A READER gets in touch with the view that privitisation of services has led to a poorer society.

"ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour is a serious blight in our society.

It means that too many people who want to live peacefully are left unable to do so.

Do those who want to ‘run their estate’ realise that in later life they may actually be able to do just that? This would be via the ballot box, and for the good of the residents they would represent.

In my 20s I lived in Hampshire, South Wales, Essex, and County Durham.

I can tell everyone that I have heard that anti-social behaviour has been a problem in all of those areas. But why does it happen?

When I was a teenager we were well served with things to do because there were enough volunteers.

People who gave up their time to help, and didn’t expect to be paid for it.

Then along came Margaret Thatcher and her privatisation programme.

The plan was to make us all richer. Well it’s backfired.

For example, privatising energy supply has left us being served by foreign energy companies who charge us more so that they can subsidize consumers in their own country.

Other examples of this means that more people have to work to make ends meet, leaving less people able to volunteer. Thanks a bunch Mrs Thatcher.

There is no excuse for anti-social behaviour, but the wider problem can be solved in the ballot box at the next general election."

Jeremy Whiting, Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street.