in his or her choice other than by party political label.
I ask, does a candidate with a PhD have the necessary ability to deal with points (b) and (c) better than a candidate with a string of O Levels to a maximum of a solitary C?
As a postal voter, I was obliged to return my ballot ppaper before I had received all of the candidate's leaflets so my vote had to be chosen on a limited amount of information about any one candidate.
I suggest that there is some merit in the real restoration of Alderman and then adopt the procedure whereby the Lord Mayor of London is automatically the senior Alderman ' not passed the chair'.
At least a council leader would have been elected for one or two sessions and so be known to many electors by virtue of press reportson his or her actions or intentions over a period of four or eight years before being elected leader. Ditto for the person chosen to be mayor.
Accordingly, I prefer a continuation of the present arrangement with the Mayor promoting Milton Keynes in a more or less ceremonial role and presiding at meetings of full council.
I am not happy with the concept of an elected mayor and have already submitted my reasons to the council's head of democratic services.
Several years ago I had correspondence with the late Neil Cawley. Whilst reflecting his opinion on the subject, we were obliged to agree to differ.
The first elected Mayor of Bedford, Frank Branston, was a well known public figure, forthright inexpressing his views and completely independent of any political party. Unfortunately I see no person here in Milton Keynes of equivalent stature.
How much information would be available to an elector (such as myself) (a) about a candidate's qualifications for the job, (b) ability to supervise a council annual turnover in excess of £200 million (c) ability to inspire the totality of the council's staff.
If the information available is typical of that circulated by the various candidates in the May local elections, pity help the elector in his or her choice other than by party political label.
I ask, does a candidate with a PhD have the necessary ability to deal with points (b) and (c) better than a candidate with a string of O Levels to a maximum of a solitary C?
As a postal voter, I was obliged to return my ballot ppaper before I had received all of the candidate's leaflets so my vote had to be chosen on a limited amount of information about any one candidate.
I suggest that there is some merit in the real restoration of Alderman and then adopt the procedure whereby the Lord Mayor of London is automatically the senior Alderman ' not passed the chair'.
At least a council leader would have been elected for one or two sessions and so be known to many electors by virtue of press reportson his or her actions or intentions over a period of four or eight years before being elected leader. Ditto for the person chosen to be mayor.
Accordingly, I prefer a continuation of the present arrangement with the Mayor promoting Milton Keynes in a more or less ceremonial role and presiding at meetings of full council.
Leonard Lean
Sokeman Close,
Greenleys
Sokeman Close,
Greenleys
SIR - I think Barry Gowland (letters July 14) is missing the point of why the housing team cannot allow objects to be left in a communal area. What would happen if more of the residents wanted to park their bikes there and then someone else started to leave prams and pushchairs, where do the housing team call a halt?
It does not take much for someone to trip and hit their head particularly near stairs, it is after all a communal area to be used by all.
Postal staff have to deliver letters and should not have to negotiate bikes to carry out their jobs.
He seems to think that Health & Safety is just an excuse for jobsworths to assert their power over the people when in fact because of our Health & Safety laws the injury rate in the U.K. is consistently one of the best in Europe, even so the current figures for 2009/10 show we still had 151 workers killed.
There were also 70 members of the public killed and I am not talking about road accidents.
This is 31 per cent LOWER than for the past 5 years and due mainly to the Health & Safety laws that he thinks we should rise up against because it is in his opinion 'nonsense that should be stopped'.
He uses a quote that Sir Edward Coke apparently made 400 years ago 'If it be against reason it cannot be the law'. Mr Gowland would also perhaps like to go back just 150/200 years to when our industrialists were killing children as young as eight by forcing them to work on machinery in mills without the protection of Health & Safety laws. They are there for everybody's protection and if 13 years of Labour Government has meant that they have remained on the statue books then it is to their credit.
Mr B Green
Windsor Street
Wolverton
It does not take much for someone to trip and hit their head particularly near stairs, it is after all a communal area to be used by all.
Postal staff have to deliver letters and should not have to negotiate bikes to carry out their jobs.
He seems to think that Health & Safety is just an excuse for jobsworths to assert their power over the people when in fact because of our Health & Safety laws the injury rate in the U.K. is consistently one of the best in Europe, even so the current figures for 2009/10 show we still had 151 workers killed.
There were also 70 members of the public killed and I am not talking about road accidents.
This is 31 per cent LOWER than for the past 5 years and due mainly to the Health & Safety laws that he thinks we should rise up against because it is in his opinion 'nonsense that should be stopped'.
He uses a quote that Sir Edward Coke apparently made 400 years ago 'If it be against reason it cannot be the law'. Mr Gowland would also perhaps like to go back just 150/200 years to when our industrialists were killing children as young as eight by forcing them to work on machinery in mills without the protection of Health & Safety laws. They are there for everybody's protection and if 13 years of Labour Government has meant that they have remained on the statue books then it is to their credit.
Mr B Green
Windsor Street
Wolverton
SIR - Regarding your story 'Nasty niff as sewage plant criticised'. A lot of excuses from Anglian Water but I bet none of them have to live downwind of the smell and it gets into every part of the house. Let them try sleeping with the smell of poo etc.
James Becker
sent by email
SIR - 'Debate over Travellers' site erupts in council'
How utterly disgusting that the Lib Dem councillors, who were elected to serve the council tax-paying residents of MK, accuse anyone objecting to their plans of being "racist" or "bigoted". The arguments against the site are based on the sound use of taxpayer's money. How dare you accuse anyone of racism in order to support your argument. Did anyone who elected you agree with the way you voted?
Jon Grafton
sent by email
sent by email
SIR – I was interested to read Mark Lancaster’s words, “speaking out” against the variation in life expectancy between rich and poor areas. It seems to me that Mr Lancaster MP has forgotten his party is now in Government. He has not stated how his party is seeking to change things for the better, or indeed made any commitment to reduce the gap at all! In fact, the Conservatives have committed themselves to increasing the gap, by introducing a VAT rise which will unfairly affect those already struggling, while having little effect on the well off. Together with the freezing of benefits, this will have a devastating impact on those people already struggling to pay their heating bills and feed their families. How will this improve the health of those in poverty Mr Lancaster?
Paul Williams
Oldbrook
Oldbrook
SIR - Your readers will be delighted to learn that the Oakgrove estate is hopefully to be rescued from the nightmare of becoming one of John Prescott's "Millennium Communities".
The HCA, who own the site, has been told (by the minister) to stop pursuing the previous government's agenda of telling local authorities how many new homes they are going to get, and what density they must build them. This project was part of that top-down approach. Instead, the new government is committed to localism: building the number and the density of homes that each Local Authority wants. Won't that be a culture shock for HCA & MKP!
For the hundreds of residents and many local organisations that have been campaigning for a "Better Oakgrove" for almost a decade, this is wonderful news. MK doesn't have to endure the Prescott nightmare, we can have our own vision for the kind of new neighbourhood we want to build.
Of course this does mean that MK Council under its Lib-Dem administration now needs to lead the debate over how big and how fast MK wants to grow, and what sort of city we want to be.
As soon as we get confirmation that HCA has done what its minister has instructed, let's celebrate, and start planning that Better Oakgrove.
Cllr John Bint
Middleton Ward
The HCA, who own the site, has been told (by the minister) to stop pursuing the previous government's agenda of telling local authorities how many new homes they are going to get, and what density they must build them. This project was part of that top-down approach. Instead, the new government is committed to localism: building the number and the density of homes that each Local Authority wants. Won't that be a culture shock for HCA & MKP!
For the hundreds of residents and many local organisations that have been campaigning for a "Better Oakgrove" for almost a decade, this is wonderful news. MK doesn't have to endure the Prescott nightmare, we can have our own vision for the kind of new neighbourhood we want to build.
Of course this does mean that MK Council under its Lib-Dem administration now needs to lead the debate over how big and how fast MK wants to grow, and what sort of city we want to be.
As soon as we get confirmation that HCA has done what its minister has instructed, let's celebrate, and start planning that Better Oakgrove.
Cllr John Bint
Middleton Ward
SIR - Re: Fans to decide on Vuvuzela. Ban them. They have nothing to do with English football and were a constant annoyance in the World Cup. Watch the game, or join a band.
Robin Taylor
sent by email
Robin Taylor
sent by email
SIR - Embrace the Vuvuzela - Dons matches can be pretty austere affairs at the best of times. Our chants are frankly awful -the vuvuzela should be embraced, make it part of the DONS experience and let our opponents quake at their sound.
Oliver Sawtell
sent by email
Oliver Sawtell
sent by email
SIR - The National Society for Epilepsy (NSE) would like to inform readers with an interest in the condition about a conference which will focus on the need to be treated properly.
‘Epilepsy – treating you right’ will concentrate on ways to get the right information, diagnosis and treatment.
NSE’s Professor Sanjay Sisodiya, a top epilepsy specialist and consultant neurologist, will be one of the key speakers at the event.
Places for the charity’s second national conference, which takes place on 25 September at University College Hospital Education Centre in Central London, are limited, so we would urge anyone who is interested to get in touch quickly. Tickets are £30 and more information is available by phoning 01494 601402 or by visiting www.epilepsysociety.org.uk .
Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition in this country, affecting more than 456,000 men, women and children - about one in every 130 people. It touches the lives of 10% of the UK population and can affect anyone of any race or age at any time in their life. In addition to having to cope with seizures, it can make people feel vulnerable, isolated and stigmatized.
‘Epilepsy – treating you right’ will concentrate on ways to get the right information, diagnosis and treatment.
NSE’s Professor Sanjay Sisodiya, a top epilepsy specialist and consultant neurologist, will be one of the key speakers at the event.
Places for the charity’s second national conference, which takes place on 25 September at University College Hospital Education Centre in Central London, are limited, so we would urge anyone who is interested to get in touch quickly. Tickets are £30 and more information is available by phoning 01494 601402 or by visiting www.epilepsysociety.org.uk .
Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition in this country, affecting more than 456,000 men, women and children - about one in every 130 people. It touches the lives of 10% of the UK population and can affect anyone of any race or age at any time in their life. In addition to having to cope with seizures, it can make people feel vulnerable, isolated and stigmatized.
Angie King
Press Officer
National Society for Epilepsy
