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Readers' letters July 22
THIS week's readers' letters.
'TWO YOUTH centres face being axed' as reported in the County Times on July 15.
This follows on from an earlier article from June 24 and underlines why it is so important that the political parties come together in Horsham to oppose the planned 20 per cent cuts in our youth provision.
A report to West Sussex County Council's children and young people's services select committee recognises that the review into restructuring countywide youth provision does not take into account the impact of the recently announced squeeze on funding to be delivered by the Con–Dem coalition Government.
We are facing nothing less than death by a thousand cuts to our county's youth services and Horsham district youth clubs in Holbrook and at the Weald in Billingshurst are set to be axed in the first round.
The reactions from our elected representatives are not encouraging. District councillor Roger Paterson, who recently axed council-run holiday play schemes across the district, is quoted as saying 'we do what we can' while a Lib Dem county councillor offers little defiance and 'is grateful we are only seeing proposals for two closures in the district'.
District councillor Andrew Baldwin offers a level of greater concern and so he should, as he sits on the management committee of the Holbrook Youth Club and is well aware of the need for such a centre.
However we need much more than words of concerns, the botched consultation into youth provision was nothing more than a fig leaf to drive through massive cuts that will, in the words of the report sent to the select committee, have implications on the prevention and reduction of crime and anti-social disorder across the county.
One thing Horsham Labour Party can agree with is that no one who responded to the consultation on restructuring youth services thought that closing youth centres should be part of any reorganisation.
Horsham Labour Party is supporting the petition organised by Unite to keep our youth centres open and we urge all your readers to go to http://bit.ly/cE8PKs and add their support.
We will also be writing to the chairs of both Holbrook and Weald youth clubs to offer our support in opposing the planned closures and to see how we can work together to build a campaign so that we can retain both youth clubs.
We call upon Horsham Lib Dems and Conservative councillors to join with us to save our youth clubs.
CAROL HAYTON
Horsham Labour Party campaign co-ordinator
Clarence Road, Horsham
CLEARLY David Hide (letters July 8) has no concept of what a Coalition Government means, despite his Labour Party being in such a coalition with Plaid Cymru in Wales, and previously in that country and Scotland with the Liberal Democrats.
In none of these coalitions has/does it involve the respective parties being a 'fan club' or an 'admirer' of the other coalition partner. In such circumstances the parties have agreed to work together in Parliament in the national interest, they still oppose each other at local council level whenever necessary.
In both Wales and Scotland, Labour and first the Lib Dems and now in Wales, Plaid Cymru, had a coalition agreement with a commitment to implement a number of each parties' manifesto policies – as does the current agreement between the Lib Dems and Tories for the UK Coalition Government.
It does mean, as I am sure David really knows, that sometimes each party has to support policies that it would not normally support or would actually oppose.
So the Budget was a Coalition Budget, not a Tory one, and is a mixture of Liberal Democrat as well as Tory proposals required to start addressing the utter financial mess the country has been left in by Labour.
As a Liberal Democrat I am happy with those many elements of the Budget which reflect Lib Dem manifesto policies to reduce the poverty gap (increased income tax personal allowances, increases in pensions of at least 2.5 per cent per annum or inflation whichever is the higher, increased capital gains tax, etc), but not too pleased with the VAT increase.
I accept, however, that to achieve the implementation of Lib Dem (Liberal) policies for the first time since 1945, some Tory policies will also be implemented.
As to whether the total package will succeed economically I am not qualified to say, but is David Hide any more qualified to say it will fail with the terrible consequences he feels able to predict?
DEREK DEEDMAN
Former Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Arundel and South Downs
Canons Way
Steyning
I WRITE in response to Horsham District Council leader Robert Nye's comments in the article 'Six point plan for council as it prepares for major cuts' (County Times July 8).
At a time when the county and country are preparing for major cuts in both public spending and salaries the provision of community venues is even more important than ever.
When people tighten their belts often the first thing to go is expensive nights out – whether this is at pricey restaurants or entertainment venues.
Community venues provide an affordable night out in your local area. Something that we all need as relief from the working week.
It is ironic that HDC is now concerned about the mounting costs incurred by the continuing Horsham Town Hall saga when it has wasted so much money over the last five years failing to formulate a long term plan for this historic building.
Even at the potential 70,000 revenue that the council is claiming, it will be a number of years before it breaks even after the waste of the last five years.
The simple answer to avoid further costs in the town hall saga is to hand over the running of the building to the winning community bidder – a charity which will run the building for the good of the community at zero cost to the Horsham tax payer.
An obvious target for cost savings within Horsham should be HDC's never ending list of beatification projects including such things as Horsham in Bloom, use of inappropriate cobbles for road surfaces that need constantly repairing and the pedestrianisation of East Street – what a waste of money this is!
It is clear that local residents value community spaces – such as the town hall. You only need to look at the campaigns being run in towns all around the country to save local community venues to see that. Close to Horsham, the County Times published an article (July 8) celebrating Southwater residents' success at saving Easteds Barn.
I join with them in celebrating their success and hope this will soon be repeated with Horsham Town Hall.
KEVIN MIDDERIGH
Croft Way, Horsham
SO WHITE'S the butcher's in Middle Street has closed, another independent shop bites the dust in Horsham town centre. One reason cited was parking, a problem which will blight Horsham forever.
It is so true you just cannot pop into Horsham for ten minutes hence why so many people choose other shopping areas.
I for one now go to Cranleigh whenever I need to 'pop' to the bank or similar.
There is some free parking or if you choose to use the car park it is only 50p for an hour, enough time to do a bit of shopping and have a coffee. Invariably whenever I pop to the shops I will always pick up other things which was not planned, hence Horsham shops lose out even more.
It would be interesting to know how many people avoid using Horsham for odds and ends shopping. It is also one major reason why out of town superstores do so well.
The new 1.60 minimum charge will do even more damage despite Swan Walk car park resembling a Dulux paint colour chart! Was it really necessary to spend all that money on a car park when local traders are desperate for more customers in these difficult times?
On the bright side the leaking elevating Brussels sprout is now working - that should attract thousands to Horsham.
V. JACKSON
Queen Elizabeth Road, Horsham
I READ with sadness about the closing of the Middle Street butcher's.
The march of the giant supermarkets ise killing our small businesses and before long nothing will be left.
A stroll around a supermarket does not have the same delight as a stroll around the town.
And if one day the supermarkets crash, we will be left with nothing - which having taken all our custom to them, we will deserve.
JOYCE SMITH
Padwick Road
Horsham
ON RETURNING from my holidays and catching up on my reading, I was delighed to be reminded of the first meetings for the proposed St Catherine's Hospice (0 Years Ago, County Times June 18).
Back in 1980, I was at a Crawley presentation meeting. Here Dr Gusterson, in his role as honorary consultant, spoke most movingly of the need for an end of life care facility in our region. The local community really got behind the campaign, and press support was an invaluable part of this.
I am so proud to be writing this letter as the chairman of the board of trustees of St Catherine's Hospice today.
Since our inception, we have cared for more that 13,000 patients, their families and carers across West Sussex and East Surrey.
In this time we've responded to the needs of the local people, developing our services from our in-patient unit and day hospice to an increased provision of at home nursing, available around the clock, seven days a week.
Throughout the last three decades, we have remained committed to providing free end of life care, delivered with compassion and understanding. We could not, however, have come this far were it not for the support of the local community.
I would like to thank everyone who has helped us on our journey; here's to another 30 years.
ROSEMARY COWLEY
Chairman, St Catherine's Hospice,
Malthouse Road, Crawley.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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