LATE last year, we were made aware that a Waste Development Plan Document (Waste DPD) was being prepared by Merseyside Waste Environmental Advisory Service (MEAS).
The Waste DPD will be the statutory land use plan for Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral to guide future management of waste management and treatment facilities.
Two sites in Moreton were identified as potential landfill sites, the Old Brickworks Site, in Tarran Way, and the North Wirral Brickworks, in Carr Lane.
The three Moreton and Saughall Massie councillors expressed our concerns both in writing during the consultation period, and personally at the public meeting held in December, as did many local residents and the council.
Strange then, that in the report published, many of the comments made during consultation do not feature in the document. I wonder why? I have telephoned Dr Alan Jemmett, Director, MEAS, to ask him why comments have been omitted – as of yet, I am still waiting for a response.
While I am delighted that the Brickworks in Tarran Way have been discounted as a future landfill site, I – along with many residents of Moreton – am disgusted that the North Wirral Brickworks site, in Carr Lane, has been earmarked to go forward for further assessment.
It seems to me that MEAS have not listened to local councillors, local residents or Wirral Council.
One thing MEAS and the Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority can be assured of is that I, and the residents of Moreton, will fight with every weapon we have to oppose landfill on this site.
Chris Blakeley, Conservative councillor for Moreton West and Saughall Massie
Amazed
I READ in amazement Warren Bradley’s defence of Cllr Steve Hurst. He’s totally missed the point – Steve Hurst has been found guilty in a court of law.
I am more than happy for him to move on with his life, but not as a councillor on Liverpool City Council and certainly not on the Merseytravel board – picking up nearly £6,000 for his trouble.
Warren Bradley needs to remember that no political party has come out of the expenses row squeaky clean, and that includes the Liberal Democrats – didn’t I read in your paper that Lord Rennard of Wavertree (Lib-Dem) had claimed £40,000 for a holiday home in Eastbourne?
Frank Kearney, L12
Bad attitude
I HAVE recently started a job after months of unemployment. So I am aware of how many people are out of work through no fault of their own. I also know from bitter experience how difficult it is to live on Job Seekers Allowance.
I now work for the JobCentre. I have a safe, secure job. However, what really annoys me is the attitude of my colleagues. I get really angry when they treat the unemployed as second-class citizens; however, my anger sometimes boils over into rage when the unemployment figures are released.
Some of my colleagues clap and cheer, whenever the unemployment rate increases. I have heard remarks such as: “Two million people on the dole, that means that my job is safe.”
“Unemployment is up again, that means there will be more opportunities for promotion.”
Remarks like this make me so angry. Surely, if unemployment is rising at its fastest rate for over 25 years, and there are still 400,000 vacancies on the JobCentre website, does that not mean that the JobCentre staff are not doing their job properly.
Instead of being promoted, should they not be sacked for incompetence?
Name and address supplied
Tactics wrong
CHRIS LENTON’S letter is right to challenge tactical claims that treat people like fools. We believe he may be referring to the leaflet that has been distributed in Liverpool by the Labour Party. The leaflets say that “only” a vote for Labour can stop the BNP. Any GCSE maths student and a calculator can expose that is a false claim in a Proportional voting system.
For most people, voting is about supporting the party of your choice, and that is how democracy should work. But, for many voters this time, there is a huge concern that an extreme far right party could win power in Britain. If one of the reasons you are voting is to stop the far right, then there are tactical considerations you need to make.
The D’Hondt system used to allocate seats means that only votes cast for parties that can gain a seat ahead of the far right will be effective. If you look at the last three national opinion polls, your options for voting against the far right are limited to the Conservatives, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat or UKIP.
It is wrong for parties to make exclusive claims about being the only option to stop racism. While Greens and the Liberal Democrats have both argued in our respective election leaflets that a vote for our respective parties might be the best option, it should be, and will be, left up to voters to decide what they think is the best anti-racist vote.
Cllrs John Coyne and Sarah Jennings, Green Party, St Michaels ward
Proud
I AM so glad to see that the owners of the Neptune Theatre are to restore it to its former glory.
There must be thousands of people like me around the city who have enjoyed evenings or afternoons there watching great shows in its cosy and intimate confines.
I have a particular affection as it is the only theatre where I can claim to have had my own role in a production. As a schoolboy, I helped the art teacher at my school to paint the backdrops for an amateur operatic group. I well remember sitting in the audience with pride – watching the scenery rather than the players, admittedly.
S Wells, Aigburth
