Letters

IT'S only a matter of common courtesy that people tidy up after themselves in public places. So the Government's new 'litter law' isn't a problem in itself.

However, the penalties being implemented - £50 fines imposed by officials mingling among us and publicly 'naming and shaming' offenders - seem somewhat draconian and KGB-ish to say the least, especially when speeding traffic in built- up areas and violent muggers are more serious matters deserving priority attention and action.

Usually I carry a tin in which to dispose of cigarette buts. But what if this isn't always convenient or possible for everyone? Isn't the new law encouraging more litter-bin fires, as people scared stiff of the new laws or in a hurry accidentally put a cigarette they thought they'd extinguished into a bin?

Like the threatened severe penalties for anyone caught answering the compulsion of nature in a back alley, for penalties inflicted to be just in themselves, means local councils supplying many more public ash trays and lavatories, so that no one is being forced into breaking laws simply because they have no other alternative but to do so. - Bethany-Megan Robinson, County Durham.

PARISH COUNCILS

THE Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith announced their next government would abolish the unpopular and heavy-handed code of conduct for parish councillors.

Many parish councillors have been concerned about Labour's draconian code of conduct. Across the country the number of people getting involved in parish councils has been falling because of it.

The code fails to distinguish between major and minor breaches. It is ridiculous to require registration of interests by parish councillors' nephews, grandchildren and even partners of such people for small sums.

This quibbling intervention fails to appreciate that parish councillors overwhelmingly are honest and well intentioned and this code will be revoked. - Charles Johnson, Darlington.

PARKING

IN your article by Bessie Robinson (Echo, Jul 9) it states that parking charges for Bishop Auckland and Crook will begin in the autumn of this year, then goes on to say that a traffic order is being drafted for public consultation.

Surely the consultation should come before any decision is made or is the council not going to bother what the public say and do it anyway?

As far as Crook (common land) car park is concerned, is the council also going to include the two car parks to the rear of the council offices and charge for parking in them as well?

Now that the new Labour Council is in I expect the next thing they will do, although there's no money, is increase their own allowances and expenses so that the council tax can go up again without justification, as I predicted six months ago in this excellent newspaper.

The trader in Crook who said it would not help his business is right, as people will go elsewhere to do their shopping, so how about a petition against parking fees in all the shops to show the council that they are meddling in matters that are to do with the county council, not them? Maybe they will then be able to spend more time putting their own house in order. - Richard Groves, Crook.

PENSIONS

CERTAIN aspects of the financial affairs of local councils are somewhat bewildering. If a retired policeman or firefighter dies then his widow will find that her income from their pension is cut down by 50 per cent.

However, if she is now living on her own as the single occupier then the council will be really generous and cut her rates by 25 per cent.

Most widows find that they cannot afford to stay in the home they have occupied for years and have to move to a cheaper house.

A realistic help to a new widow would be to cut the pension by 25 per cent and the rates by 50 per cent. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

MINERS' GALA

THE reason why Labour leaders don't go to Galas any more is because they are not proper Labour men. They are Tories carrying the Labour flag.

Tony Benn and Arthur Scargill are socialists, sticking to what they believe in and not jumping on the bandwagon of the 'I'm all right Jack' Britain we've got today.

I cannot support Labour any more. The Labour I knew is not there. I am old Labour, and always will be.

I would rather be an honest old Labour man than a dishonest, two-faced New Labour. I have stuck to my principles. - John Hoodless, Darlington.

EDUCATION

EDEXEL exam board plans to mark A-level and GCSE papers using computers (Echo, July 2). How on earth can that be done unless the exams are reduced to pages of tick boxes?

A-levels in particular were always intended to demonstrate that the student was capable of intelligent thought, expressing in-depth knowledge of a subject and the ability to reason and express an opinion, developing arguments to support that opinion. It was more than just knowing facts from books. Answers had to be written at length to demonstrate an understanding of the subject. How can a computer assess and mark such things?

The suggestion seems to be yet another way of dumbing down the exams under the pretence of cutting down the time it takes to get the results out to students. - EA Moralee, Billingham.