Time tree owners cut back storm dangers

WITH the change in the weather over the last few years and the fact that we seem to be experiencing a lot more storms, unfortunately this can bring down trees which are a danger to properties.

In recent days isn’t it time that anyone, whether private or public, that has a large tree adjacent to a road or public footpath should be made to keep the growth to within the boundary of the property and not overhanging a public footpath and, if grown on the roadside, cut back so they don’t overhang the road endangering cyclists and motorists.

The recent storm Doris left a lot of tree-lined roads with debris and small branch pieces, which can’t be helped, but we were lucky in my area that the largest tree to fall was in the park and not in front of or on top of someone on the road.

We can’t control the weather, but maybe we can minimize the damage.

The council may have an opportunity to encourage people to think about trees on their property by leading the way with cutting back the trees that line some of our major roads and while in the process could identify private trees which overhang the road and footpaths and give the owners an offer to cut their trees back at a reasonable rate.

I, for one, would feel a lot safer when driving if they did because, as a motorist, we have enough to think about with the state of the roads. M Howarth Bamford

CLUB IS SO FRIENDLY

MY son Mark Kitching recently joined Rochdale FC from Middlesbrough FC.

The first match I came to was Bristol Rovers at Spotland, I was amazed how friendly everyone was to us.

Russ Green came and welcomed us and everyone from the car park to bar staff were so kind and helpful.

What wonderful supporters, friendly and genuinely interested in Mark’s past football career.

Mark’s manager and all players have made him most welcome and hopefully this will be the start of a long and successful time for Mark and the ‘Dale.’

Hope they get into division one play off.

A wonderful, friendly place to visit. Thomas Kitching Rochdale

WE FUNDED PAY RISE

REGARDING the article that Richard Farnell is ‘blaming’ the government for Rochdale Council’s tax rise of 4.99% giving Rochdale the highest rates, and yet in the same Observer, a couple of pages forward, in Whitworth and surrounding areas their Council Tax rise is much lower.

I wonder why Whitworth etc councillors did not give themselves a pay rise of 34%?

Rochdale councillors ended up making us, the Council Tax payers, pay for it, Angry

NEW FORMULA IS MUCH FAIRER

I AM writing in response to a story that appeared on page 7 of the Rochdale Observer on March 8, under the headline “School heads protest to PM about funding cuts”.

As the minister responsible for school funding in England, I am determined to end the historical postcode lottery of the current school funding system which sees children with similar needs receive very different amounts of funding in different parts of the country.

Funding every child fairly and according to their specific needs sits at the heart of delivering the government’s pledge to build a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

School funding is at its highest level on record and will be over £40bn in 2016-17.

Schools funding is ●●This image, titled Grey squirrel, was submitted by Terry Angus. Email your pictures to us at rochdaleobserver@menmedia.co.uk or upload them to flickr.com/groups/rochdalepics driven by pupil numbers and, where pupil numbers rise, the amount of money schools receive will also increase.

But the current system for distributing school funding is unfair, opaque and outdated.

It is based on inconsistent decisions that have built up over many years and on pupil information that is over a decade old.

The case for change is clear.

That is why we are proposing to introduce a national funding formula that will create a system that funds schools fairly and according to the needs of their current pupils, not just their postcode.

And, while some schools in Rochdale and other parts of Greater Manchester will see reductions as we bring the funding system up to date, we have built significant protections in to the formula, so that no school will face a reduction of more than more than 1.5% per pupil per year or 3% per pupil overall.

Because of this, if the proposals were to be implemented in full, there would be a combined reduction of £1,790,227 in funding across Rochdale’s schools – not the misleading figure of £15m that was reported.

It is also important to note that every school is funded individually, and where schools are due to see increases under our formula this is not at the expense of neighbouring schools.

Rather, our formula bases each school’s funding on the individual needs of its pupils, so schools with pupils with additional needs, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, would receive significant additional funding.

We do recognise that schools are facing cost pressures, so we will continue to provide advice and support to help them use their funding in cost effective ways; for example, by helping schools improve the way they buy goods and services.

We know that it is important that we get the formulae right so that every pound has the greatest impact.

Our consultation runs until 22 March 2017, and we are keen to hear from as many schools, governors, local authorities and parents as possible. Nick Gibb MP

THEY SHOULD SEE HOSPITALS

I THINK it would be good if NHS England, and the people who run our hospitals, were to ask Channel Four, Channel Five, ITV and BBC and independent radio stations to record a series of outside broadcasts from them.

These channels should talk to the people in North Manchester, the Royal Oldham, Fairfield and Rochdale Infirmary and visit the wonderful doctors and nurses and others working to look after patients there,

They should also visit in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Chris Clark Kirkholt

RESEARCH ON WORK

I AM undertaking some research for my degree on flexible working and would like to encourage the people and business owners of Rochdale to get involved.

It will also including looking at zero hours contracts.

I will not require the person’s name just age, gender, nationality, length of employment.

Once this has been done I will be doing a more comprehensive research next year.

Views and comments can be sent to flexibleworkingpatterns@ outlook.com Tom Jones Oakcliffe Road Smallbridge