Redditch Borough Council needs to consult residents properly over issues
WHEN did Redditch Borough Council fall out with democracy?
It was interesting to hear at the council’s Overview and Scrutiny meeting on Monday the comments made by Councillors Thain and Marshall (Conservatives).
They said the public could call Matt Dormer, leader of the council, and give him their thoughts about local issues including the cemetery provision, library and so on, this in turn will make do as a public consultation.
Is this now is the way the council does its public consultations?
Where is the council officers’ role in ensuring it is done above board and transparent?
It looks to me as if the Redditch Conservative councillors are now only puppets and the real decision maker is Matt Dormer and a couple of others.
Redditch deserves better than this, it deserves open and honest discussion that is made public with a proper scrutiny process that has open access to the facts and not just relying on hearsay and roumers.
So, Mr Dormer stop playing single person politics and conduct an open and transparent consultation on the issues that concern Redditch and let the people who elected you have their say.
Present the proper facts of full investigations and explored options.
Joe Baker
Secretary of the Redditch Labour Party
The sooner the ‘Teflon’ Prime Minister goes, the better
THE IDIOT in No. 10 still doesn’t understand right from wrong.
For an educated man he is incredible stupid, so much for an Eton education.
The sooner he resigns or is pushed the better for Britain.
Who does he think he is? Bill ‘The Teflon Kid’ Clinton?
Come on Tory MPs put your country first for once.
D Vincent
Winyates East
Outraged by Downing Street staff partying
IN COMMON with, I expect, the vast majority of your readers, I was outraged by the behaviour of the Downing Street staff by having a party and laughing at the consequences of this Government’s handling of the Covid restrictions last year.
Worse still, our Prime Minister has been in denial that such events ever happened until this week when the video evidence was published.
Rather than deal with the staff who took part, then do the decent thing and resign himself, he has asked the Cabinet
Secretary to launch an inquiry to find out if anything happened.
We all know what happened, we saw it on the news!
The only people who can remove this out-of-his-depth Prime Minister from office are his fellow Tory MPs.
Why is our local MP not among the first to call for his resignation?
If he doesn’t resign then she should show leadership herself, resign from her ministerial job and give out a message that enough is enough from this clown.
It’s not funny anymore, the joke is in very bad taste, the party is over.
John Kane
Redditch
Residents were misled by ONS councillors
WHAT on earth has our council come to when two councillors on the virtual Overview and Scrutiny Committee on December 13 so insensitively and blatantly misled the residents and the meeting by claiming consultation had already been had about cemetery provision in Redditch?
I couldn’t believe my ears when Coun Emma Marshall said that the people of Redditch were offered the chance to phone the Leader of the Council and that constituted Consultation.
But then to hear Coun Thain agree with her and repeating the same made me feel very upset and even a bit angry.
I also remember Coun Dormer making suggestions that we have a chat with him on the phone about demolishing the Library.
Is this the new way of doing things in the council where no accountability, transparency or proper consultation is being done?
It’s beginning to feel like the sleaze of the Government has come to town in Redditch.
Resident of Redditch
(Name and address supplied)
Sad to see Bromsgrove Choral Society perform its final concert
BROMSGROVE Choral Society has, very sadly, sung its final notes after more than 70 years.
On Saturday, December 11, I attended the concert which was both its first performance since the pandemic, and also its last as an organisation.
John Brierley directed the well-rehearsed and nicely-blended choir in an evening of festive favourites, including excerpts from Handel’s Messiah.
Understandably, emotions ran high as the performance came to a close.
As director of Redditch Choral Society I would like to emphasise my sadness that Bromsgrove Choral Society has had to shut its doors after such a long time.
As local arts organisations begin to emerge from their ‘Covid-cocoons’ we need to take stock of just how life-enriching these groups are.
The mental and physical health benefits of singing, for example, are well-known.
Support at national, county, and town levels is imperative for the continued success of groups like these and, without doubt, the rewards of such support are to be reaped in the well-being and vibrancy of the areas in which the arts are most valued.
The loss of such a well-established local choir is both sorrowful and concerning.
Some BCS members, including long-serving chairman, Eddie Clulee, have already begun singing at RCS on Wednesday evenings in anticipation of joining us ‘officially’ in January.
We do, of course, warmly welcome them and wish the very best to all involved with BCS in their future musical endeavours.
Emily Tyrrell,
Redditch Choral Society
As we prepare for Christmas, help Crisis help the homeless
AS MANY of us prepare for a Christmas filled with time spent with loved ones, gift giving and a home-cooked Christmas dinner, reality is very different for people without somewhere safe and secure to call their home.
2021 marks the 50th anniversary of Crisis at Christmas, which sees the charity provide vital food, warmth and companionship to those experiencing homelessness at one of the toughest times of the year.
When it all started, just 20 volunteers helped Crisis hold its first ‘open Christmas’ at a church in central London, providing food and support services for people sleeping rough. Sadly, 50 years later, Crisis is needed more than ever at Christmas and all-year-round, to help people on their journey out of homelessness.
Slowly emerging from the pandemic and with many facing mounting financial pressure, this year has been difficult for us all.
At least 200,000 people are expected to face the worst forms of homelessness this Christmas – many for the first time.
No-one should be forced to live, or spend Christmas, shivering on the streets, sofa surfing with strangers or in a hostel with nowhere to call home and no-one to be with.
Crisis will be providing vital services and support this Christmas through its Skylight centres across the country.
This ranges from offering nutritional food and festive treats, wellbeing packs and entertainment activities to providing guidance, health support and befriending services to those experiencing homelessness. Most importantly, Christmas also introduces people to the year-round training, education and support Crisis can offer.
But to ensure Crisis can be there for everyone who needs support this Christmas, we’re calling on readers to support our work.
We’re asking you to join us in raising vital funds so whether you donate or give someone a Crisis Christmas, you’ll be helping to ensure that this festive season those facing homelessness are not alone.
Visit www.crisis.org.uk/support for more on Crisis this Christmas.
Al Doyle, Alastair Stewart OBE, Ayo Akinwolere, Ellie Goulding, Imelda Staunton CBE, Sir Jonathan Pryce CBE, Jo Brand
Crisis Ambassadors
EDITOR’S COMMENT
CONSTANT mixed messaging has been the running theme during the pandemic and it has happened again this week.One minute the PM and government members defend themselves over the ‘Downing Street party’ allegations saying everyone acted responsibly, the next new legislation is introduced.
After 18 months and the long-term ‘we need to learn to live with Covid’ prognosis, the public need to be trusted to use guidance to take their own precautions rather than using the threat of already overworked police officers who have no capacity to enforce these laws.
