Criticism is confused

Former Councillor Margaret Beck is obviously making an early start in an attempt to regain her seat on the council with her rather confused criticism of me in her letter to the Echo on September 18.

I have represented Fulwell Ward for 23 years and by doing so have maintained the trust of the people of Fulwell for my efforts on their behalf, a duty and responsibility that I will shoulder without fear or favour.

As for her criticisms of me decrying the ward as ‘Fullwel is not the ward it used to be’ is true but that is also the state of the country and indeed the rest of the world.

With regards to her letter questioning my appraisal of the situation in Fulwell, I agree that there are many other areas in the country that have more crime but that fact does not alter my opinion that Fulwell is experiencing more vandalism and petty crime than it used to.

As for Sea Road, the incident that was reported to me about an attempted breakin of a fish shop several days ago. I was telephoned by several residents who said they were concerned about the increase of vandalism not only in break-ins but also at the seafront.

Three of the anonymous calls that I received were from elderly people who were afraid to go out at night because of the four attempted robberies over the past few weeks.

Margaret Beck’s statement that I decried the lack of police presence is inaccurate what I did say was ‘There is a shortage of police, a situation that is being rectified by the Government’s policy to increase the police force by 20,000 over the next five years starting with 5,000 this current year.

However, Margaret blames the current government for the austerity that brought this about. She conveniently forgets that it was the Labour Government that created the dire straits of the economy because of its excessive and uncontrolled spend, spend, spend policies during Gordon Brown’s brief reign following a similar pattern set by Tony Blair.

She even blames the fact that the result of the Referendum has something to do with the mess she implies the country is in.

However, she does not mention that the people of Sunderland voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU as did the rest of the country and that it is her party that has refused to accede to their wish as did the three Sunderland Labour MPs who are supposed to honour the decision of the people who voted for them.

I think it a bit rich that Margaret asks what I have done for Fulwell.

I suggest she asks the electorate that question.

In case she has forgotten I have been voted in five times by the people of Fulwell a fact which even she should acknowledge, were the people wrong?

Bye the Bye I would suggest that Margaret please understand that I live in Ryhope ward not Hendon. Coun George Howe, Sunderland City Council