SO Harry Mead (Echo, Oct 15) suggests current housing problems are the fault of Margaret Thatcher's right-to-buy policy. I will add one alternative view, although there are many housing problems.

I have noted the demolition of many streets of affordable council housing in the Bishop Auckland area. It appears a ploy to allow the thug and drug dealer to dictate housing policy and drive out many good folk, thus leaving derelict buildings, with no option but demolition.

My own family was shipped out of Witton Park by Durham's great housing policy of the past and many now face being moved again, simple testimony to the authority's mismanagement and failure to enforce appropriate rules.

Millions spent, only to let the mindless minority destroy it again. The policeman does not stand a chance, hands tied, bogged down with red tape and at the mercy of a feeble judiciary system.

Whole property pages are given over to affordable terraced streets. It appears the lack of housing is of a particular type, three or four-bed detached in nice areas.

People may have moved to Harry's Tory-controlled areas because they tend to have better housing and lower crime which leads to better schools and family environments. - Jim Tague, Conservative Party Chairman, Bishop Auckland Branch.

Sedgefield COUNCIL

SEDGEFIELD Borough Council continues to be over ambitious with its spending for, after recently agreeing to help build and finance the extension to York's National Railway Museum, in Shildon, it is now planning to take over two swimming pools.

These pools at Fishburn and Shildon primary schools are considered surplus to requirements by Durham County Council, but the borough is planning to spend £240,000 excluding running costs, to bring them up to a required standard.

The leisure facilities of the borough already cost approximately £3.5m annually; over 30 per cent of its budget and so adding to this expenditure is not best value for ratepayers.

The borough council must resist the temptation to spend and be more prudent, even when facing difficult decisions.

Local wage awards are below national average and, with rising unemployment, many people are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

High council taxes are adding to their burden and after a 19 per cent increase in the last two years Sedgefield Borough must be more aware of their responsibilities to council tax payers. - Kevin Thompson, Liberal Democrat Councillor, Middlestone Ward, Sedgefield Borough Council.

DRESSERS' SHOP

ALREADY stores are dressing their windows, but in the lead-up to Christmas, there is one shop that remains boarded up for the second festive season, namely Dressers' former business on a premier site on the High Row in Darlington.

The developers' bill boards invite inquiries, so I address some through your columns.

Why do they show such a disrespect to the town - haven't they the imagination to realise what an affront this is to civic pride?

This is not some international corporation in the Far East, but a local company which relies upon Darlington for some of its business.

What is the moral difference between this and some private individual who abandons their car on High Row or leaves black bags on the steps? They would be apprehended.

Surely the windows at least can be opened up and used for displays, school art and design work, the activities of local charities and so forth, making a contribution again to the window frontage of the High Row. What is their problem? - ID Dougill, Darlington.

SECOND WORLD WAR

TONY Blair should realise America did not enter the Second World War on behalf of Britain. Italy and Germany declared war on America after Pearl Harbour so America declared war on both in return on December 11, 1941. But not on behalf of Britain.

Yes, America helped Britain later, but not from choice. They expected Britain to surrender, what is why America got 99 years lease on air and naval bases in the Western hemisphere in return for 40 destroyers for which Winston Churchill had to beg from America after two years on our own against the might of Germany. - A Pyle, Kelloe.

FIRE SERVICE

I AM a firefighter based in North Yorkshire, with over 15 years experience. My colleagues and I are shocked beyond belief at the situation we all now find ourselves in and pray that a solution is reached before disaster strikes.

We are, however, truly dismayed by the double standards and hypocrisy displayed by Tony Blair and John Prescott. They awarded themselves, this year, a 42 per cent pay rise from the public purse and then have the gall to stand up and denounce the firefighters of Britain for demanding a take home pay of £8.50 per hour.

Mr Blair's 42 per cent gives him a wage of £163,000, plus many allowances. A qualified firefighter, who at the end of this will no doubt have to settle for far less than 40 per cent, would only be on a salary of £30,000 full stop!

MPs' jobs weren't subjected to an independent review, so who determined that they were worth such an outrageous amount and that their part of the public sector can withstand the huge pay increase? There has been no claim that their pay rise would affect interest rates or put up mortgages.

It is interesting to note that if a firefighter's wage had kept pace with that of an MP since the 1977 strike, we would already be on £38,000 and this action would not even be happening. - Richard Henry, Harrogate.