Letters

ONE of the more positive and striking developments following the recent tragedy in New York has been the tremendous response of the city at all levels to its difficulties.

Elected mayor Rudolph Giuliani spoke with compassion and dignity on behalf of all New Yorkers to the world's media. He worked to secure and deploy extra Government funding to rebuild the city and also with major employers to ensure city workers' needs were met, and the wheels of business were able to turn again.

Crucially, as a single point of contact, he oversaw and co-ordinated the work of the emergency services and city authorities.

During his time in office Giuliani has worked successfully with the police and local authority to reduce crime, allowing more citizens to walk the streets safely, and also boosting the local economy by attracting more visitors and investment.

The successes of Giuliani in New York could in future be ours in Middlesbrough, and also benefit the Tees Valley as a sub-region.

Middlesbrough now needs a high-profile elected mayor. Firstly, to ensure the needs and concerns of our local residents are better met, and secondly to act as our champion to outside investors and to our Government, which is keen to support elected mayors.

Middlesbrough residents will by now have received their ballot papers for the referendum for an elected mayor. We hope you will vote yes to a mayor, and post or deliver your ballot paper to the town hall as soon as possible. Our once in a lifetime opportunity to put our town into the big league should not be missed. - June Goodchild, Co-ordinator, Mayor for Middlesbrough Campaign.

CARE OF THE ELDERLY

I HAVE just rung Brackloon Lodge home in Dawdon to see if my grandma needed anything for her forthcoming 99th birthday. I was amazed and very upset to hear that the home is to close very soon and she will have to be uprooted. This coincided with me reading your article about the problems being caused by the closure of care homes (Echo, Sept 27).

Brackloon Lodge is the residents' home. The Government, in its aim to improve standards, has lost sight of the fact that improving quality of life for the elderly has nothing to do with whether they have an en suite bathroom, but everything to do with how they are cared for.

Brackloon Lodge is exemplary: well kept with a lovely lounge and dining facilities, in pleasant gardens. But above all, it is staffed by people that care for every person there.

The staff make sure she has her hair permed, that she looks smart and that she is happy. Grandma didn't want to move out of her own home but now she reminds me how lucky she is to have a lovely home and be surrounded by such wonderful people. Tony Blair and Alan Milburn should visit Brackloon Lodge, which they have condemned without a second thought, and see what the residents think. These people deserve better treatment than this in their remaining years - and that doesn't mean having a room with a bathroom!

I hope someone recognises this soon, before the toll is taken on the elderly and frail, who will probably not survive the upheaval. - Ruth Harmer, Darlington.

THE ROBERTS CASE

IN light of the fiasco about Cleveland policeman Adrian Roberts' speeding fine, I decided to appeal against my own fixed penalty. I have engaged a solicitor and have just had a private viewing of the speed camera tape.

When I was sent the fixed penalty letter it stated the police had video evidence that I was the driver of my car, but when I saw the video, all it showed was my car and number plate - the driver was unidentifiable because the photo had been taken with the car driving away from the camera through the rear window. I would recommend any driver being sent a fixed penalty for speeding to arrange to view the video before returning the form. To arrange to view, telephone Durham Police on (0191) 3864929 extension 2664. - A. McKinnon, Crook.

MANY years ago I knew a police constable called Ted Rose. He was an old-fashioned, uncomplicated policeman.

He was much respected and a little feared. There was good reason for this. Ted was extremely efficient and practical and from time to time meted out his own form of summary justice.

Ted had many qualities of loyalty, determination and not least integrity. Despite this Ted remained a constable primarily because he could not pass the exam to become a sergeant. Ted was disappointed about this, but we were not. With Ted on the beat we all slept more safely in our beds. I thought of dear Ted when I read of Detective Superintendent Adrian Roberts escaping his £60 speeding fine. I knew at once that Ted, knowing he was the keeper the car, would have paid up immediately. He would not have deigned to quibble as to who was driving, neither had any regretful attack of amnesia.

You see, Ted considered his integrity priceless, worth far more than a paltry £60 speeding ticket. - Derek Parker, Bishop Auckland.