STOCKTON

IF Stockton councillors think that approving more shopping floorspace in the town centre will "improve" the town centre, they're living in cloud cuckoo land.

There were empty shop units in the High Street in the early 1970s when the Conservatives approved large retail developments along Portrack Lane. Those developments continue, and will continue to exacerbate the main High Street problem.

I can even remember the former Conservative councillor Lawrie Wild's comment, reported in The Northern Echo about ten years ago, that "Stockton High Street started going downhill when they tarmacked over the tram lines".

A population of a town can only support so much retail floorspace. While a greater diversity of retail units might increase the "hinterland draw" a bit, it sure as hell doesn't increase it to the volumes that Stockton Council keeps approving.

If Wellington Square does improve (Echo, Feb 18), it will eventually result in another downturn of the quality of the main High Street.

What a sad end to a once ebullient High Street, of national historic standing. Stand up, you politicians and take your bows. - E Smallwood, Middlesbrough.

BARRY FOSTER

I REMEMBER seeing the actor Barry Foster, who has died recently (Echo, Feb 12) in a number of television plays in the 1950s and 1960s, long before he became a household name in Van Der Valk. One of his most memorable performances was in the Alfred Hitchcock film Frenzy, where he played a ruthless serial killer. He was magnificent in the part. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

POLITICIANS

WHAT happens to people when they become politicians? Before they stand for election, they seem to be ordinary, honest people, anxious to serve their constituents and the nation. Once in office, the change occurs.

While acknowledging that there must be some honest MPs, the impression one gets of politicians in general is greed for power, toeing the party line no matter how questionable that line may be, dishonest gain by various dodges and complete disregard of the views expressed by the people the MP was elected to represent.

It is as if there is a deadly virus infecting the Palace of Westminster. Very few who enter prove immune to its pernicious attack. It manifests itself in the ever-increasing dizziness of political spin and the evil fungus of self serving. The entire system could do with a thorough spring clean. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

DOG DIRT

I WISH Wear Valley Council would take a look at Darlington and Sedgefield for results on dog fouling. Over the past nine months, I have asked Wear Valley to do more than stick fine notices on poles.

I was told that it doesn't have a budget for doing any more. It employs one man and picking up strays takes most of his time.

Then I asked why does the council waste money on dog fouling notices when it can't enforce them? I was told by a council member that if it did prosecute and notices were not on display, it might not get a conviction.

This begs the question, how does the council take owners to court when it doesn't employ anyone to enforce the notices?

In Coundon before Christmas, the council did put up a dog bin that was never used. This has since taken a walk - I wish the dog owners would do the same with the dog dirt. - E Mellor, Coundon.

PENSIONS

IN 1998, when the decision was handed down in the courts in favour of the National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) claim of compensation for miners suffering from chronic bronchitis/emphysema, it was noted that all costs were awarded against British Coal.

The Northern Echo (Feb 13) reported on the costs of solicitors engaged in processing claims for compensation from miners, without detailing from whom and how these costs were being met.

The handling costs of claims for compensation are a consequence of the successful action brought by the NUM against British Coal. Am I to accept that these costs were not applied for by legal representatives of the NUM, or did the ruling of the courts award all costs against British Coal with this one exception?

As a claimant of compensation, I am in receipt of contradictory and misleading information. I also do not understand why 7.5 per cent of any compensation award is to be deducted from miners in the Durham area.

Could any other miner claiming compensation in Durham explain:

l Why the deduction of 7.5 per cent?

l Who is responsible for the deduction and on whose instruction are they acting ?

l Who is the beneficiary of the deduction? - C Jackson, Ferryhill.

THE Government has finally agreed to re-negotiate the 1994 agreement that allows it to take 50 per cent of all the surpluses in the miners' pension fund.

This is a major breakthrough. At the same time, the Government also announced a special package of help for former miners on the lowest pensions, many of whom are among the oldest.

Recent developments have been very encouraging, but there may be still a long way to go before a fairer deal is truly secured. No one thought that it would be an easy or quick task to convince the Government to reduce its share of the surpluses. But things now are beginning to change. The door is open - we now have to push a little bit harder. - DT Murray, Coxhoe.

IT is now weeks since the publication of an article headlined "Pensions 'black hole' mystery" (Echo, Feb 4) about the disappearance of more than £100bn from a set of official figures on Britain's pensions.

If David Willets, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, spotted the missing cash in an obscure document produced by the Office of National Statistics, it is amazing no one else has.

If the Government has been challenged, why is it taking so long to reply?

If this is proven, it makes the Enron fiasco look like a Sunday afternoon tea party. Or could it be the old adage, lies, damned lies and politics (sorry statistics)?

Why can't we have an answer, and quickly? - AL Carter, Marske, Redcar.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

I WONDER if Freddy Shepherd, the chairman of Newcastle United FC, fined himself for his behaviour in Marbella a few years ago. He has fined some of his players for getting the club a bad image. - N Tate, Darlington.

EUROPE

MEMBERSHIP of the EU is costing the British taxpayer at least £220m every week of the year.

Without this crippling bill, the Government could increase the basic state pension by £15 per week, employ 10,000 extra police, 10,000 extra teachers and 10,000 extra nurses. In addition, every university student in the country could receive £50 a week grant instead of having to borrow heavily to further their studies.

And there would still be money left over to go towards the building of new schools, new hospitals and new roads. These are facts, not spin.

Is it not time that we sought complete withdrawal from the EU before we are milked dry. - Eric Wilson, United Kingdom Independence Party, Hartlepool.

CYCLEWAYS

I READ that Darlington Council is considering plans to alter the footpath in West Auckland Road into a shared pedestrian and cycle path to link up with cycle ways (Echo, Feb 7). I wonder why. I thought all the pavements in Darlington were for the use of cyclists. - R Elliott, Darlington.