ALTHOUGH the recent by-elections show immense public dissatisfaction with how hard it currently is to keep on top of day-to-day needs for most people.
I still get the sense the Labour and Liberal Democrat solutions are not resonating with the public in a way that makes voters cast their protest vote against the government in an overly enthusiastic way.
The Lib Dem leader is a stuntman, lowering the tone of the debate by referring to his adversaries as ‘clowns’, while the Labour leader relies on a doppelganger, hoping the youth of his candidate will make him seems more appealing.
The fact that he has chosen a candidate for Parliamentary office on the basis of inexperience and the same name shows poor judgement and a vacuous approach to politics.
For my part, I’ve made the decision to rejoin the Conservatives, whose leader is experienced, appealing and capable.
The opposition leaders are none of these things.
Matthew Thomas
Alvechurch
I READ Athol Deakin’s letter with great interest and echo his words, people do want change but we still have the die-hard voters who still vote on promises that never materialise.
And, reading that the council staff still work from home is a disgrace – do we also pay for their phone, heating and lighting bills and is this the reason for the five per cent increase in our council tax this year?
When the Tory canvassers were out in Romsley, I said to one candidate: ‘why can’t we get a street cleaner out to clear the drains?’.
He said they were gulley’s – okau. When I directed him to one drain that has been reported since 2022 and not cleaned, two weeks ago it was still the same so our own not work from home staff went out to clear it.
I have applied to fill a parish council vacancy, let’s see how I get on?
Stan Francis
THE ROYAL Mail has been introducing new stamps with barcodes which means that as of Monday, July 31, regular stamps that do not have a barcode will no longer be valid.
These can be swapped via the Royal Mail Stamp Swap Out scheme but I wanted to let your readers know that they can also donate them to charity to help raise money for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) which affects 10 per cent of the population, meaning as many as 78,417 people are affected in Herefordshire and Worcestershire alone – 59,206 of those in Worcestershire.
At Kidney Care UK, we collect used (and unused) stamps and turn them into cash donations.
Every year we receive thousands of stamps, generating around £2,500 to support people with kidney disease when they need it most.
In March this year we received the highest number of requests for financial support the charity has ever known in over 40 years – almost half of these were for one of our emergency hardship grants or from people needing help paying their utility bills, so your support is vital.
If your readers would like to help, all they need to do is to pop their used or unused non-barcoded stamps in an envelope and send them to:
Kidney Care UK – Stamps and coins appeal 2023, 3 The Windmills, St Mary’s Close, Alton, GU34 1EF.
Laura Toop,
Community Fund-raising Manager
Kidney Care UK
FIRES from unregulated e-powered vehicle batteries are becoming commonplace and we are very concerned we are sitting on a ticking timebomb of cases. It is only a matter of time until we see a battery failure cause a devastating large-scale fire in a block of flats, hotel or public space.
Unfortunately, e-bike batteries are designed to be charged indoors, and mostly overnight. Critically, this is where the risk to life from a fire is the greatest.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We have been using certified lithium-ion batteries safely for years, the technology is well understood and these can be manufactured to the correct standards.
The problem lies in a series of failings in the supply of unregulated units, meaning products with poor construction can be supplied by internationally based sellers on third party platforms. Action needs to be taken to address this situation to prevent future deaths.
We urge people to only buy from reputable sellers and to purchase electrical items from a known and trusted brand that complies with legislation.
If you think your battery is faulty, damaged or you just aren’t sure, then we advise that you dispose of it at a waste centre, not in the bin.
Nathan Davies
Head of policy and portfolio at Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
I WONDER if any of Bromsgrove’s councillors are having to reconsider their Mediterranean holiday plans at the moment.
While many countries, their citizens and visitors are suffering from hideous wildfires, our elected representatives might reflect on their naïve signing-off some years ago of the Whitford Heights development which I fear will comprise some 400+ homes that are not fit for the future.
Bellway’s lazy housebuilding specification offers no adaptation featuring practical, far-sighted solutions to the growing climate emergency – no solar panels, no water conservation measures and a developer cynically pressing ahead to evade tackling the national ban on gas boilers in 2025.
The construction industry generates 50 per cent more carbon emissions than the vilified transport sector does, yet our councillors gave free rein to Bellway for an estate of homes that are barely different to those built in the 1970s. And they won’t be cheap to run.
What an embarrassment for Bromsgrove, a lack of foresight and courage when new homes should be smarter and a pride of the town.
So might we hope for a better vision in the new notion for Bromsgrove centre’s development?
Adrian Tucker-Peake
WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS– Email [email protected] with your views.
