SCHOOL CLOSURES: THE recent decision by Durham County Council to close 23 schools is baffling. One of the schools marked for closure is Rosa Street School in Spennymoor.

One of the (alleged) reasons why Durham County Council wants to close all these schools is that there are too many surplus places. However, Rosa Street School has no surplus places.

Another reason given is that many of the schools are in a state of serious disrepair. Rosa Street School has just received a major refurbishment.

I find this decision puzzling in the light of the recent nine per cent increase in the county's precept on the council tax and the recent announcement that councillors are to get a £1,000 increase in their allowances. - Councillor Martin Jones (Lib Dem), Spennymoor Ward, Sedgefield Borough Council.

Catterick GARRISON

THE devastation and chaos seen on the M1 caused by three armoured vehicles coming adrift from their transporter taking them back to their base at Catterick almost beggars belief.

Having gone through the Iraq War seemingly unscathed it's probable that they have caused more damaged and loss of life than they did on the battlefield.

The sad part is that had the garrison been allowed to keep the vital rail link it had when it was first built in the mid-70s, such a disaster may well have been avoided.

During the Second World War and until they closed the Richmond line, train loads of tanks were delivered right into the heart of the camp, almost to the edge of their training ground, completely independently of the road system.

With Richmond Council trying to decide what to do with their old station building, they may well ponder over the dreadful decision that made it redundant in the first place. - Douglas Punchard, Kirkbymoorside.

TEST CRICKET

ALL credit to Don Robson, and his colleagues who have striven, over the years, to make Durham a first class county cricket team.

Credit also, to these men, for giving the world a lovely cricket ground at Chester-le-Street. Such a lovely setting too, with Lumley Castle in the background.

The media did their part in plugging the Test match with Zimbabwe. Trouble is, we could only see it on Sky TV. Sad, because despite all the hype, millions can't afford Sky. - J Ross, Rowlands Gill.

BREAKFAST CLUB

IN the story about the battle to preserve village schools (Echo, June 16) I would like to draw your attention to the paragraph where Coun Chris Foote Wood states that both Eldon Lane and Dene Valley Schools offer breakfast club facilities.

While I accept that Eldon Lane School offers some after school activities, I would like to point out that the statement regarding the school's offering a breakfast club is false. The Dene Valley Community Partnership secured funding over three years to run a breakfast club at our community resource centre at The One Stop Shop, High Street, Eldon Lane.

This breakfast club runs during school term and is attended by at least 40 children each morning. The children enjoy a healthy breakfast for 20p and then are transported to the two schools by Dene Valley Community Transport.

Staff are employed at the breakfast club to supervise the children,. The funding has been obtained through The New Opportunities Fund and Health Development for Easington and Sedgefield Community Grant. - Margaret Ingledew, (Chairperson), Dene Valley Community Partnership.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

THE news that the people of the three northern regions are to be given a chance to vote in referenda for directly elected regional assemblies is most welcome.

Your coverage (Echo, June 17) of the North-East's response was measured and balanced. It was wholly in keeping with your long standing, well informed interest in the topic, which has been to the benefit of your readers.

The people of the North-East are not well served by the present constitutional arrangements. Devolved government, taking real powers and functions from central government, will give us the opportunity to shape our own destiny. Regional policy will no longer be shaped to suit a national picture, nor will it be determined by an unelected Assembly in Newcastle.

Directly elected representatives from all over the region will assemble in Durham forming a new institution belonging to us all, working for us all and accountable for their decisions to the people of the North-East who put them there. - Margaret Meling, Cleadon Village.

AS a boy from Durham, living in Edinburgh for the last ten years, let me plead with you to throw out the proposal for a regional assembly.

Here in Scotland we have a Parliament, it will have cost over £400m when finished, it is staffed with political lightweights (three lawyers, a couple of teachers and a few ex councillors). It has done nothing for employment (other than provide the political luvvies with jobs) we have no more teachers, police, social workers etc.

When all is said and done, it is a nice idea but serves no benefit at all for the man in the street. - John Urwin, Edinburgh