I EXPECTED BETTER, TOO

WITH respect, I also did a double take at the reply from our esteemed Councillor Jackie Oakes, (‘I expected better,’ Letters December 3)!

I refer firstly to paragraph 5, Councillor states that as of paragraph 3, ‘good use of taxpayers money’ i.e. the £150,000 possible cost of challenging the government.

The consensus of opinion; in the press from the taxpayers and residents, who will have to contend with the development’s impact daily, traffic chaos on an already overburdened Grane Road (come and try to exit Jubilee Road mornings and evenings), infrastructures that have been buckling for years, doctors, school places etc etc, was to fight it!

This was an excellent opportunity to show some mettle for Rossendale residents (paragraph 3), don’t go there!

Paragraph 4, well what can I say, except that since the empty homes issue is still no nearer to being accounted for and every response from Futures Park alias ‘Bleak House,’ has been the same, we have a kettle and pan situation!

I’m sure a high number of taxpayers would rather you ‘blew’ £150,000 in a good cause fight than to throw £6.5M (and rising) in some tinpot scheme administered by whom and overseen by whom?

Paragraph 8, well the council are well versed in losing money or was this going to prop up the £6.5M?

Paragraph 9, ‘ill informed and offensive,’ what is ill informed, is the population of Rossendale due to lack of clarity in many issues, and offensive is the opinion that the aforementioned population is that stupid they will believe anything they are told. Which we are not!

Paragraph 10, I also, as a lifelong Labour man, expect better!

Elections WILL happen! Lastly, when you climb aboard a high horse, ensure you have nothing injurious to land upon!

S E Chapman

Mercer Crescent, Haslingden