Council image: I refer to Mr Pratt's letter (Advertiser Sept 25th) where he suggests that not to be referred to the Standards Board implies an untarnished record and takes exception to the current leader's intention to clean up the tarnished image that local government has.

I believe that all of us involved in politics whether local or national need to work hard to restore our image and the confidence of the electorate.

As a new councillor and executive member I inherited Mr Pratt's untarnished image, two poor Housing Inspections, Government Intervention and a poor CPA rating, a very low tax base and poor corporate management.

To imply that the council was tarnished doesn't imply wrongdoing. In fact Mr Pratt, as leader, was held in respect by many and the Riverside Development stand as testament to his achievements. Nor does a referral to the Standards Board mean someone is guilty of wrongdoing. In fact it is more indicative perhaps of pursuing a radical change strategy which someone finds difficult to accept.

I am proud to be part of this present administration. We have achieved a lot, but there is much more to do, and I am proud to say that we will continue to polish the image of Chester-le-Street District Council.

Coun Simon Westrip,

portfolio holder for personnel and communication,

Chester-le-Street District Council

Estate vandalism

Could I ask all parents of ten to 16-year old children living on Garden Farm and the surrounding new estate in Chester-le-Street to be aware of where their offspring are, or what they do in the evening.

As parents, they must realise that some of their children wander around in gangs of varying sizes vandalising cars and smashing house windows randomly and generally making residents' lives a misery.

Could they please think about where their children go in the dark and ask themselves what their sons and daughters may be doing. All the problems my street has suffered have occurred before 9pm.

If they realise that they have not got a clue where their children go or what they get up to at these times, may I take this opportunity to congratulate them on their neglectful and thoroughly lousy parenting.

Garden Farm resident,

(name and address supplied)

Street litter

AN old rhyme:

Chester-le-Street has a bonny, bonny church

With a brooch upon its steeple

But CLS is a dirty, dirty town

And mair shame on the people (read council).

It would appear that things don't change. During the last year the council has spent thousands, if not millions, of pounds cleaning up the image of the Front Street.

What a pity that it now looks as bad as it did with its acne rash of chewing gum all over the new flags.

What a pity that Church Chare is rarely cleaned and is a permanent midden of bottles, cartons, papers etc left mainly by the schoolchildren, allowed out at lunch time. Why can Glasgow employ men to clean up the streets (including gum) at night while Chester-le-Street has to put up with litter not cleaned up from one week to the next? Surely there is not 100 per cent employment in the area.

Phyllis M Hands,

Chester-le-Street.