Hear All Sides

BLUE CIRCLE

I WAS dismayed to learn of the proposed closure of the Weardale cement works (Echo, Jan 24).

As the last clerk of Weardale Rural District Council, I am only too aware of the tremendous effort put in by the council to secure this development, vital to the economy of the dale, and this against opposition from several quarters.

In the early 1960s, Associated Portland Cement, a truly British company, indicted that it would not come to Weardale unless it could be guaranteed a 60-year working life, and secured options covering that period for its quarrying operations.

Now, with the foreign takeover, a mere 37 years working is to end with such drastic results.

Being now in my 90th year, I never thought I would live to witness so sad a demise of what could have continued to make such a contribution to the whole of this district.

My heart goes out to so many families, whose lives are so seriously affected by this most unfortunate event.

One can only hope that, at this late stage, someone with authority may have a change of heart. - Wilf Hume, Frosterley.

COUNCIL TAX

I WELCOME your extensive and well-informed coverage of the likely council tax increases (Echo, Jan 23). Once again, we hear councils begging for more money from the Government, and wringing their hands saying how difficult it is to keep expenditure down.

Don't councillors understand that everyone finds budgeting difficult?

Here are some suggestions for them:

1. Concentrate on those functions that are mandatory, and consider substantial reductions in non-essentials such as tourism, the countryside, industrial incentives and others.

2. Operate all departments on a cash standstill budget for administrative and staff expenditure.

3. Review all operations to see which ones, over time, may have become redundant and which could be slimmed substantially down.

Most government departments, businesses and households all have to manage within tight constraints, and it is tough.

Why can not Durham County Council seem to do likewise? If the senior officers are unable or unwilling, they should be replaced.

If the councillors cannot oversee the officers effectively, we the voters must kick them out at the earliest opportunity. - AD Middleton, Chester-le-Street.

SINGLE CURRENCY

THE media soundbite debate about the euro is an insult to intelligence. It is time that the case for and against was put in logical economic terms so that people can make up their minds about the effect adopting the euro would have on the future wealth of Britain.

We fail in our duty if our bias makes us selective about which information to use in our arguments.

There is a need to look at the effects on employment and wages, pensions, profits, and public services. There is a need to look at the one-off costs of joining and the time it takes to recoup those costs set against the continuing benefits. There is a need to consider the effects on areas of the world where Britain trades. There is a need to examine the merits of being in or out when dealing with the poorest countries of the world.

The research carried out by companies such as Daimler Chrysler, Marks & Spencer and by a variety of economic bodies clearly indicates the balance towards the adoption of the euro.

It is this type of information that needs to be presented in an understandable checkable way to the general public.

As I continue to gather material from a variety of sources and present it in digestible format, the balance continues to tip towards the adoption of the euro. The question that is always asked is: "Why is this work not readily available?" This should be addressed to the Government which should be taking the lead on this important issue. - Bill Morehead, Darlington.

EDUCATION

AS the father of two children currently attending comprehensive school, I can assure Peter Mullen (Echo, Jan 22) that those imaginary loony lefties of his have not managed to get the teaching of English history banned from our schools.

Children still learn about monarchs, battles, treaties, explorations and conquests, just as we did when we were at school.

My 14-year old daughter asked: "Does Peter Mullen actually believe all this rubbish he writes, or does he just like stirring it?" I wonder. - Pete Winstanley, Chester-le-Street.

WAR ON TERRORISM

D LYTHE (HAS, Jan 22) has totally missed Hugh Pender's point, along with several others.

Innocent people who are killed in a poverty-stricken region such as Afghanistan have little food, money or hope. They cannot simply book the next flight out. It is not always a matter of being made to stay on or around potential targets.

Perhaps by saying that just about every major nation is guilty of killing millions of innocent civilians can somehow justify D Lythe's own blinkered points of view. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth perhaps? American capitalistic propaganda is no different from any other nation with its own interests at heart.

Is anyone really interested in D Lythe's pro-American opinion? His words are judgemental rather than humanitarian. He uses general sweeps of his own justice and applies it without mercy. A biblical prophet casting the first stone wouldn't have a look in.

Perhaps D Lythe should spend less time watching the TV and more time reading the Bible. Perhaps this is the difference between those who pick up the sword and those who pick up the shield. - Jim Nunn, Carrville, Durham.