leahortez86: Treated badly by public servants

THE recently reported threat of grit rationing may of course be real given the weather.

But why didn't our councils just buy plenty direct from suppliers rather than wait to be told what they can have from the Government's stocks now?

Yes, it ties up capital, but councils could then reap the benefits when national stocks are not available by selling to others at premium rates.

Even more ridiculous is the report (Post, page five, December 21) that police are targeting and fining drivers who leave their car with the engine running, rather than deterring or catching the thieves who criminally and opportunistically steal them.

Yet we are told on the same page that Notts could have the best police force in Great Britain in five years.

Why do we tolerate being treated so badly by public servants?

SIMON WOODROFFE

Fulwood Close

Chilwell

I WENT into town on Sunday morning and was amazed at the crowds of people.

I did my shopping and, with many purchases, struggled to carry and keep track of them all.

By 12.30pm, I was weary and grateful to sit on the bus home.

When I got back and began to undo my parcels, I found a bag of stuff I had not bought – namely two boxed video sets and what looks to be a child's computer game, all in all more than �100 worth I would say.

So if you've lost your shopping, I have found it.

Identify the contents and I will return it to you.

JOY JACKSON

Colwick Park Close

Colwick Village

I AM writing to express my astonishment that on the day the Minister of Justice Ken Clarke was reported as stating "ridiculous claims by ridiculous people risk giving human rights a bad name", an illegal and criminal immigrant, Aso Mohammed Ibrahim, who callously left an innocent young child to die under the wheels of his car, has been allowed to remain in the UK by senior immigration judges.

The part Mr Clarke is playing in the continued implementation of the Human Rights Act – regardless of the negative and demoralising effect on the vast majority of normal law-abiding people in this country – is one he should be deeply ashamed of.

I would be pleased to introduce him to many normal hard-working people who would end his claim that "he hasn't met anybody who will admit to him they are flatly against the application of human rights" in its present form.

The Act is now little less than a taxpayer cash cow for the legal profession.

Recent governments have failed the electorate by being unable to see beyond their own personal political gains – why can't they understand that it is our children and grandchildren who will be paying for our being subject to the often disproportionate dictates of Europe and the bizarre decisions now being taken by the courts?

A BIRCH

High Road

Chilwell

ENTHUSED by the coalition government's pledge to improve reporting in the financial sector and publicly-expressed concerns about Labour's Public Finance Initiative (PFI) debt, I have written to ministers about rectifying apparent anomalies in the way certain PFI projects are legally accounted for.

I cited the case of Nottingham City Transport Ltd and the special purpose PFI vehicle Arrow that was set up to build and operate the tram.

I am truly astounded by the logic that international accounting standards as applied in the UK to PFI projects should allow an organisation like NCT to exclude its share of Arrow's losses from its balance sheet, yet include in its profit and loss account the income received for operating the tram by a joint venture from the very same special purpose vehicle.

I feel certain most of the public would be equally perplexed to learn of this permitted "pick and mix" approach.

COLIN RAYNOR

Tomlinson Avenue

Gotham

SO John Gretton claimed I told a whopper regards the cost of being in the European Union ("Being in the EU benefits the UK", Your views, November 29)?

To reiterate, the yearly net cost of membership is �20 billion, but the actual cost is nearer �65 billion gross.

That is around �1,000 a year from everyone in the UK, and EU fees are increasing every year.

The total gross cost of membership in 2008 included �28 billion for business to comply with EU regulations, �17 billion of additional food costs resulting from the Common Agricultural Policy, �3.3 billion the value of the catch lost when the Common Fisheries Policy let other countries fish in our territorial waters, �14.6 billion gross paid into the EU budget and other EU funds.

For the last 14 years the EU as failed to sign-off its annual accounts, as fraud is rife.

If our funding were put to better use, the UK would be transformed with higher pensions, there would be more medical staff, teachers and police, we could build advanced transport systems, and we could make a start on repaying the nation's debts.

NIGEL J STARBUCK

Carnarvon Close

Bingham

I AM writing to agree with your editorial ("Fears over future of country park", Comment, December 23).

The points made by The Friends of Bestwood Country Park echo those made by Notts Unison on behalf of our members, the rangers, but sadly the Conservatives on the council are like the old kings of France, who learned nothing and forgot nothing.

Decisions to slash services will have a massive effect on local people as well as greatly increasing unemployment.

Having wrecked the coal industry, these old-time Thatcherites are now intent on wrecking the public sector – this is not what people voted for in 2009.

Once services go they will never come back and the quality of all our lives will suffer.

MIKE SCOTT

Notts Unison

Loughborough Road

West Bridgford