01/11/04

I wonder. Let's take the proposed South Durham Council, comprising Sedgefield, Wear Valley and Teesdale. When the inevitable squabbling about where to base its new headquarters was over, let's say it was in Sedgefield district, and let's say for the sake of economy that it in the existing district council headquarters in Spennymoor.

What's local about that for the people in Teesdale?

If the headquarters were to be based in Crook, are the people of Sedgefield district ever going to be happy being governed from Wear Valley?

And poor old Teesdale of course hasn't a hope in hell of being the administrative base of a new South Durham Council.

Under the three council option, it's always going to be the country cousin.

By comparison, the single unitary option offers people, wherever they live, a much fairer deal, with no inter-district power struggle and no squabbling for superiority.

A single unitary council would give people, wherever they live, more say in how their local area is run through the creation of a network of smaller community boards, giving the new council a presence at the heart of every community and allowing everyone's voice to be heard.

By all means, keep local government local - but local for everyone. - Brian Myers, Willington.

IRAQ

THE parliamentary debate on the handing over of British troops to American command in Iraq has shown how quickly Michael Howard has stepped back into line.

For a brief moment he actually showed some courage, questioning Tony Blair's supine relationship with George Bush. Washington showed its displeasure by telling Mr Howard he was not welcome to visit the White House.

Duly chastened, Mr Howard and his Tory party dutifully voted in favour of the redeployment of the Black Watch to the American sector.

A country without an independent foreign policy is not an independent country. Why bother voting for either party if your ambition is not to be our representative but rather the approved representative of the White House in this country?

Wouldn't Governor-General be a more apt title than Prime Minister? - VE Wood, Redcar.

MINING HISTORY

FAR from not being concerned about County Durham's industrial heritage (HAS, Oct 22), Durham County Council has worked hard to ensure future generations understand the county's history.

Our proud coal mining heritage has been promoted and recorded in many ways. The Durham Miner project, for example, has worked with numerous local studies groups to explore the industrial and social history of the county's mining communities.

Each year, we work with the Durham NUM to ensure that the spectacle and tradition of the Miners' Gala is maintained and appreciated by the 50,000 people who attend this proud event.

The Miners' Memorial Window on the south face of the County Hall is a continuing testament to the extent of the touch of the mining industry in the county.

When the last four pits closed, I understand that the county council did look at the possibility of retaining one as a heritage centre. But the costs of pumping water from the deep mine workings along the East Durham coast were insurmountable.

Instead, we focused on Beamish, the North of England Open Air Museum, where the colliery village and drift mine enable visitors to see at first hand the conditions in which our and their forefathers had to live and work.

Thanks to local authority support, and with the foresight of Frank Atkinson, Beamish is now regarded as one of the pre-eminent industrial museums in the world. - County Councillor Dennis Morgan, Durham.

SMOKING

WE would all agree that smoking is very bad for one's health and banning smoking in public places may be not a bad idea. However, how many of the banning enthusiasts drive cars? Do they concede that they are emitting just as many dangerous fumes into the atmosphere as smokers?

If we are to have a world completely free of all fumes, then maybe once the smoking campaign is over a ban on all motor cars could be organised.

The people of Darlington would not need to take part as we are soon to have parking prices inflicted upon us which will stop us taking cars into town, and we will end up with a fume free town centre anyway. - Jim Rishworth, Darlington.

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

FEW songs are more innocuous than Paul McCartney's When I'm Sixty Four. Yet the politically correct body, an intolerant, obnoxious bunch of weirdos, decrees that the line, When I'm sixty four, is removed lest it offends Jehovah's Witnesses, who do not celebrate birthdays.

The male choir involved should have known better. It should have stuck to the song that annually is sung more than any other, Happy Birthday To You. - Charlie Emett, Darlington.

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

AS an ex-Labour voter and former supporter of a regional assembly, I am dismayed by the pro-assembly literature. The facts are simple enough.

This region has been in relative economic decline for decades.

Labour is approaching the end of a second term in office and, whilst the fact that the region has returned both the Prime Minister and his "heir-apparent", as well as others at the centre of power, there is no evidence that they have even represented the broader interests of their constituents.

We are urged to support what is effectively a glorified county council with no real power. We are expected to believe that this assembly will revitalise the region when the supposed representation of the region at the highest levels of central government has failed?

If we vote yes we will be given a useless representative body that will do nothing for the region. If we vote no, we will be told that we missed the chance to change history. The whole exercise is a charade. Labour has for too long taken the easy votes in this region for granted.

This Government is centralist in the extreme. It never devolves power willingly, though it is surprisingly adept at devolving blame.

There is no cogent argument in support of a regional assembly. - Carl Watson, Darlington.