Letters: October 5, 2016

IT comes as no surprise that the council would seek to use the ‘Public Interest’ test to restrict important information on why a food outlet has failed an inspection being placed in the public domain (The Adver, October 3).

After all it is an essential characteristic of the bureaucrat to practice the art of obfuscation and persuade a supine public that everything they do is for our good, if only we were clever enough to realise it.

The issue of good hygiene practice in food outlets should NOT be a matter of negotiation.

We read too frequently of cases where the inspector offers ‘words of advice’ and when they return months later the situation is still so dire that the award of a five star rating is still a long way off. In the meantime, the Swindon public are left in the dark as to the sometimes disgusting conditions in which food is prepared.

The council’s concern for the ‘damage it would cause in the working relationship enforcement officers have with the owners of food premises’ is frankly of little interest to the victim of food poisoning.

Council taxpayers fund environmental services to protect them and not to act as unpaid consultants to food shop owners who wish to take shortcuts in the way they prepare and serve food.

The council is quite wrong to state that the public interest is best served by non-disclosure.

As for its risible claim that being open and honest would lead to business owners being less open and transparent, it beggars belief that the Freedom Of Information Officer put their name to such a statement.

The council has statutory powers which enables its officers to carry out inspections, the reason they have such powers is to enable them to do their job without having to negotiate with poor business owners with regard to inspection timings, levels of inspection and the frequency of such inspections.

In a 2015 court case, magistrates allowed a couple convicted of high level offences to continue trading on the basis that it would affect their livelihood – little consideration was given to the affect on the health of the people they served.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive, Swindon

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Respect and dignity

I REFER to Steve Thompson’s letter of September 29 and would like the opportunity to reply accordingly.

As a student, back in the 1970s, I worked part time and during the holidays on a full time temporary basis at the Royal Earlswood Hospital, Surrey.

When this hospital opened in 1855 it was regarded as progressive and was the first to cater specifically for people with mental disabilities.

It ceased to be a trust in 1957 when it transferred to the NHS. It closed in 1997 as part of the Government’s plan to transfer people with learning disabilities into the community.

Two of the most famous residents were Katherine and Nerissa Bowes-Lyon, who were nieces of the Queen Mother and first cousins to the Queen.

It was reported these two ladies were last visited by direct relatives in the early 1960s.

Nerissa died in 1986 and Katherine in 2014 but Burke’s Peerage, the aristocratic who’s who, listed the sisters as being dead in 1963.

Unfortunately, the saying used to be out of sight out of mind.

In the 1970s people residing in the hospital were referred to as patients. Depending on their level of disability the patients were placed on to various wards.

Some were competent enough to do menial work and were employed in the hospital or outside during the day.

At the other extreme were the severely disabled bedridden patients whose bodies were so physically deformed they could not walk or look after themselves. They required constant care. Among this group were young children.

I spent some time working on this ward. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen and a real eye opener.

The majority of people who think they’ve got problems would think twice after seeing something like this.

The work wasn’t always pleasant. Some of the patients had trouble controlling their bowels so there would be cleaning up and changing of clothes to do.

The nurses and carers looking after the patients were some of the kindest, most caring, and dedicated people I have ever known.

Sometimes I was on evening duty with a nurse called George. He would always bring supper, usually soup and bread, for the patients on his ward.

The nurses salaries weren’t brilliant but he paid for this treat with his own money.

I remember him telling me how important it was for him to show consideration for the people in his care.

It was such an enjoyable job that I would often go and spend my own spare time chatting or playing snooker with some of the more able patients.

I haven’t had a job since where I would choose to go back and spend extra unpaid time.

I have never forgotten my experience of working at the Royal Earlswood Hospital. Through no fault of their own some people end up with the wrong genes and turn out to be life’s unlucky ones. As the saying goes, “There but for the grace of God...”

Regardless of any disability all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

In response to Mr Thompson’s letter I will make just one point for him to contemplate.

Attempting to score political points by attributing an opinion to someone who has never expressed that opinion is morally indefensible.

MR K KANE

Wharf Road, Wroughton

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Service all set to suffer

I AM at a loss as to how Swindon Borough Council can possibly think that they have sorted out the issues over funding for Swindon Dial A Ride.

From Monday, October 3, the weekday service has been cut to just the hours of 9am to 4.30pm, and there is no Saturday service which, in real terms, means a reduction from an average of 550 individual journeys a week to an estimated 225 journeys a week, with no early morning or evening workers’ journeys being covered.

Three full time fully trained and qualified Dial A Ride drivers have been made redundant, leaving just three full time drivers, two casuals and a few volunteers (the casuals and the volunteers only work between one and two days a week mainly covering the shopperbus services and DAR taxi service).

The fares have also had to be increased by 40 per cent. Can you imagine the uproar if Thamesdown Transport or the train services increased their fares by a similar amount?

But SBC seem quite content for DAR passengers to accept this or have no service at all.

These decisions have not been easy ones for the DAR management to make. However, they had no choice in the matter.

There will be many passengers who will now not be able to travel as frequently on the service, so their independence will be severely reduced.

These measures have had to be brought in by DAR as they cannot run the service without the financial backing.

It is unknown at present whether these measures will be sufficient to keep the service running, or whether more cuts will have to be made in order for the service to run.

So, to those people who think that SBC has been benevolent and has had a change of heart over its support of Swindon Dial A Ride, think again.

This essential service is having the heart ripped out of it thanks to the opinions of the majority of the ruling council. This is the same council that is trying to reduce some of the children’s services, decimate the libraries and change the parish boundaries while spending an obscene sum in a ‘new’ Swindon Wi-Fi system, a new museum and supporting the arts.

What happened to care in the community, supporting the most vulnerable in our society and supporting local services?

We are still continuing to collect signatures to try to save Swindon Dial A Ride to prove to SBC how many people support this essential local service for people unable to use other public transport.

So please sign a petition if you see it, and if you can take one into work, or sign on line, please do.

HELEN JACKSON

Crystal Spirit

Victoria Road, Swindon

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Some have paid price

RE: Capital Punishment (Bill Williams, The Adver, September 29).

The first principle of stoicism is never to trust one’s emotions – a lesson which Bill Williams would benefit.

Take one case: The Birmingham Six who were wrongly convicted of terrorist bombings in 1972 and sentenced to life imprisonment.

After many appeals, doubt, above all fresh evidence, they were eventually freed after serving 16 long years (one died inside) in prison.

Due to great media and public pressure the police had clearly set these men up to take the rap, when totally innocent. In short, framed.

They were convicted because of dodgy forensics, being Irish, and a police force that wanted it all wrapped up as soon as possible, regardless of guilt.

Of the six accused, five had their faces beaten to a pulp by the police.

Mock executions followed.

Then a farcical trial worthy of Nazi Germany/Stalin’s Show Trials.

This is 1972, remember.

‘Men’ assaulted some of the wives of the accused because they couldn’t reach the accused.

Their children were removed from schools also due to threats.

People were attacked in the streets and pubs simply for being Irish. Many bayed for the return of capital punishment.

“Hanging’s too good for ‘em” was the predictable response (crucifixion?).

No solicitor would take them on.

They ended up with two utterly useless naive trainee solicitors.

My point?

Had the death penalty been in existence – need I spell it out?

I don’t doubt there are those who are so evil that they should have a speedy hearse to the graveyard but remember, DNA is not totally infallible.

JEFF ADAMS

Bloomsbury, Swindon

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We live in a democracy ? Or do we .The articulate informative letter from Des Morgan regarding the parish tax against the wishes of the people . Was a perfect example . I then had Maureen Dilley at my door to sign the petition against the disgraceful toxic plant on our local east of Swindon doorstep near Honda . Which I had no hesitation in signing .To Des and Maureen may I, hand on heart, express my admiration for their diligence regarding their efforts for our environment as well as our finances .

However, sad to say, I have no doubt that the toxic plant , according to reports already building has already started. As well as the parish tax will be implemented . That therefore raises the question .Do we live in a democracy where the will of the people is ensued . Or are we being used for vested self interests ? I thought that councillors as well as MPs were public servants paid by the taxpayer to implement the will of the people who elected them .Or has the university of life, which cost nothing, marred my judgement ? Bill Williams.

71 Merlin Way,

Covingham,

Swindon.

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Dear Editor

When I think back a year or so ago I recall the unprecedented floods in Somerset on its levels, but of course the area was always prone to flooding because of its very low level, but not on the scale that was seen back then and in the light of this I suggest that to date we have all been very fortunate regarding the current Hinckley Point nuclear installations as there are many things that could quite possibly cause a tsunami type wave, including a large rock fall from a cliff, an undersea volcanic eruption, or a oceanic asteroid strike, which would put us all in to a similar predicament to that which happened to the Fukushima nuclear installation not that long ago in Japan.

On TV recently a geology documentary highlighted the precarious state of La Palma in the Canary Islands which is so unstable that it is only a matter of time before the cliff rock formations give way and dumping millions of tons to the ocean, and it is a case ‘not if’, but ‘how soon’! Just because such events have never happened during our short lifetimes compared to that of the earth does not mean that it can ever be ruled out and therefore It is quite feasible that at some event could quite possibly trigger a Fukushima type scenario, whether it is for our generation or for those yet to come. Such events although not in our lifetime thankfully have happened before in the British Isles and not all that long ago if a comparison to the age of the earth is taken in to consideration.

Not only is this idea stupid and prohibitively expensive with the ultimate final cost unknown, it also represents a criminal decision that risks the lives of everyone in the South of England and possibly far beyond, and surely the risks far outweigh the relatively short term local job advantages in the area. The laws of random chance do have a habit of frequently changing for the worst scenario without any prior warning, and it is no use then in crying over spilt milk as the time held saying goes.

The German government realised some time ago now that nuclear reactors can never be manufactured to be 100% safe, and especially so when the vagaries of nature are taken in to consideration, and this is why they have opted to wind up their nuclear programme. Finally as a side note they also announced the other day that no licences for ‘fracking’ will be granted by the German government which is also very commendable when considering the adverse effects that such schemes have upon the environment for both wild life and human resources, but sadly the same battle continues to be fought in Britain where the majority wishes of the population once again are being ignored by the government of the day as we should undoubtedly be following the example as set by the German government otherwise we are playing ‘fast and loose’ with our very existence.

Thank you

Yours Sincerely

Mr. G A Woodward MIET IENG, Nelson Street, Swindon

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Dear Sir,

The family and I were all set to go to the movies to watch Free State of Jones tonight.

Thanks to Steve Webb, your movie reviewer, ( Friday Films) we have changed our minds.

He appears to have related 95% of the story in his review. Why didn’t he also add the ending while at it?

-Not the Civil War ending but the story ending.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the copyright owners sued him!

Thanks Steve!

Steve Nibbs

28 Milton Rd;

Swindon.

SN1.

30/9/16