14/04/03

Anyone over the age of 75 is eligible for a free licence, regardless of their domestic circumstances. People aged 74 are able to buy a short-term licence which would cover any use of television services up until their next birthday.

Even if you are not yet eligible for a free licence, there are many other easy ways to pay for a TV licence. For further information on these and the other concessions available readers can call (0870) 241 5590. - Vanessa Wood, TV Licensing Spokesperson.

EMPLOYMENT

I AM concerned about the thousands of industrial job losses in Spennymoor in recent years and wrote to the chief executive of One NorthEast, backed up by a 1,000 signature petition.

He replied, pointing out how One NorthEast had protected jobs at Electrolux Cookers Division and helped in the retention of a proportion of the high skilled jobs at the Black & Decker Plant, both at Spennymoor.

He went into detail about the joint venture between One NorthEast and the County Durham Economic Partnership, and I do understand that most of their work and investment may take years to come to fruition.

But there was no mention of the creation of new firms in Spennymoor, a town that has relied too heavily on large international firms and needs a mixture of new industries large, medium and small, and civil service jobs re-directed to the North-East from the affluent South .

So my message to One NorthEast is that Spennymoor's local economy has suffered because of the volume of recent job losses. It is hitting our local shops, pubs and clubs.

Why should our younger generation of job seekers have to move South for work, away from their families? Spennymoor needs new investment now. - Ben Ord Liberal Democrat Candidate, Spennymoor Ward, Sedgefield Borough Council.

PETER MULLEN

CORRESPONDENTS (HAS, Apr8) who can't stand Peter Mullen's column should get a life.

I enjoy reading Mr Mullen's views, even if I don't always agree with them. He makes a refreshing change from the dull drivel churned out by the usual left wing commentators.

We need more diversity, not less. Let's face it, if we wanted to read nothing but politically correct propaganda, we'd buy the Guardian rather than The Northern Echo. - AM Mitchell, Northumberland.

WAR AGAINST IRAQ

WHEN Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the Americans warned the Saudis that they could be next, thereby persuading them to allow the use of military bases within Saudi Arabia.

Osama bin Laden, once a favourite of the Saudi Royal Family and alarmed by the prospect of infidel forces in the land of Islam's most holy shrines, suggested an alternative: an Iraqi invasion could be repelled if Saudi forces were reinforced by Afghan and Arab troops, CIA trained and fresh from their successful campaigns in Afghanistan.

Rejection of his plan was the last straw for Osama, who was already disillusioned by the un-Islamic decadence, corruption and greed of the Saudi autocracy. Thus another link was added to the chain of events which would lead eventually to the September 11 attack on America.

That, however, is as far as bin Laden's responsibility for the present war goes. Since all-out war between the West and Islam is his aim, bin Laden might be flattered by P Johnson's contention (HAS, Apr 7) that this is all his fault, but that conclusion is illogical.- P Winstanley, Kimblesworth Grange, Durham.

WHO believes that America isn't already contemplating having most of the say in the post-Saddam Hussein Iraq?

After all, America's military has forked out the lion's share of the Iraq conflict. And anyone who sees America's involvement in Iraq as purely altruistic doesn't know America.

Had not Iraq have been terribly rich in oil, America's interest in liberating Iraq would have been perhaps at the bottom of its list of priorities.

And just how many more countries around the world need liberating? There's no shortage of them, actually, only Iraq just happens to be the one country terribly rich in oil. - Alfred H Lister, Guisborough.

AFTER all the abuse and verbal punishment Tony Blair has taken from the public, including myself, one must be delighted we in Britain have a leader with the most determination and guts since Winston Churchill.

He has shown dividends and feelings for others, therefore, we must stand by him and wish all the best to all the fighting forces and all other services involved and that they come home safely when this job is done. - A Pyle, Kelloe.

POLICE SPENDING

I RECEIVED, with my council tax bill, a leaflet summarising the spending plan of Durham Police Authority.

The document clearly states in the preamble what it aims to do in 2003-4 and the cost to do this across the property bands will be 19p to 58p per household per week, which for a Band D property is £15.12 increase for this year.

The authority intends to spend about seven per cent more than 2002-3, that is three times inflation and it also intends to support its expenditure by £2.5m taken from reserves but does not say which reserves and it includes an income of £16m and again does not say how this is earned. The document then goes on to list the unidentifiable items which are responsible for the total increase of £6.5m.

In return the taxpayers, if the performance trends continue, can expect a minor reduction in crime if at all, and this must raise the question what are we actually paying for?

There is now a plan to reorganise the policing of County Durham, which to date has failed to accept the unitary status of Darlington.

I think the sooner Darlington has its own authority the sooner we can control this wayward expenditure. - Charles Johnson, Darlington.