November 13: Let's cover bus station with graffiti
Graffiti artists can be very talented and it is great to see them encouraged.
There is a large building in Northampton due to be demolished which could be brightened up by local scenes.
Envisage the iron age fort, the Roman town, St James Abbey, Battles of Northampton and Naseby, Towcester races, Silverstone Grand Prix, Thomas Becket meeting King Henry II, the medieval walled town, the three railway stations . . . the list is endless, just let the imagination run.
Yes, Greyfriars Bus Station could be turned into a glorious multi-coloured pageant to cheer us all up.
I'm sure lottery cash would be forthcoming to foster local young artists!
David Blackburn,
Harlestone Road, Northampton.
An excuse for Brown's failings
Matthew J May, Labour Party Prospective Parliamentary candidate for South Northamptonshire, says in his letter of October 28 that he felt my earlier letter was purely relative to the credit crunch.
As your readers will have observed the quote from me was "to some extent the credit crunch provides a mask".
As he wishes to talk about the credit crunch, the letter directly above his from market trader Eamonn Fitzpatrick highlights this.
Eamonn states: "I told you so in 2005." Presumably Eamonn uses good old fashioned common sense rather than psychic powers to reach his conclusions.
The letter Matthew May presents is an excuse for Gordon Brown's failings.
Mr J J Webb,
Whitegates,
West Hunsbury,
Northampton.
Council overruled by the quangos
Regarding the headline in the Chronicle & Echo of October 31, Union condemns council pay rise, I liken this pay rise to the ludicrous payout that the winners of the Stanford Twenty/20 received.
I see Tony Woods, the leader of the administration, says the increases were essential to encourage more people to work for their communities.
Many people are already doing work for their communities for nothing.
If he means it would encourage more people to stand as councillors, that is a dead duck, considering our elected councillors are more than often overruled by one of the other anointed quangos that seem to reign on high (unelected of course).
V Graham-Hole,
Elgin Street, St James,
Northampton.
Hypocrisy is so breath-taking
Is it just me or does anybody else find the justifications wheeled out for a massive increase in councillors' allowances breathtaking in its hypocrisy?
Andrew Simpson has said that councillors can have their allowance increase donated to the local voluntary sector, administered via the Guildhall.
Are these vital services now to rely on funding at the whim and largesse of the very same Lib Dem politicians who have so poorly managed public money as to leave a black hole of 7.2 million?
Those of us involved in this sector have been pleading for this administration to put these vital services' funding on an established basis.
I will not be making a donation to these bodies because they should be core-funded and I will be fighting the Lib Dems to ensure they own up to their responsibilities and provide a proper funding system for these services.
As I have stated before, I will be donating my increase directly to the people of my ward.
After all, recent history has taught us all that this administration has a habit of not listening to either the voluntary sector or the citizens of East Northampton.
Councillor Joy Capstick,
Labour, Lumbertubs Ward, Northamptonshire County Council.
It's not their money to give
So now the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives on Northampton Borough Council have taken to squabbling among themselves over how any monies given to charity from any councillors not wanting to take their latest pay rise should be administered.
Hasn't the Liberal Democrat administration not already done us all enough damage by voting through these indefensible pay rises in council at a time when they have overspent the borough's budget by 7.2million?
Have councillors also not considered that any money that is given to charities by any "embarrassed" councillor is money that is not really theirs to give?
After all it's the council tax payer who will pay ultimately for their folly and the very same charities that benefit could see even larger amounts taken from them in cuts to voluntary sector grants, from both Liberal Democrat and Conservative administrations at Town and County Halls as they both make attempts to balance their books.
And do the Conservatives not consider their party-based "Community Action Fund" to be slightly distasteful?
Surely charity, like advice, is best given privately, and should never be seen to be used for possible political benefit, no matter what the motive.
Having attempted and failed to stop politicians from sticking their noses in the trough in the first instance I can only agree and I find that my disgust at their actions has now turned in distaste for their vanity and empty public gesturing.
Of course if they really wanted to court public acclaim, then they could always take the whole matter back to the next council meeting and vote to reverse their decision.
Or is that stretching their charity too far?
Councillor Tony Clarke,
Independent, Castle Ward, Northampton Borough Council.
Wonderful day
Thank you for the excellent coverage you gave to the attendance of the members of the wartime Women's Land Army at the Remembrance Day Service on Sunday and afterwards at the Derngate Theatre.
This event would not have been possible without the help and support of the authorities at All Saints, the borough council and the county council.
It was very good to see that these ladies' contribution to the war effort has been recognised this year by the award of a special badge.
They had a wonderful day reminiscing and meeting old friends after many years and I have received many messages thanking all those concerned for making it such a special occasion.
Lady Juliet Townsend,
Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire.
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Weather for Northampton
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
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