CUTS DOWN TO WASTE

I AM writing in response to County Councillor Borrow’s letter in last week’s Rossendale Free Press (‘ Tories have heads in sand’, Letters, August 19).

I certainly do not have my head in the sand and unlike CC Borrow, I do understand local government finance.

The Conservative Group’s amendment to his budget which kept all the libraries open, did not ‘reduce reserves over the next two years’ as CC Borrow claims.

In fact it actually added £1m to the reserves.

And, however CC Borrow might try to spin it, the fact remains that County Councillors Barnes, Oakes and Serridge voted to close the libraries in Crawshawbooth, Bacup and Whitworth.

The savage cuts to services that this Labour administration are making have more to do with their own wastefulness than cuts in government grants, which every local authority in the country has had to accommodate.

I am sure, like me, your readers will struggle to understand why they have to lose their library when LCC is almost £50m better off than Labour thought it was when they proposed closing half the libraries in Lancashire and they now have £314m of reserves sitting in the bank. County Councillor Geoff Driver CBE Leader, LCC Conservative Group

SHOCKED BY DIRTY TRICKS

SO Graham Jones MP describes the state of the Labour Party as ‘shocking’ (‘MP Jones says Labour party is ‘shocking’ but he is staying put’, August 12).

I agree entirely.

It is shocking that we have Labour MPs who cannot support a leader who was elected less than a year ago by an overwhelming mandate.

A leader whose mandate continues to grow. A leader who consistently attracts crowds of tens of thousands at his rallies.

A leader supported overwhelmingly by constituency Labour parties and major unions including two of the largest, Unite and Unison.

It is shocking that dirty tricks are used by Labour MPs – who are themselves subject to election by Labour party members - in an attempt to create hostility and unseat this elected leader.

Jeremy Corbyn represents the hopes of the masses for a world in which human decency and fairness replace the greed and corruption of corporate capitalism.

A world in which people with cancer are not sent back to work.

Where people without legs are not deprived of motability cars. Where homeless people do not die in shop doorways.

Jeremy Corbyn has a long and proud history of opposing war and injustice.

I call upon the people of Rossendale to rally round, to join their local Labour Party if they are not already a member, and fight for Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party and our next Prime Minister. Pam Bromley (Cllr) Whitewell Ward Lord Avenue Bacup

OFFICERS DID SPLENDID JOB

YOUR video of poor Sadie was very well documented, thank you [‘Sadie Hartley killers jailed for life’]

DS Paul Withers and his fine squad of officers did a splendid job to capture these evil pair very swiftly,

I would throw the keys away with the vile, twisted pair of them. Jon Bullough via email

HAVE A SAY ON CHANGES

A CONSULTATION on re-organising of the Catholic Churches in the Salford Diocese by Bishop John Arnold, who has prepared a report for the future of the Catholic Churches is calling for your views as to what has been suggested in his report, 186 Churches in the Diocese, and 149 in the new proposal, with the closing of 37 churches.

It is proposed that the re-structure of the Parishes will amalgamate, taking pressure off the existing Priests, and allowing people to attend Mass with a full congregation.

The need for so many Catholic Churches in Britain came about with the Potato Famine in 1845-1852.

The Irish people came to Britain seeking work, many of who were of the Catholic Faith, one million Irish Descended on Britain, quite a number of Priests moved also to Britain.

As the years rolled by less and less Irish Priests, and Irish people were left in Britain.

In the Bishop’s report families who have moved away from the teaching of the Catholic Church, a number of mothers and fathers request that their children are Baptised, but do not seek the faith of the Church.

There are many new changes that have been suggested far more than is in this letter, but to see the full scale of recommendations I would suggest you obtain the booklet that has been prepared by the Bishop of Salford John Arnold.

A questionnaire is available on the proposed Parish Re-structuring Consultation Booklet, and it is imperative that your observations or made to the Bishop John Arnold, Salford Diocese,

Your response is requested no later than October 14, 2016. Wilfred Nuttall via email