Many reasons for a lack of civic pride
Graham Smith wonders (ViewPoint, February 8) why recent letters in the Chron seem to indicate a general lack of civic pride. The leading letter that day about withdrawal of council funding for the Stroke Association might be one clue. Some prioritisation. Not to mention Adrian Bell’s letter the previous day on the machinations of our local authorities in planning literally to bulldoze through the mystifying and costly replacement of a perfectly serviceable bus station with a plainly inferior one, in the face of continuing howls of opposition from Northampton bus users and anyone else with a grain of sense . . . or a suspicious tendency.
And not to mention Harker & Co’s sheer nerve at disingenuously whinging about poor attendance at the recent budget “consultation” meeting. A bit like Hitler complaining about a lack of response from the Polish people if he’d offered a public debate on how their country should be run after occupying it.
How heart-warming it is, in straitened times, for the council to commission portraits of current council luminaries so that future generations can gaze at them with open-mouthed admiration at their many achievements on the community’s behalf.
For example, the painting of ex-Councillor Rosemary Bromwich, illustrated in last Monday’s ViewPoint, was a fitting tribute to a selfless servant of the people who made such a valiant effort to cling on to her council expenses after moving to Cornwall. It showed off her brass neck to perfection.
It must be awful to live under the so-called “democratic” regime in North Korea. Thank God there’s a “democratic” regime in Northampton. Roll on the next election, if there is one.
Phil Bannister,
Cordon Crescent, Earls Barton.
Retribution cost makes sense
Reference article by Rebekah Smith, Monday February 6, Alcoholic patients increasing, all the statistics in my previous letter saying the binge drinkers should be charged a minimum of £250 surely now makes economic sense?
Alcohol specific admissions would bring in to the NHS an amount of just over half a million pounds. This is still only a drop in the ocean compared to what it costs to treat each alcohol specific admission, some £140,000 each.
This retribution cost would perhaps bring home to the binge drinker how serious a condition they have.
And the half a million raised could be passed back to help the elderly, vulnerable and disabled who continue to need services to ensure they have a fitting quality of life.
Roger Kinsey,
Carlow Street, Ringstead, Kettering.
Loss of spaces will have effect
So the lunatics have taken over the asylum – 464 apartments built on the St John’s car park with parking spaces for five disabled students.
Have the planners ever seen the students in Boughton Lane area where hundreds of cars are parked belonging to students?
The obvious plan would have been to build an eight storey building with ground floor parking and even a basement car park. Who said the loss of our parking spaces in St John’s would not affect us? What about the people using the theatres?
Why not build a new building on the meadow opposite the old council offices in Bedford Road then provide free student parking; and also a car park for the much-trumpeted marina. Now there is a gem of planning – loads of boats with no parking facilities!
While I am having a moan, what about taking the existing roof off the bus station and fix a glass northern light type roof with daylight for the day plus decent lighting? Then refurbish the interior to a good standard?
Ivor Moss,
Abington Vale, Northampton.
Celebration for the centenary
Far Cotton Residents’ Association are holding a fun day called “Centenary Celebrations” in September 2012. A meeting is planned for 7pm, February 23 at The Guildhall, St Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE, in the Holding Room for all interested groups, artists, musicians, dancers etc to get together for further planning.
The main aim of the event is to celebrate 100 years of Far Cotton Recreation Ground (The Rec) and its recently obtained “Town Green” status. 2012 is also the 15th anniversary of the 1998 floods and 60 years of Queen Eleanor School on the parkland.
Planning for the fun day is still in its early stages. Now is the time for you to show an interest. You can be involved in the fun day as much as you like. You can be on the event working group, and help to organise the fun day or just have a stall, table or a time slot on the stage and provide a performance, on the day.
Daniel Jwanczuk,
Vice-chairman,
Far Cotton Residents Association.
Forgotten by the gritters
THE residents of Exeter Sheltered Housing face the rear of St Edmund’s Hospital with all its broken windows. When it snows on our large path from Market Street to Portland Place, it never ever gets gritted. Everywhere else gets done but we are forgotten.
I’m 81 years old and many people like myself are disabled and we can’t even get from our front door to the bottom of our paths. This lack of gritting happens every year, and I’ve been here for 22 years!
This morning I was trying for half an hour to phone the council to try and get something done for us, but to no avail. I was told everywhere else was gritted on the Sunday after it snowed, but they left us out again.
I have to use crutches and dare not to even attempt to go out until it’s done.
Margaret Rouse,
Exeter Place, Northampton.
Get gritting
WITH regard to your headline Footpath clearance (Chronicle & Echo, February 7), it is good they cleared all those areas. But what about the likes of the Eastern district, Duston, Kings Heath, Far Cotton and all the rest? It took me 20 minutes to get 30 yards from my house to the Co-op, five minutes to do the shopping and another 25 minutes to get back home, due to the icy footpaths.
I think it is disgusting in this day and age.
Yes, get the ‘Payback’ boys to do it, but also get the unemployed to help out as well.
Nick Townson,
Inglewood Court, Bellinge, Northampton.
Fewer shoppers
WHO came up with the idea of moving the bus station to an unsuitable site, and increasing the number of shops in the Grosvenor Centre? It’s absolutely ridiculous!
Don’t the people responsible know the act of moving the buses away from the shops will result in fewer shoppers coming into Northampton and more shops closing down?
Use some common sense, somebody, and leave the bus station where it is.
Ken Seymour,
Honeyholme, Brixworth.
Ballot on buses
THE people who decide whether the bus station goes or stays are those who use it. All it needs is renovating. There are more things going for it than against it.
Why not have a ballot box at the bus station so bus users can vote on the subject? If there aren’t 90 per cent or more in favour of keeping it, I would be surprised.
It might be better to have the ballot boxes on the buses, that way, we could be more sure only bus passengers were voting!
H Jepson,
North Road, Earls Barton.
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