IT'S not everyday you discover you are on the same wavelength as an intergalactic Star Fleet commander, but that's what happened to me yesterday.

William Shatner - know universally as Captain James T Kirk - is in Britain as part of a Star Trek convention and was asked on radio what he made of the Cherie Blair row.

"A massive storm in a tiny teacup," said the Captain, and I couldn't agree more.

Cherie Blair made an error of judgement. It came to light because a paper managed to get hold of her private correspondence. Those who are now castigating Mrs Blair should just consider for a moment how they would stand up to such a level of scrutiny.

Cheriegate reveals one of the worst traits of certain people in Britain: the doom and gloom brigade who see a glass as half empty rather than half full. We've all come across them. They go on holiday with a scowl and return with a suitcase of complaints. They lambast public services for the most minor of reasons but wouldn't dream of putting pen to paper in praise of efficient binmen or a caring nurse.

Sadly, the editor of the London Evening Standard allows one such harbinger of doom, Matt Hughes, the luxury of being a columnist and prints his error-strewn rubbish. The recent headline of "Grim Northern Trip of the Week" suggests the paper already has a pre-conceived notion of the North and Mr Hughes' diatribe was so inaccurate, I wonder if he has actually visited Teesside.

What is pleasing though, is that people who know the truth are not taking such attacks lying down. Dave Roberts, Sky Sports' man in the North, and many others, have written to the Standard highlighting the error of this writer's way.

We should stand up for our roots and never become so used to such stereotypical rubbish that we simply allow it to continue unchecked. But what is of equal importance is that those in authority must let the public and media know of their successes.

If we want the media to report faithfully what is happening then we have to give them the facts. I am aware, for example, that the police in certain parts of the Tees Valley have had enormous success in cutting crime in recent months. This comes at a time when the Tees Health Authority has calculated that drug misuse locally is now as bad as it will ever get. The myth that drugs are now so prevalent in society that the police can do nothing to cut crime is therefore shattered.

This is a success worth shouting about. It heartens the public and galvanises them into supporting the police in their fight against crime. I spoke of this in the council chamber recently and was delighted that the chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority, Ken Walker, totally agrees.

Public bodies should be transparent and accountable. If results are poor, then let the public know why - but if we are successful, then let the public know their money is being well-spent.

For too long, the police and councils have allowed themselves to be treated as an Aunt Sally, repeatedly hit by often underhand shots. We need to fight back and to be more positive... to boldly go where no public body has gone before.