August 7: Expansion: time to join up and protest
Someone at some time said something along the lines of "individually we can do little, but together we can achieve the impossible". Perhaps it's time for the people of Northampton to do just that.
42,000 new houses, 155,000 new people but only 37,000 new jobs planned. Who will pay for all the necessary new infrastructure?
How will the authorities provide medical facilities and public transport, build new roads and repair the dreadful mess our existing roads are in?
Anglian Water is having problems supplying drinking water and adequate sewage treatment facilities for the present population, never mind 155,000 more.
Then there is the vexed question of our flood defences. They are incomplete, sub-standard and badly maintained with the result that Northampton is in constant danger of major flooding. How on earth will the defences cope with the surface water run-off into the River Nene from acres and acres of new development?
We can either let this happen or at least try to do something about it. Our local councillors appear to be as helpless as us, saying that they are being told that they must accept the diktats of Government.
The thing which might get results is if we all wrote to John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU and to Hilary Benn, DEFRA, Noble House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR and told them what we think.
Petitions are no good . . . hundreds of signatures delivered in one envelope. As many envelopes as possible are needed.
Time to make the effort? It's worth a try!
Anne Jones,
Holbein Gardens, West Hunsbury, Northampton.
Lip service paid to 'consultation'
I agree with John Wright (Viewpoint, August 4) regarding Northampton expansion.
There is no real forum for people to express their views other than these letters pages, since the local authorities only pay lip service to "consultation". This is a good opportunity for the Chron to raise the profile over what is a major issue which will potentially affect the lives of most people living in and around the Northampton area.
I believe too many people, especially the authorities, under-estimate the scale of silent protest and legitimate concerns over these plans . . . plans which also seem to defy logic and expose inconsistencies with Government policy.
For example, how can we expect to reduce our carbon footprint if we continue to concrete over the country? Where is the energy going to come from to power all these homes if ageing power stations will not be expected to cope?
What about water supplies and sewerage, roads/transport?
Where will all these people work? What schools will they attend and where will they go if they fall sick or need a dentist?
Too often we have seen legitimate concerns brushed aside in the interests of so-called "development", only to be left with a mess.
Richard Sherlock,
Carrs Way, Harpole.
Where do MPs stand on this?
Re Expansion, we're just a pushover, I agree with John Wright on this issue . . . the primary reason that such vast and inappropriate development has been proposed in our town is clearly political convenience for an embattled Government.
I have been surprised by the apathy and relative lack of demonstrable anger locally about the proposals.
I think this may be because the vast majority of people think that an incoming Conservative Government would disband the WNDC and that therefore this development is unlikely to ever take place, given the virtual certainty of electoral defeat for the current Government.
I for one would appreciate the clarification of this issue by Brian Binley, as a Conservative MP, and also where both he and Sally Keeble personally stand on this. I would also like to know what they are going to actually do about it.
It certainly has the potential to become a huge local issue in the forthcoming general election and as they have recently found out they ignore the wishes of the electorate at their peril!
As regards the supposed benefits that the WNDC will bring to the town, I consider the new pavements in Gold Street (how they cost 6 million is beyond me) scant reward for the erosion of local democracy in planning and the imposition of unwanted development on an already overdeveloped town.
Nik Moore,
Kingsley, Northampton.
Jet wash from a passing car
While walking along the Wellingborough Road during the rain recently, I got an unexpected jet wash from the drain water sprayed by a passing car.
Not a pleasant experience I can assure you.
All too frequently, we see both as pedestrians and as drivers, people swerving to avoid large puddles on the road caused by a complete lack of a working drainage system.
It’s not just major roads but residential areas are suffering even more from of neglect of the drains, some totally blocked and probably beyond repair.
I have contacted the council on numerous occasions to report blocks where rainwater has simply stayed put, passing over the drains as if there were not there.
I got the distinct feeling it was not considered a priority.
With increasing rainfall both in the summer and the winter, the problem will get worse unless we invest money in cleaning the drainage system or risk ever-increasing fords on our local and residential streets, causing householders on low lying areas prolonged misery.
As for drivers who like to drive over drain water while passing pedestrians, it's not funny!
Well it could be I guess, depending on whether you are driving or walking!
Yousuf Miah,
Norman Road, Northampton.
I can’t wait for the next election
OUR MPs, just before the summer recess, voted themselves an increase in the amount of money they can claim for food when not at home.
This “legitimate” expense was doubled from 400 per month to 700 per month, amounting to a maximum of about 9,000 per year and yes, as usual, without receipt.
I recall the MPs saying, in defence of this increase that “in fact this would be saving the taxpayers’ money”.
I am not sure how this would work unless the savings would be on the paper used to for the receipts.
Does the Government think the electorate are that gullible when we hear, on an almost daily basis, that the banks that we part own are going back to the bonus culture?
The council tax will need to be greatly increased to fund public sector pensions. There will be cuts to many services as the national debt is out of control.
I for one can’t wait for the next general election, the only thing being: will there be anyone to vote for that we can trust?
Mrs C Barnes,
Billing Road East, Northampton.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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