12/02/05

All they have to do is withdraw their subscription from the assembly, as I proposed at Durham's last full council meeting, which would create a funding problem for it.

The public have a right to what they want: No North-East Assembly Club. - County Councillor John Shuttleworth, Durham.

THE people of the North-East, and Darlington in particular, are entitled to be exasperated. Despite a referendum conducted at considerable public expense and an overwhelming vote against the proposed North-East assembly, was anyone listening?

It appears not. The unelected regional assembly remains in place at a running cost of £860,000 per annum - with £2m of funding for whatever crackpot ideas are generated from the hot air they produce. All funded by local council tax payers.

Darlington should withdraw funding from the North-East Assembly and spend the savings in the town.

On this issue the Conservatives are listening to voters and our policy on Labour's "regions" is clear. We will:

abolish the un-elected North-East regional assembly;

abolish the regional housing boards;

abolish the regional planning bodies;

abolish the "observatories"/"information" partnerships;

return all their powers, wherever appropriate, to local councils.

The voters have spoken; this is what they said and it's time that someone listened. - Anthony Frieze, Darlington Conservative Association.

DURHAM JOHNSTON

I AM delighted that the state of Durham Johnston's School buildings has become a matter of public concern (HAS, Feb 5 and 9). Parents, teachers, governors and friends of this fine school have long campaigned to make our voice heard on the matter.

I am sure that your readers will join us in hoping fervently that this important and difficult matter will transcend party political boundaries in the coming months.

We have nearly 1,500 young people at the Johnston for whom we do our very best no matter what the physical surroundings.

While this matter is being resolved we will continue to serve them in the best traditions of this excellent and much loved and respected school. - Carolyn Roberts, Headteacher, Durham Johnston.

DARLINGTON HIGH ROW

A REPORT concerning Darlington town centre pedestrianisation scheme said all political parties had given their approval (Echo, Feb 4). This is not the case.

Darlington Liberal Democrats have serious reservations concerning certain aspects of this scheme, especially the removal of the Victorian features and the limited consultation that has taken place. - Ian Barnes, Chairman, Darlington Liberal Democrats.

IMMIGRATION

BOTH our main political parties stand disgraced by their joint neglect of the immigration position for some 40 years.

Only now, with an election looming, politicians are suddenly remarking on the gravity of the situation, which has already gone beyond remedy. They are competing with each other in devising corrective measures which they might apply if we elect them, although European law will probably rule them out.

The inexorable growth of world population adds naturally to the pressure exerted by those who intend (by whatever means) to settle here.

Will recognition come in time that there are simply too many of them? - Bob Jarratt, Caldwell, Richmond.

MY earliest memories of immigrants to this country go back to the 1940s when people from mainland Europe were allowed to settle in Britain.

Some of these immigrants found work in the ironstone mines and steelworks and went on to become respected members of the community.

In more recent times, I have enjoyed a good working relationship with people who came to this country from abroad.

I believe the Government is right, however, to introduce a more selective method of immigration with all work permit applications being judged on their merits.

The Conservatives speak of quotas, but this seems meaningless, given the fact that all EU citizens now have the right to live and work in Britain.

Recent figures have shown that the immigrant population in Britain accounts for just four per cent of the total. In the light of this I do not believe we have an immigration problem. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

ANYONE who enters this country should abide by the laws of this country or take a return ticket. Instead, they have Tooth Paste Tony to give them coffee in bed. - Vincent Weldon, Witton Gilbert.

WE'VE had the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, bring out a new five year plan for immigration and we are all supposed to believe him.

This plan is based solely on economic policy and not with any social policy. New Labour will put more effort into helping some economic migrant, who they think can help the economy, rather than pensioners who have worked and contributed to the economy of this country all their lives. - Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe.

DARLINGTON STATION

I WROTE to the Darlington station manager in February 2001 about the great difficulty I had in meeting my daughter at the station (HAS, Feb 7), and after two months I had a reply from customer relations in York enclosing travel vouchers for £10.

Last year I had a further problem. I am the holder of a disabled disc and was taking my son and grandson, aged two, to get a train to Kings Cross.

There were no free spaces and I didn't want to pay £5 just to drop people off. So I had to park far down Victoria Road, and between us we had to manage bags, little boy and pushchair up the bank of the entrance, through the subway and then all the way round the ramp to get to the platform.

On a previous occasion when I had problems I was told that, although the railway companies wanted people to travel from Darlington by train, they did not want them to arrive at the station in their own transport. - Margery Burton, Shildon.

HAEMATOLOGY UNIT

AS a member of the advocacy management committee, a trustee and a long serving volunteer, I wish to support the campaign to keep the haematology unit at the Memorial Hospital. - G Mitchell, Darlington.

FLASHING FREDDIE

OF COURSE Flashing Freddie, the garden gnome, should adjust his dress and stop offending people (Echo, Feb 5). Some may laugh and think he is a bit of fun but if he were real it would be an entirely different matter.

The villagers of Dacre Bank won't want their children thinking Freddie's antics are worth copying.

Perhaps a better solution than merely covering him up would be to remove him altogether or put him on display in a secure prison, paying the penalty for his bad behaviour. - EA Moralee, Billingham.