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Maintain democracy

I AM writing in response to the October 19 article on Coun Courtliff remaining within the Labour Party.

In particular, I would like to respond to the leader of the council, David Renard, saying that his door is open for this Labour Councillor to defect.

I would like to know, does Coun Renard believe in democracy?

He’s already refused to give residents a say over whether he installs new parishes in order to increase people’s council-taxes through the back door.

Now he wishes to ignore the views of residents in Lydiard and Freshbrook who voted for a Labour councillor only five months ago based on Labour’s policies. And this is meant to be the Leader of our town. What a disgrace!

Coun Renard says undue pressure was put on Coun Courtliff to remain in the Labour Party. Actually, all we did was remind him that he was elected based on Labour’s policies five months ago and it is these policies Coun Courtliff supports.

I suggest Councillor Renard remembers why he got in to politics in the first place - for residents to be represented based on the policies they voted for.

Or perhaps he thinks that principle isn’t befitting for politics?

I suggest Coun Renard runs Swindon Council based on the electoral mandate he has and we will see whether the people of Swindon wish the Conservatives to continue running our town in the 2018 elections.

COUN DERIQUE MONTAUT

Labour Councillor for Liden,

Eldene and Park South

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How are OAPs to pay?

I ATTENDED the cabinet council meeting this week.

The Q and As were all very good, the replies were as expected, non committal, and no real answer, but that’s life. It was confirmed that the non parish precept payment will be continued to be taken as a payment, even though we also now will get the new parish precept charge.

Coun Renard said that you only had to look at parish and non parish areas to see the difference the local precept concept makes – perhaps he can explain why we have not had a road sweeper in this street for around two years and a gully lorry for around three years at least? And we pay £47 a year for that service.

The cabinet document shows that the green bin charge is to go up to £50 a year, (nice earner that), and the charge for a full allotment plot is to go up to £75 a year. Can a council person say how an OAP is meant to pay these rises on top of council tax, parish precept etc?

T REYNOLDS

Wheeler Avenue, Swindon

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Such pride in parish

AS a former Covingham parish councillor may I say how much a small parish can add to the quality of life and community pride in the area.

Local people take an interest in sorting out the little problems as they arise. Streets and pavements are swept clean, the grass is cut and drains are kept clear.

Residents can go to meetings and ask questions.

In Covingham the speed bumps were removed at the request of residents.

The parish council also planted flowers in Covingham to make the area more attractive.

The sign that people are taking more pride in their area is shown by the way residents become more active in ensuring that litter is not left lying about their streets.

The improved living environment tends to make house prices rise, as the area becomes a more sought after place to live.

TERRY HAYWARD

Burnham Road, Swindon

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Reduce their pay, too

AS OUR wonderfully democratic borough council are foisting parish councils on some of us and shifting services to existing parish councils, it follows that the borough councillors will have reduced responsibility.

I am expecting to see this reflected in their remuneration, which will reduce the need for savings when we pay them less for doing less.

JAMES CROTON

Derwent Drive

Upper Stratton, Swindon

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Time for reality check

JOURNALIST Gill Harris is without doubt a woman on a mission.

How else should one take her latest missive (SA 20 October) in which she takes to task the ‘mean spirited’ politicians who have challenged the age profile of supposed ‘children’ brought to the UK from Calais?

In her emotional, hyperbolic outburst she seeks to make a connection between Germany’s wartime treatment of Jews with the humanitarian efforts of the UK Government.

She also seems to show a lack of understanding in the genuine kindness of the British people.

The people of this country and, indeed, of our town have offered a welcome to those seeking refuge (maybe not as much or as many as some might wish) but they do not like being taken for a ride.

The UK Government agreed to bring into the country a number of unaccompanied children – the word children was the emotional key which unlocked what Gill refers to as ‘cold hearts’ – after all, who could deny the innocent child a safe haven?

The pictures of the young ‘men’ who were the first tranche of ‘children’ received into the UK caused a few people to question their ages.

I am sure many SA readers would have looked at the difference between the young children shown in the Adver on Tuesday and those shown in the national press the following day.

Gill may not like the idea of immigrants being questioned about their age, but she is being naive in the extreme if she believes every claimant’s protestations they are under 18 is true.

For every fit young man – and none of the recent entrants looked under-nourished, unkempt or in need of a hot shower – who enters the country under the scheme a genuine young child is left behind.

Is that what Gill wants, or does she believe that this country should become the refuge for everyone seeking a better life?

The reality is that many people in the Calais camp will ‘lie through their teeth’ to achieve transfer to the UK – the law of the jungle is simple, the strongest survive.

The purpose of the age cap is to ensure fairness and hope for those who can’t lie about their age and are too young to compete against the older, more dominant males.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive

Swindon

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Why not stay in Syria?

ALL these talks about our leaving the EU and getting confused over the reason many voted for us to leave the EU.

Many voted due to the extremely large numbers of immigrants entering the country each year.

This is indeed a worrying fact for our nation and also for most of the nations in the EU.

Germany has just now published the figures for population rises and they are staggering. They have risen to a new high – the highest for 30 years.

We have not, I believe, examined these figures in any depth in the UK but if a similar trend is seen then it is obviously a trend to be reckoned with and is putting much higher strain on our infrastructure, in the areas of housing, hospitals and schooling.

We are being constantly told that we must build more houses and schools and we are I believe all aware of the strain that is being put on the NHS.

While I have nothing personal against genuine refugees I fail to understand why these young men are not staying in their own countries and trying to change them for the better.

We are in fact suffering from a quiet invasion of an alien civilisation. One that is changing Europe beyond all recognition.

We have the situation in Syria whereby the leader of that country seems to be intent on genocide to obtain his own personal way.

And again we have a situation in Iraq whereby at this point in time both factions of Islam, Shia and Sunni are fighting to expel Isil from Iraq.

However, what is going to happen when that has been achieved? Will they then revert to fighting each other? Will this then lend itself to more refugees coming to Europe and obviously the UK to further overstretch our systems to breaking point?

We are, let us not forget, a Christian country, as is most of Europe and in Britain our Head of State, The Queen, is whose title is is that of Defender of the Faith. This is, after all, our country and surely we should be able to decide who comes in and who cannot come in?

Following on from that we should be able to decide if someone comes here without the required permission and authority they should them be sent back from whence they came.

It’s not rocket science and it’s not persecution – rather it is maintaining our way of life together with our history and traditions.

We need some of our MPs from both sides of the house, to use a little more common sense and for them to realise that they are in fact public servants and there to represent us.

I sincerely hope that both of Swindon’s MPs take note of this fact.

DAVID COLLINS

Blake Crescent

Swindon

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Words are weapons

“The refugees have been ridiculed by the mainstream media. The refugees are desperately escaping from wars manufactured by US and its allies, and carried out by thugs.

The mainstream media is a tool of propagation of policies and ideologies of the elites; namely, corporations, the state and intellectuals.

What is interesting is that the language of the power elite: “refugees” become “migrants” – “bombings” become “humanitarian intervention” – “jokes” become “facts” – “others” become “enemy”.

Throughout history, there’s been a tiny elites ruling nations. They’ve dictated what the teacher has to teach and what the masses have to think of.

They have understood well that language was powerful tool to command and lead people.

The refugees are not here to take jobs, rape girls and receive benefits as the ‘right wing’ language says.

Consider the ‘job and benefits’ concern, I recently read Harvard Review article on refugees which discusses how they contribute to the local economy. Half of the refugees create their own jobs. They start small businesses. They work 12 to 16 hours a day. They persevere. They bring new ideas to their new country.

It is time to examine ‘the language of the elites.’ It is time we must use our own minds. It is time we welcomed the refugees because they are running away from brutal leaders and illegal wars.

AXMED BAHJAD

Fleet Street, Swindon