1/11/2007

Woking

Letters from November 1 2007

Council's case of selective amnesia

EDITOR — The Mayor of Woking has asked for support for the British Legion Poppy Appeal.

It is a worthy cause helping ex-service personnel and their dependants. As usual the whole council will be on parade on Armistice Sunday, uttering those immortal words: “We will remember them.”

Yet this very council has stopped decorating the homes of its elderly tenants in supported accommodation, many of whom are in their late 70s or older who served and suffered and are still suffering as a result of World War Two, in which everyone was involved.

The younger generations owe their freedom and their lives to this generation, but it seems to count for nothing.
It is easy to remember the dead for it is only the cost of a wreath and an hour or so of their time once a year.

They should be ashamed of themselves for the neglect of the survivors of the war who are elderly, many of whom, when working, were probably in jobs which did not give a pension or one that started late.

It should be a sign of a civilised society that they look after the old, the very young and the vulnerable.

To say they will find a contractor to do their decorating if the elderly pay, one wonders whether the council will receive a payment from the contractor, but where are the tenants supposed to get the money to pay for the work done, as many are on benefits.
John Coles
High Street
Old Woking

EDITOR — I have been reading in the Woking News and Mail about the pay to park plan for disabled people.

I am thoroughly disgusted with our councillors who are supposed to consider and work for the people of Woking. They just consider themselves and totally waste the use of our money on unnecessary things.

I am 83 years of age and lost my right arm in the 1939 to 1945 war. What did these people on the council do to help at that time? Did they have to re-learn how to use their arms as I did, to work on low pay because they didn’t offer to pay disabled people any different?

They want to make disabled people pay in full for parking in the car parks, but these councillors and council staff who are earning full wages will continue to share this privilege.
J Frost
Eve Road
Woking

Saddened by this cost-cutting

EDITOR — Actions speak louder than words, they say, and in the case of Woking Borough Council’s executive committee that is true.

The words were to the effect that there would be no increase in the council’s tax in the coming year.

The actions show how this is to be achieved:
Make 70 staff redundant. Assuming there were not 70 people sitting around doing nothing, this is, in fact, a cut in services.
Charge blue badge holders for parking in Woking. Blue badge holders are people who have, by definition, limited mobility.

In most cases this also means pain, and a much greater effort to get around than the rest of us. Many are also elderly.

So, by imposing a charge not previously made, on, often vulnerable, members of our society, and cutting services, the council can achieve its nil tax increase.

I hope that makes some people feel better. It makes me very sad.

Incidentally, any saving to residents made by these measures will not be proof against increases made by Surrey County Council and the police, who already take the lion’s share of the tax we pay.
Diana Landon
Kenton Way
Woking

Not all cyclists are thoughtless

EDITOR — On Saturday October 20 I was cycling past the fountain by the theatre in Woking.

I appreciate that this is theoretically a non-cycle area but it is a large stretch and it is as such a big temptation to ride as walking down and through the lights can take some time.

I was riding no faster than walking pace, staying to one side, looked over my shoulder before changing direction and never stopped suddenly or in a place that may have inconvenienced anyone.

At the traffic lights I stayed back and waited for pedestrians to cross before doing so, slowly, myself. I have seen people with bulky pushchairs behave with less consideration.

However, a lady of advancing years chose to admonish me for my behaviour. I assume she felt safer challenging a lone, respectable looking 20-something on a regular bike than she would have a pair of teenagers on bmxs, but those are the people causing the nuisance to pedestrians and need to be admonished.

I appreciate that the council cannot permit some people to cycle and not others, hence the blanket policy [banning cycling on pavements], and there is always a danger to pedestrians.

But my point is that most cyclists try to behave in a public minded manner and it is therefore a little unfair to be reprimanded in public while the cyclists causing the problem are racing around unmolested.
Olivia Hussey
Carthouse Lane
Horsell

Selling out the vote

EDITOR  —  As reported in the Chobham News and Mail last week, if local Conservative Chobham parish councillor Wendy Bentall does not understand why the parish councillors should not interview and co-opt a candidate to the council amongst themselves then our democratic process under Conservative control is severely undermined.

If as she suggests the cost of selling off the democratic process is £1,500 then that clearly puts into perspective how much Conservative representatives really value democracy.

True democracy is priceless and we should never sell it. The fact that other parish councils do it does not make it right.

Her comment is a disgrace to the UK democratic process and to the Chobham electorate.
Mark Stroud (Chobham)
UK Independence Party
for Surrey Heath

No such thing  as quiet

EDITOR — I am rather puzzled by the nature of the continuing correspondence about the light aircraft from Fairoaks that fly over Woodham and Horsell.

The other day I happened to be walking along Brewery Road when I spotted a light aircraft overhead. I couldn’t hear it for the noise of the traffic.

However, a very loud noise that irritates me greatly is that of an ice-cream jingle that could be heard in our road of a summer’s afternoon, which completely drowned out any conversation.
John Simonson
Old Malt Way
Horsell

First printed in: Woking News and Mail