Sedgefield Council

This is not new. For instance, the lane down Racecourse Road is called Gypsy Lane.

Had I still been residing in Station Road, I would have some misgivings about an alternative site being on the playing field. As no doubt would the residents of Hornby Avenue, Queens Drive and Claremont Grove.

But I feel that the responsibility to punish anti-social behaviour as in the scattering of litter, cruelty to animals and noise, whether committed by adults or juveniles from whatever class, creed or colour, is the responsibility of the forces of law and order. - Margaret Bell (former mayor), Sedgefield.

WHERE has our bus shelter gone? After returning from town, I noticed that the shelter had been replaced by a lump of concrete by a bus company.

I pay council tax for that shelter, so put it back. - Name and address supplied, Sedgefield.

Darlington COUNCIL

SOUTH Park, Darlington, is becoming a no-go area for people who used to enjoy taking their children there. It has been taken over by vandals who are destroying everything, plus youths on motorcycles who are terrifying mothers with young children.

Where are these wardens that are helping the police?

I feel sorry for our gardeners who provide lovely displays, only to see them destroyed by yobs.

We have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds over the years in damage, but no one has ever been prosecuted.

Where are the people we elected who are supposed to look after the town?

They are doing absolutely nothing to stop those who are wrecking all our parks.

Why wait for Lottery money? There will soon be no parks left to enjoy. - F Wealands, Darlington.

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

I CANNOT understand how, by putting another layer into our present system of government, the population of the North-East will be better served.

Aren't we over-governed as it is? The ever-increasing rates everyone has had to bear do not seem to be showing much benefit to the population as it is.

With even more politicians and bureaucrats behind desks to pay for, can you see it getting any better or more cost effective? Neither can I. - Chris Greenwell, Newton Aycliffe.

I WAS extremely concerned when I heard at the launch of the White Paper on Regional Government at Elland Road last week that the decision on whether or not to hold a referendum was to be made after 'soundings' had been taken in a particular region.

No criteria are to be established to enable a transparent decision-making process to take place. No quantifiable or predetermined measure of public opinion will be sought.

A Government minister will merely assess 'soundings' before deciding to initiate the referendum process.

My concern then turned to alarm when I discovered that Stephen Byers would make the decision on those soundings. Can a minister who seems to have such difficulty deciding if one of his departmental civil servants has, or has not, resigned, be capable of making any accurate interpretation of soundings from a region?

I for one have little confidence in the whole process. - Arthur Barker, Burneston, Bedale.

PETER Mandelson said that any new regional authorities would be 'lean and mean'. I suspect that Cluff (Echo, May 10) is much nearer the mark with his cartoon referring to the gravy train. - Peter W Elliott, Eaglescliffe.

SINGLE CURRENCY

CONGRATULATIONS to Unison in making the statement that they are opposed to the single currency.

The prospects of holding a referendum are nil to zero because now that everyone is becoming more aware of the direct economic and political implications of economic and monetary union, the more reluctant we will be to be manipulated into voting yes.

The time is coming where the whole European project will end in tears and perhaps then we can use the £1.8m an hour it costs for our membership to fund the health service, education and police force and give the people on the front line the salaries they deserve.

Perhaps then we will get the trading agreement with our community partners that we thought we were getting in the first place. - Neil Herron, Sunderland.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

THE developed countries, which preach to the rest of the world about their values and conserving the environment, do so whilst sending recyclable waste to non-developed countries. In a recent report by The Basel Action Network (BAN) and Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), it was found that a number of western countries, in particular the US, are flouting various UN declarations which were agreed internationally to protect these countries and their people from exploitation.

The main focus for these exports is Asia, where there is an abundance of cheap labour that can strip out the non-environmentally friendly and dangerous components.

What must be remembered is that protective equipment for these workers is not worn, thereby condemning them to long-term illness or, in some cases, death.

It is not only the workers that are damaged; the environment is also the recipient of the toxic contaminants, which will remain in the earth and water for years to come. Foodstuffs grown in the contaminated land are also affected and consumed by both workers and animals.

Do we, as supposed civilised and developed peoples, not owe a duty of care to others who are less fortunate. Should we not protect these people from our waste and find our own processes for the disposal or recycling of our throwaway lifestyle? - Dr Allan Britton, Darlington.