14/11/03

Many still struggle to get by despite a lifetime working in the industry.

After years during which the Government raked off surpluses, the two coal industry pension funds find themselves in deficit. Stock Market performance and poor returns on investment are to blame. Why then is the Government still taking nearly £300m per year out of the schemes? That is equivalent to £1,000 per pensioner.

There are still around £3bn of past surpluses in the funds destined for the Government. Were some of that money to be retained, pensions could be substantially improved. Instead, the trustees are struggling to limit the damage of current deficits and hope for better returns on investment in the next few years.

Last year, the Government accepted it had benefited from a windfall of surpluses and promised it would look at changing arrangements. Because the economic climate is harsher, they are trying to backtrack. It's up to all you pensioners out there, who have supported the campaign for a fairer deal, to keep up the pressure.

Put pen to paper and let the Government know how you feel. Coalfield Communities Campaign started the It's the Miners' Money campaign back in 1999 - we have no intention of letting up until we see real benefits reaching coal industry pensioners. - Councillor Bill Flanagan OBE, Chair, Coalfield Communities Campaign.

REGIONAL ECONOMY

YOUR leader (Echo, Nov 10) comments on the issue of a region in decline and asserts that the region has to fight harder and smarter to put itself in a competitive position with the rest of the world.

This may be true, but the truth has to have more to do with our role in the nation's standing first, and the fact we are not even considered as a priority.

When New Labour came to power, its first priority was devolution for the Scots and the obvious advantages that were given to them.

Have not all governments taken us too much for granted, or at worst knowing we are daft enough to accept it.

There seems to be an unwillingness to rock the boat and maybe living on benefits has become a habit.

Tony Blair says he backs The Northern Echo in its fight against our decline. Who does he represent as Member of Parliament? Is it not his constituency in the North-East?

There is talk of giving us devolution, but it seems a different devolution from what the Scots have and in my observation could be nothing more than a waste of time. - John Young, Crook.

CAPTAIN COOK

THE replica of the famous Captain Cook Endeavour left the river Tees this week, but do the public know the true facts?

The BBC, for instance, reported that James Cook was a son of Middlesbrough. Untrue.

James Cook was born in 1728, the son of a Scottish farm worker, at Marton in Cleveland. When a small boy, the Cook family moved to Great Ayton where he was to be educated but as he grew up his main interest was the sea.

So it was at the fishing village of Staithes that he gained much valuable knowledge of seafaring from the local fishermen.

He later became famous as a sea captain in the town of Whitby and it was from here the Endeavour set sail. There was no place called Middlesbrough. - B Mitchell, Yarm.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

I saw the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph, filmed by the BBC. Only the Brits could put on a show like that!

It was immaculate. For over an hour these ex-servicemen and women marched through Whitehall.

I was struck by their genuine love of their country and respect for their fallen comrades in the various conflicts. They so loved their country.

Then I see the politicians desperately wanting to sell our country, by the formation of regional assemblies. As if we hadn't enough councils, borough councils, county councils, etc.

Why regional assemblies? So that the European Union can ignore our own Parliament, and deal with these assemblies separately. Even making financial arrangements with them, outside the scope of our Parliament. I hope people don't fall for it. - Jim Ross, Rowland Gill.

PENSIONERS

I WAS astonished and greatly surprised to read (Echo, Nov 10) that more than 100,000 pensioners in the North are missing out on about £30 a month by not claiming tax benefits.

The council tax benefit is payable to pensioners on low incomes providing they have less than £16,000 in savings.

Many pensioners have not got the knowledge or understanding to fill in long-winded, tedious forms and some pensioners will believe it is a waste of time trying to claim council benefits.

I remember some time ago my solicitor sent me a newsletter regarding under payments of industrial injuries disablement benefit. It had been revealed the Benefits Agency had misinterpreted the law regarding the aggregation of awards of industrial injuries disablement benefit. This meant if you suffered an accident at work prior to October 1, 1986 you may have received a lump sum payment under the old industrial injuries provisions. If the gratuity was paid in respect of a life assessment you had been underpaid.

I asked the Benefits Agency to check to see if I was receiving the correct money in respect of the old injury; should it be added to the current assessment of disability.

I was told by the Benefits Agency my entitlement was correct. I had to appeal. The tribunal awarded me additional benefit and substantial back payment.

It is obviously worth looking into if you think you have been underpaid. If you don't buy the raffle you cannot expect a prize. - Jimmy Taylor, Coxhoe.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

HERE in Sedgefield Borough, our electoral register will show that a large percentage only occasionally exercise their statutory right to vote, an obvious reason being reluctance to give any support to those they consider as unworthy candidates.

Despite Labour managing to obtain a majority of seats in local elections, it is reasonable to assume that the electoral register will show that those who declined to give them their support far outnumbered those who did.

Hardly a recommendation for total dominance as practised by their one-party council cabinet.

Approximately 30 per cent of the makeup of Sedgefield Borough Council is non-Labour Party, yet not a single one has been invited to be a member of the cabinet. I suppose that is the local Labour Party's interpretation of democracy.

In local government each elected member has automatically made a commitment to be part of a team, working together it must be stressed, honour and duty bound in the process of fair and equitable administration.

The present discriminatory practice of one party cabinet domination is tantamount to the abandonment of fair and open government. Shame on you. - AW Dunn, Spennymoor.