Letters: May 25, 2016

Don’t repeat sorry saga

I HAVE over 35 years experience working in special educational needs. I thus read your recent article about the adverse impact of young people with special educational needs not having an ‘education, health and care plan’ in place with sadness.

I know I may well, in the past, have taught some of the young people affected by the situation outlined in your report. However, the reported situation is not just a Swindon problem. It is more widespread and is the result of recent special educational needs legislation that is strong on rhetoric and inadequate on addressing resource implications.

The idea of holding a multi-agency meeting focused on the needs of a special needs student once per year is both laudable and desirable. Raising the threshold for such meetings from the age of 16 to 25 is also a positive aspiration. Such a change was though clearly going to have financial implications. Even more so in a climate where social and health services (including child and adolescent mental health services) are being hit by staffing shortages, budgetary reductions and increased caseloads.

I do not blame the local politicians and officers in town/county halls for the current wholly unsatisfactory situation. Nor do I blame the front line staff doing their best in testing circumstances. The blame, in my opinion, resides squarely with central government who passed legislation with insufficient regard to the resourcing levels required to make it deliverable. It is they who need to act with urgency to ensure this whole sorry saga is not repeated in future years

PETE CROCKETT

Glebe Road

Royal Wootton Bassett

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The real Europeans

I WOULD like, through your pages, to thank a couple of anonymous young men whose actions have unwittingly helped me think more clearly about Britain’s role in Europe. Perhaps your readers may find this story helpful too.

One night, tidying up Los Gatos restaurant with the last of the staff, I was surprised to see two men standing outside with their backs to the front door. When I opened the door they both span round and confirmed my suspicions, one slipping in the puddle he had made, falling down the steps and landing face first in Devizes Road. His friend, with all the loyalty he could muster, legged it round the corner into Wood Street without further ado. Luckily for him, quick-thinking Luis, our waiter from Alicante, raced down the steps to drag the unfortunate young man out of the way of a car coming round the Bath Road corner at speed.

What I learned from this incident is that there are three types of people. There are some who make it difficult for people to come and go, and others who abandon their friends at the first sign of trouble.

Then there are those who look round the corner, see the potential, act decisively, bury any differences and pull us back from the brink of disaster. These are the real Europeans and I will be voting to remain with them on June 23.

SHAREEN CAMPBELL

Los Gatos

Devizes Road, Swindon

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Immigration statistics

COUNTING up the National Insurance numbers issued to EU immigrants is a more accurate way of counting the numbers of EU immigrants that are working in Britain.

When the NI numbers are counted the immigration from the EU is double the official government estimates.

The Government estimates are done on a 10% survey of EU passengers arriving in Britain.

The numbers of NI numbers issued is an exact count and is 100% accurate.

The total number of National Insurance numbers issued shows that EU immigration into Britain is double the estimated figure that is issued by the Government.

STEVE HALDEN

Beaufort Green

Swindon

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Not one subject choice

MY friend and fellow correspondent makes an adroit attempt to justify remaining in the sclerotic EU and makes one very good point, that the decision to leave or remain is not a ‘one subject’ choice. His letter centres on the less than 12p per day that the UK pays to the EU and concludes that the ‘benefits’ listed justify the cost - dare I suggest that is ‘one subject’ albeit he lists eight ‘benefits’. I would suggest that we don’t actually have any greater freedom to move to any EU country than we had pre our admission to the EEC and its forebears, nor in truth do 3.1 million jobs depend on EU membership and as for employment and consumer protection is Mike really trying to persuade your readers that the UK never had either before the EU?

I agree there needs to be an assessment of the effect on the EU of the UK leaving and it is becoming clear that as a net financial contributor and a market which is attractive to other EU countries, the UK leaving might lead to an implosion of the EU with dire results for some economies which are on their knees. However, the principal powerhouse of the EU is Germany aided and abetted by France and neither wishes to accommodate change in the EU structure.

Mike asks - “Why not stay in and fight for a better deal from inside” it’s a fair question but surely we have the answer. The EU is un-reformable in part due to the differing aspirations and economic conditions of its 28 members and in part due to the insufferable bureaucracy and internal protectionism which characterises the faceless eurocrats who control the show.

I suspect Mike will be pleased with the result of the referendum on 24 June whereas I imagine I will be ruing the British public’s appetite for maintaining the status quo on the basis they ‘fear change’. Sadly I believe within months of the vote those same people will be full of regret as the EU machine goes into overdrive and consolidates its hold on the UK legislature and makes itself even more powerful.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive, Swindon

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Housing issue angst

IN reply to Basil Jones (Adver, May 20). I do not need to reply to one of the points you make Mr Jones regarding my prognosis of the housing problem. I will let The Daily Mail headline on the same day do it for me. Migrants Spark Housing Crisis, subtitled Now EU tells Britain to build more homes as open borders send population soaring.

Regarding your remarks that you cannot see home grown incompetent treacherous politicians solving the problem, I agree, that is why I joined UKIP. If the British Exit succeeds the aftermath will be a purge of the patriotic traitors that are running the country at the moment. Then the decent politicians with the national spirit that all islanders inherit will start the fight back to becoming a sovereign nation once again.

Finally you said I exaggerated the dangers of remaining in the European Disunion. I suggest you check out the future plans the Disunion intend to impose upon us that are lying in abeyance at the moment in case their exposure will make the British Exit even more decisive. Never mind the polls, 95 per cent of the people I discuss it with, young and old, are fervent outers.

Regarding your remarks about British housebuilders. I worked on British building sites for over 45 years. I am well aware of how they work regarding profit making. Unlimited immigration can only compound the felony and increase their profits. Or am I missing something here?

BILL WILLIAMS

Merlin Way

Covingham, Swindon

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Thanks for your support

I WOULD like to thank everyone who voted for that of myself and for UKIP at our local elections.

I am sorry that I did not obtain the required amount of votes to become a ward councillor for the Covingham/Dorcan ward, but we tried.

Meanwhile I hope and pray that your new elected ward councillor Mrs Parry will carry on with her promise to you all and represent the ward of Covingham/Dorcan within the manner that everyone of you deserve and require from your ward councillor and that of her party.

Now it’s a new chapter with the referendum around the corner for that of myself and UKIP and of course your goodselves. Just remember to vote as this is a vote of your lifetime which will never happen again, so make your vote count as it will affect generations in years to come. Once again thank you for your support.

BRIAN J OSBOURN

Colebrook Chase

Covingham. Swindon

Beautiful pictures

I WOULD like to say a big thank you to Martyn Jelley for the beautiful pictures he sends in to the letters page. What a talented guy you must be Martyn, giving so much pleasure to so many people. Keep them coming.

JEAN BEALE

Lawn, Swindon

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The joys of privilege

A MAN breaks into Buckingham Palace, wanders about for ten minutes when the police finally spot and arrest him. No police cut backs here – courtesy of taxpayer. He is given four months nick.

Wind back the clock a few months and a bad tempered (he who is always used to getting his own way) Prince Andrew smashes into a pair of gates at Windsor Castle. He leaves the scene, no police call at all. The damage is £10,000. Who pays? Come on, it’s on the tip of your tongue!

The joys of privilege! Even the cops won’t approach him, he’s a no-go area for them – thanks to mummy. Chief Constables are only human – they have one eye on the corrupt Honours system.

Prince Andrew has got away with it.

JEFF ADAMS

Bloomsbury

Swindon

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Car ash tray anger

I DON’T know the full specs of every car ever manufactured, but I would assume most are equipped with ash trays.

Which begs the question, why don’t motorists who choose to smoke use them to discard the remains of their cigarette, rather than flick them out of the window onto the road and create more unsightly litter for the rest of us to live with?

MRS S BRANDON

Old Town, Swindon