LETTERS Scathing indictment of society’s priorities

Inexplicable decision to hold local elections

THE Government has given the go-ahead for local elections to be held in England in May.

The following day Boris Johnson said it was too early to lift coronavirus restrictions now the Government is telling people not to book holidays to travel at home or abroad as they don’t know where we’ll be in summer.

With the two latter comments it is totally wrong to hold local elections in the midst of this pandemic.

Are they that desperate for votes that they are willing to risk public safety ?

In recent years I find local elections to be pointless especially when it comes to appointing mayors and police and crime commissioners as nothing changes and I feel they are just decorative ornaments with little or no power and most certainly a huge strain on public finances.

Such a gross waste of taxpayers’ money.

With the council tax increasing and reduced services and job losses within the Labour-led Nottingham City Council due to their gross negligence and incompetence by wasting millions of pounds in this failed Robin Hood Energy company, it beggars belief that they can find tens of thousands of pounds, if not more, on salaries/allowances etc when this money should be better spent on providing services for the people.

The likelihood is that the candidates put forward are not known until one receives leaflets through the letterbox. Even then the information is bare bones. Also these people are as meaningless to me as I am to them.

Elections at the best of times do not promote encouragement or inspiration either. Quite the opposite.

Is anyone actually interested or care about who the mayor or PCC is for their local area?

Certainly not worth risking one’s life for.

I doubt very much turnout will be high for this one. I wouldn’t blame anyone for not voting. Richard Mikula

Nottingham Human rights are vital – outsourcing isn’t WHAT a refreshing read Mr Neil Unwin’s letter (“Government abuses our human rights”, Opinion, February 11) made. His correspondence illustrated perfectly how the Human Rights Act 2001 is embroiled in all aspects of our daily lives. Mr Unwin demonstrated with ease how the Act should be applied to benefit claimants.

This is why in my previous letter I wrote there should be a judicial review into Philippa Day’s case, but I didn’t expand to the reason why. It’s because; the Government breached an “international convention”, which the Human Rights Act is!

Philippa Day’s case also exposes the Conservative administration‘s Achilles heel: their obsession with outsourcing too private companies.

They pay upwards of a £100 million to a single company. Alas the public are becoming wary of these extravagant arrangements, as they are not value for money! In fact, there are numerous examples where they have cost the Government nearly double. It is taxpayers who are bailing out their gross incompetence, and good people like Philippa and Errol Graham have paid the ultimate price with their lives.

Instead of outsourcing willynilly, our elected representatives should revert back to employing the appropriate civil servants. It appears the ruling administration is cavalier with taxpayers’ finances. They should make every pound count in keeping with their party’s philosophy!

Nigel J Starbuck Bingham

I READ with interest the letter from Neil Unwin (“Government abuses our human rights”, Opinion, February 11). He is absolutely correct. The judgement of a society should be how it treats its most vulnerable member – unlike most Tory administrations, which seem to only be concerned by the “well off ”.

Cliff Bullivant Nottingham

Idiots putting end to lockdown in jeopardy

AFTER almost a year now of lockdown due to the Covid virus, I’m sure everyone is fed up with it. I know I am. But if we keep having these idiots holding parties illegally, then I can’t see it being lifted any time soon.

Vaccinations are going on apace. We have put up with it this far, so please, use some common sense and obey the rules for a few more months and then maybe we can all go on holiday, have a birthday/ anniversary party, kiss and cuddle our loved ones and not be scared of passing something on. Kathleen Speed Nottingham

Poor old Ruddington has been let down

RUSHCLIFFE Council have approved 500-plus houses in and around Ruddington, which will cause traffic chaos. What do the residents receive? Apparently nothing. RBC could have required the builders to give something back to a village sadly lacking in leisure facilities. An opportunity has been lost. Is there any hope for poor old Ruddington? Don’t watch this space!

Philip Bardill Ruddington