DEATH PENALTY: Certain facts, however unwelcome in some quarters, are absolutely unanswerable, one such at present being the urgent need to restore capital punishment.

Recently there has been a spate of killings, culminating in the death of a young policewoman, committed with calculated viciousness and cold-blooded brutality that defies description.

Would, however, those criminals who gunned down PC Sharon Beshenivsky have been so ready to do so if they had known their own lives stood forfeit as a result?

Probably not. That type, however casual with others' lives, invariably show a healthy regard for their own.

The only law they respect is the law of force and fear and the most awesome embodiment of that law is the gallows.

Sooner or later politicians will have to respect the wishes of the British people on this matter.

The overwhelming majority of us want to bring back hanging. - T Kelly, Crook.

HOW times change. In pre-war times if a gang of criminals were setting out to commit a robbery they would search each other to ensure that no-one in the gang was carrying a gun.

Why? Because if anyone was killed by the gang (as the woman constable has been) then the whole gang, if caught, would be hanged for the murder. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

WE all deplore the Bradford murder. But the media have, as is their wont, overreacted. And so too has ex-police chief Sir John Stevens in calling for the death penalty for murderers of police officers.

Whatever our views about capital punishment, the murder of an innocent civilian is no less tragic than that of a police officer. - Susan Willis, Middlesbrough.

BIRD FLU

WE are being warned of a pandemic of bird flu.

As Darlington Borough Council has blocked off the roosting places of pigeons in town, driving them into residential areas, what is its intentions in view of the great risk of the flu pandemic?

The blocking off of the traditional roosting places was obviously deliberate but it seems irresponsible to me to just pass on the problem to the residents.

Does the council intend to clean up the town of this risk to public health? - Alan Collinson, Darlington.

TIME FOR CHANGE

IN 1997 when a Labour Government took over, myself, among million of others, thought we would see a country held in high esteem by its citizens and the rest of the world.

We do have a wonderful health service, an education system which will reward students who work hard and a much too generous social security system.

We open our doors to economic immigrants as well as genuine asylum seekers.

This may paint a picture of a country at peace with itself but, not far under the surface, all is not well.

Violent crime is on the increase and guns and knives are readily available to anyone who wants them.

Bullying in school is more prevalent than the authorities admit and many schools are in denial over this. Punishment for serious bullying is laughable - often only a few days suspension. Culprits must be made to fear the punishment.

The much awaited bill to outlaw hunting with dogs is a joke. I am no lawyer but I could have made it foolproof.

Then there is the disastrous war in Iraq. The highly unlikely democratisation of this unfortunate country is no justification for the barbaric invasion of a sovereign state.

Our electoral system is patently unfair and now is the time for change. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

VILLAGE GREEN

RE Village fights to save its green (Echo, Nov 14). The article concerns Durham County Council's decision to fence in a grassed area at the rear of Falkous Terrace and Newton Street in Witton Gilbert.

This has been used by residents over generations as a village green, and the council's action is denying residents (council tax payers and voters) access to a well used amenity.

I wonder if a test of reasonableness can be applied to Councillor Reynolds' quoted remarks on this naked use of power.

Is it a reasonable test of democracy to wrest an amenity from one community to give to another without as much as a by-your-leave?

I don't think so. He says: "We put up the fence to protect the council's interest." Protect the council's interest from whom? From the council tax payer? Or from someone else? Who is the council trying to protect itself from? Is there some insidious anarchic group trying to bring the council down?

No, just a group of concerned villagers who have lawfully applied to have the grassed area designated as a village green, thereby trying to protect an amenity that is theirs by unhindered custom and use, over at least the past 20 years.

He says that new housing will help regenerate the village. Frankly, I am not convinced. - W H Jarvis, Witton Gilbert.

HOUSING REGISTER

YOUR report of the North-East's housing register (Echo, Nov 15) confirms the effects the Government's housing policy is having on local authorities: increased privatisation of council properties, increased waiting lists and homelessness up on average by 50 per cent nationally.

Derwentside Council tenants must be aware of voting trends in England and Wales: to date 93 local authorities have voted to retain their housing stock, including Darlington, Durham City, North Tyneside and Sedgefield.

Nationally, tenants, trade unions and councillors have united with organisations such as Save Our Houses and Defend Council Housing, in an effort to secure housing in council control.

Tenants decide the future of their homes, not the council. Tenants - use your vote. Vote no to transfer. Keep your housing in council ownership. - Name and address supplied.

pension FUNDS

I READ with interest Nick Morrison's article on the pension crisis (Echo, Nov 18).

However, as an ex trustee director of a large pension fund, I was disturbed by his comment that some employers had been playing fast and loose with their pension schemes.

Independent actuaries are legally required to carry out bi annual audits to measure the assets against the liabilities of the fund.

The Inland Revenue determines that a fund must be within 95 and 102 per cent funded.

Because 80 per cent of assets are in equities and stock markets are volatile, the value of investments vary by millions of pounds daily.

If the fund is over funded at the time of the assessment, an immediate contribution holiday must by taken to reduce the over funding. This measure was introduced to prevent firms from hiding money in the pension fund as a tax avoidance measure.

Conversely, if the scheme is under funded, an immediate injection of cash is required.

The demise of the final salary schemes is more complicated than Nick's statement.

We did not play fast and loose with the schemes and, indeed, were prevented from doing so by law.

To dispel another myth, trustees of pension funds do not get paid. - Mel Blanchard, Peterlee.