It was referring to the former steelworks site in Corby that was going to be transformed into the British equivalent of Disney World.

Well like all pipe dreams it never ever transpired. Now fast forward to Northampton's £300 million expansion plan of the Grosvenor Centre, you could say it was a simple case of deja vu.

Well you'd be wrong, because unlike Northampton, where all of the councillors have put all of their eggs in one basket with this one, Corby councillors on the other hand have grasped the nettle and are transforming the town into a future force to be reckoned with.

They are flattening large parts of old housing stock throughout the town and replacing them with brand new properties (not just talking about it for years) as well as demolishing parts of the town centre shopping complex that was a complete eyesore.

They are also attracting commuters from London to live there (as it is considerably cheaper to live and buy property there) and once its railway station is up and running they can expect a huge influx of many more commuters to go there that will, to all intents and purposes, bypass Northampton completely as it really has nothing more to offer them in the shape of future investments for them and their families.

Corby has also successfully moved away from the single employer mentality that nearly killed it off and has now created hundreds, if not thousands, of successful businesses (large and small) that it is successfully adding to each day.

So you'll forgive them as they all choke on their deep fat fried Mars bars while laughing out loud at Tuesday's headlines, because as the saying goes, he who laughs last, laughs longest.
Mr R M Levins, Waterlee Furlong, Brixworth

Rewarded for doing bad job
SO it is now out in the open, that after four years, after all the hype, that the formation of WNDC would hasten the planning and development of the town.

We are no further forward, with WNDC, NBC, County Council, Daventry Council and South Northants Council all involved, I think that the phrase "cooks and broth" comes to mind.

I would like to point out that as things stand if the upgrading of the town is still possible 10 years away we may be living in what will be the biggest shanty town in England.

Streets requiring resurfacing urgently in every area, rubbish and debris clogging up all areas.

In fact some parts of town look like a landfill site with old mattresses, washing machines, TVs and virtually every household appliance left out on street corners and any empty place available.

The powers that be always come up with the excuse that money is tight.

If that is the case why were executives running the council given such outrageous "golden handshakes", if an ordinary worker was to do as bad a job as they have they would been sacked, not rewarded.
Doug Buckle, Kentstone Close, Northampton

Searching for a perfect pint
I have noted that Sally Keeble has asked questions of the Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding the possibility of putting a restriction on the discounting of alcohol to prevent binge drinking.

Purely in the course of research regarding this trend I have visited a large number of public houses in Northampton, none of which could supply me with a pint of Binge at any price.
Ronald L Hedges, By email

Save green belt for population
So we are now told the Grosvenor Centre expansion is years away.

It seems that the WNDC were just John Prescott's "useful idiots" after all!

The corporation is just a 'trojan horse' in the same way as DIRFT in Crick.

DIRFT was meant to take goods deliveries off the roads and on to the railways.

Instead it was just an excuse to build acres of huge warehouses close to the M1, with thousands of lorry movements per day affecting local villages.

The WNDC was created as a vehicle to build hundreds of thousands of houses in Northants for London/South East overspill, with the promise of improved shops, infrastructure and jobs for local people.

The huge warehouses at Swan Valley have already ruined the view of the watermeadows and practically joined the town to historic Kislingbury village.

Which councillors have the guts to stand up to the WNDC and the Government and stop the destruction of the town?

With farmland and wheat prices now rising, and huge pressure globally to feed the burgeoning populations of China and India, it is short-sighted in the extreme to be continuing to build flats and houses on greenbelt land.

As the most densely populated country in Europe now, we will need every green acre to feed our own rising population in the years to come.
Jean Howell, East Haddon

Council earning my cash interest
The County Council has sent me a form insisting that I apply for my daughter's bus pass for September by April 25, or they can't guarantee that she will receive the pass in time.

They also inform me that they will charge me the £360 on receipt of the form.

Why should the county council have my money for four months before they are delivering the service?

Some parents will end up paying interest on this money, which they can ill afford.

Why should the county council get that interest?

Although I appreciate that the cost is subsidised, parents have to pay the £360 unless they earn less than £15,000 a year in wages and benefits.

There are plenty of people who receive a bit more than £15,000, but they are nevertheless hard up.

Several of these parents have told me that they can't afford the £360, and will have to drive their children to school from September.

How can the council claim to be trying to be green, but create this situation?

I wonder if there are any over 16s whose parents can't afford the pass and can't spare the time to drive them to school, who may therefore be forced to leave school at 16?

If the buses were free for the over 16s, many more parents and older children who drive themselves to school would take the bus.

There is already a traffic and parking problem at the school.

Why can't the council think this through?

Providing free school buses for all students would be one of the greenest things they could do.

Will they do it?
Jill Hope, Rectory Lane, Milton Malsor, Northampton