27/04/04

Inevitably this is what would happen and the biggest backyard will have the dominant voice.

So in the North-East, the beneficiary will be Tyne and Wear and in Yorkshire the South and West Yorkshire conurbation.

As both these areas are solid Labour I can see why that party is so much in favour of regional assemblies. I'm baffled, however, by the pro-assembly fanaticism of Northern Liberal Democrat President, Chris Foote-Wood.

I very much challenge his assertion that elected regional assemblies would be an advance in democracy.

The Northern Echo seems to base its support on the proviso that the North-East Assembly is established in Durham City. It could be based in Middlesbrough or Barnard Castle but Teesside and Teesdale would still be peripheral to the assembly's concerns because the main block of voters, who need to be pleased, would still be those of Tyne and Wear and its neighbouring populous north Durham districts.

Imagine the assembly having to decide whether to encourage an inward investor to locate in Wallsend or Thornaby.

The present One NorthEast organisation is able to decide impartially on issues like my hypothetical Wallsend vs Thornaby situation because its members do not need to court votes. In an elected assembly Wallsend will win every time.

What is the value of democracy in a gerrymandered constituency? Whitehall has decided the regions we are in. We will not be allowed to vote on opting out.

The majority in Teesside could vote against a regional assembly but if the majority in the North-East region as whole vote for it, Teessiders will have it foisted upon them against their democratically expressed wish.

North Yorkshire constitutes a mere 11 per cent of the population of the Yorkshire region. So even if a majority in North Yorkshire vote against an assembly, a majority in West and South Yorkshire can still win the day and North Yorkshire would be voted out of existence by people who don't actually live there. What sort of democracy is that? - VE Wood, Yearby.

NOW that Sir John Hall has let it be known he intends to stand for election to the North-East Assembly, should the region decide to have one, I feel he will be a formidable candidate.

He is a well known figure in the North-East, a widely respected businessman and a good public speaker.

I believe Sir John is right when he says that once regional government is established the benefits will be felt, not only now, but for generations to come. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

CLEVELAND POLICE

I READ with interest reports of Operation Sabre.

I'm amazed that it takes 500 police officers to arrest 49 criminals in dawn raids, most of whom would have been back out on bail by lunchtime.

Then the police announce that they will be doing the same in Stockton the next morning, some people suggesting that they had made a mistake by tipping off the criminals, who would then go into hiding.

Why? They might as well wait for the police to arrive early, get arrested, get it over with, and be out on bail before the pubs open.

So much for striking fear into the heart of the criminal community.

I hate to think how much this operation has cost. Still, it made the national news. And they say no publicity is bad publicity.

At least it has wiped the £7m pound budget deficit stories off the local news pages, so maybe it was worth the effort after all. - Peter Rafferty, Norton.

COUNCIL SERVICES

TELEVISION viewing figures, the sale of sweets and video games, and possible vandalism are all set to rise significantly in Wear Valley this year.

Why? Because thanks to our district council proposing to remove 30 small youngsters' play areas, on the grounds of supposed safety issues, those children will have little else to do.

Given the national agenda of keeping fit and the problem of obesity, having play areas for children is an integral part of growing up in any town or village, and thus keeping fit.

Also, had many of these play areas been properly maintained over the years, and improved, there possibly would not be the problem that we see today.

Furthermore, this proposal, together with the recent closure of Wolsingham School Swimming Pool, could have been avoided if our councillors had not increased their own allowances by an annual sum of £80,000. - HA Irwin, Chairman, Stanhope Parish Council.

EUROPE

TOM Blenkinsop (HAS, Apr 20) urges us to be at the heart of Europe. If Mr Blenkinsop believes that Germany and France would allow us to lead Europe then he is welcome to his pipe dreams.

Briefly, Britain should stay out of Europe because it is a corrupt organisation and the Common Agricultural Policy costs have risen sharply and will soon be £6bn following the entrance of the new members to the EU.

The billions spent should be spent on allowing British agriculture to benefit British people.

Allow me to conclude by quoting Willem Nolling, a former director of the Bundesbank, a German politician and Professor of Economics at Hamburg University, who has stated that: "The present euro zone structure is devastating for Germany... And I am convinced the UK would be crazy to join." - AE James, Middlesbrough.

ENGLISHWOMEN

CHRIS Lloyd's amusing guide to the inalienable rights of every Englishman (Echo, Apr 24) has a serious omission - women.

Since Boadica revolted against the Roman invaders in the first century AD, women have played a critical part in the life of England.

Thanks to generations of brave and formidable women the inalienable right of women have been well established in this country. Particularly the right to vote.

In fact women are currently setting up more new businesses in the North-East than men.

Perhaps I should chain myself to the railings outside The Northern Echo's office to demonstrate my point. - Mrs Chris Williamson, Darlington Branch Committee - Federation of Small Business.