22/05/04

Sedgefield Borough Council has not published any detail surrounding its survey so we do not know how reliable the findings might be.

In contrast, MORI has published a detailed report which says that, when sample size is taken into account, if the entire population of Sedgefield had expressed a view, then 95 times out of 100, the percentage of people who said that one all-purpose council was their most preferred option would be between 40 and 51 per cent. The corresponding range for three councils would be between 13 and 21 per cent.

Councillor Iveson also suggests that adding percentages of people who preferred two or three councils, as opposed to one, is sufficient reason for not having a single council serving County Durham.

When Malcolm was elected in 2003, the Independents in his ward polled twice as many votes as the 822 cast for him. He won because local elections work on a 'first past the post' basis and this will also be the case in the referendum.

People will be asked which council they want and the option that most people prefer will be the one that prevails. Coun Iveson is quick to dismiss MORI's research because, unfortunately for him, it indicates that one all-purpose council is the most preferred option in his borough and twice as many people prefer it to his favoured option of three. - Councillor Terry Hogan, Newton Aycliffe.

I READ with interest the letters last week from County Councillor Terry Hogan and District Councillor Malcolm Iveson about the changes to local government if the regional assembly goes ahead.

It seems there are lies, damn lies and survey results.

In my view, the county councillor is right: the existing Durham County area has a historical basis, although of course it did originally cover a much larger area from the south of the Tyne to the north of the Tees; the district councils have only been in existence in their current form for 30 years.

I also think the county argument is right in terms of providing efficient and effective services: a council with a population of around 500,000 is going to have economies of scale and sufficient resources to meet the challenge of good quality and good value council services for the 21st century.

As for being too remote from the people, Stephen Hughes does an excellent job as MEP for the whole of the County Durham area and I am sure that more use could be made of the parish council network if the single unitary council goes ahead. - Lileen Cuthbertson, Newton Aycliffe.

IRAQ

ONE of the worst aspects of soldiers ill-treating Iraqi prisoners was the fact that their superiors not only knew about it, but actually condoned it.

At first, one thought it was a few rogue elements acting on their own and it could tarnish the rest of the normally well-disciplined troops.

When Hitler invaded Russia, had he instilled into his generals the greatest respect for the civilian population many would have greeted them as liberators rather than occupiers and could possibly have come over in their hordes rather than the few thousand that did to escape the Communist regime.

But, with the scorched earth policy that they adopted, that destroyed everything in its path, they alienated them to such an extent that eventually their resilience and sabotaging played a vital part in defeating them.

The Iraq situation bears some similarities. Once you lose the moral high ground you never regain it. - Douglas Punchard, Kirkbymoorside.

DO we really think we can turn Iraq into a democracy in a short space of time?

Most Arab nations seem to prefer a government with one leader, be it a king or dictator.

There are some benefits as a single ruler can change things the public want at the blink of an eye.

As an example, when the garages in Saudi Arabia put up the cost of petrol at the public's annoyance, the King told the garages next day to reverse the cost they had imposed, which they had to comply with.

Is the Government in this country powerful enough to do that? Obviously the Queen has not got the power to do so. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

SPEEDING

WHAT a joke. This Government must think the British motorists are stupid.

They have decided to reduce the speed penalty points by one. I don't think the coming elections have had any influence, but there is no mention of reducing the revenue accordingly for drivers who stray over the limit.

This can only prove that they are reluctant to give up such a lucrative revenue system.

Surely the fines must reflect the speed, for instance £2 per mile for ten miles and rising sharply after, and anyone who is hell-bent on breaking the sound barrier doesn't deserve to be on the road.

I am a pensioner who doesn't smoke or drink, so I don't want to be worried that it's going to cost me £60 for a ride out on a Sunday.

I think it's due to newspapers which print letters from readers such as myself that has got all the political parties scrambling to make promises to drivers, none of which will be kept once they're in power. - Alan McKimm, Crook.

PIERS MORGAN

I BELIEVE most people will be pleased and relieved that Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan has been sacked.

He was finally unable to defend his position after initially saying that his paper had published the truth.

At one stage, he had the effrontery to say people should accept what the Daily Mirror was saying about some photographs and stop believing the Government.

Has this been the case and the Daily Mirror claims had been true, the consequences for both Government and the Army would have been terrible.

In the end, when the published photographs were revealed to be fakes, Piers Morgan was dismissed from his job and escorted from the building.

I think it can be said that this was the Government's second success against the media, following the Hutton Report. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.