Letters: February 21, 2017

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Fares were not so fair

CONGRATULATIONS to Thamesdown Transport for deciding to start abolishing its ‘exact fare only’ policy (Advertiser, February 17).

That ludicrous and customer-unfriendly policy was typical of a monopolistic mindset that often permeates much of our public sector (Thamesdown Transport having grown out of the local council originally).

I am sure, that as you reported, having to scrabble around so as not to have to overpay has indeed been a deterrent to using its buses.

Very sadly that mindset still has the upper hand in the corridors of Swindon Borough Council. In the same issue you reported on the huge and unnecessary council tax increases voted through by its councillors.

Apart from the fact that unwanted urban parish councils have been imposed to avoid a law that requires a referendum to trigger a higher than five per cent tax increase, it is another example of a public monopoly whacking up prices on hapless residents who have no choice other than to cough up. Because it can apparently get away with it.

And will council taxes ever go down as the new parishes no doubt begin to replicate over the years the unwanted and pointless management structures and publicly funded perks that often go to Teflon coated senior ‘public servants’? I very much doubt it.

Fair move on the local buses. Totally unfair move by the arrogant burghers of the Borough Council.

GERAINT DAY

Southampton Street

Swindon

....

Just repeating myths

Steve Jack rests his unconditional defence of the racist colonial settler state of Israel on two planks.

He says the “accusation that Jews replaced Palestinians” is a lie. The land had, he says, “few inhabitants”.

But the entire scholarship of the period, including pro -Zionist historians like Benny Morris, attests to the terrorist removal of Palestinians from their homes. Witnesses include Zionist participants in the crimes, for example the veterans who bore witness at the 2014 truth commission.

In addition leading British politicians behind the Peel commission and the Balfour declaration made it clear that the Zionist project was more important (for the British rulers) than the wishes of the inhabitants who were to be displaced.

Steve Jack discredits himself by repeating myths abandoned long ago even by thinking Zionists.

Mr Jack also says Israel is a vibrant democracy. Not according to a Haaretz correspondent who from a pro-Israel perspective argued it was an apartheid state. Mr Jack is clearly ignoring the millions of Palestinian occupants of the illegally occupied areas who have no rights whatsoever. But what about “Israel”?

In 2012 the UN special rapporteur on housing reported that she had witnessed in Israel “a land development model that excludes, discriminates against and displaces minorities.”

Even the US state department has declared Palestinians in Israel face “institutional and societal discrimination.”

There are over 50 laws that discriminate against Palestinian citizens in areas like family life, citizenship, land ownership, housing rights, education, etc. The existence of Arab MPs stops none of this.

In a situation where numerous local politicians have publicly spelled out how they keep Palestinians in a minority S. Jack’s election argument is a farce. In any case there have only ever been two Arab ministers out of 600.

Mr Jack’s call on the authority of the old Testament is risible. “From the days of Josua… Jewish communities existed” he says. Yes; so did non-Jewish communities.

PETER SMITH

Woodside Avenue

Swindon

....

I said it would be so

Keith Williams, the cabinet member for Street Smart, suggests that after three years ‘more than 15,000 households subscribe to the council’s garden waste scheme’ each presumably paying £40 for the privilege (SA, February 18). He then states that costs to the council have increased due to inflation, higher treatment costs and “increasing demand for the service”.

I think we all know that inflation even post Brexit has not been much higher than 1.6 per cent and as for his risible claim that there has been an “increasing demand for the service” this is so much nonsense that he ought to be ashamed to have made the claim.

In 2013 the council claimed that their Green Waste initiative would attract positive interest from 20 per cent of the 83,000 borough households this equated to 16,600 homes; and it was based on these figures that they told the people of Swindon they would save £720k in 2014/15. As ever with SBC the truth is always a ‘little bit different’.

Far from achieving a household take up of 17,550 which what was required to ‘break even’ the scheme failed to attract even the lower figure of 16,600. By any measure I doubt the council can claim its scheme to have been successful. As for Coun Williams suggestion that an illusionary “increasing demand for the service” has somehow placed a strain on the finances, I suggest we leave him in a darkened room to ‘think again’.

In truth the scheme has not met its ‘take up’ target - either the first budget of 15 per cent or the second which allegedly included ‘precise facts’ about the costing for the new green waste collection scheme.

In 2013 I wrote: “The imposition of a charge is the first step towards making the collection of waste a chargeable facility for the future. Once established as a precedent there is nothing to prevent this or any future administration from raising the annual charge or introducing other charges for the collection of other waste.”

And so it has come to pass.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive

Swindon

....

Would you believe it?

Who would have thought in the year 2017 there would still be such corrupt and vicious countries in the civilised world?

One such example is a country that has over three million children living in poverty and thousands homeless living on the street yet sends billions of pounds of aid abroad.

One that looks after people who can afford their own homes but bestows misery on those that can’t.

A country that persecutes their disabled and less fortunate inhabitants with a benefit system so unfair and unfit for purpose that people take their own lives.

A country with a once revered health service that has been bought to its knees by neglect of the government ruling it.

A country that allows the super-rich to get away without paying tax but pursues individuals to breaking point.

Worst of all this country isn’t ruled by a dictator, it is a country run by a Government that the people it is failing voted for.

This country is Great Britain!

KELLY COLLINS

Lyndhurst Crescent

Swindon

....

They’re bright sparks

It may have been a draw on the pitch for Saturdays’ match but there was a winner!

The supplier of the STFC electricity (possibly in excess of £200).

I could not believe it when I saw the floodlights on with bright sunshine.

I suppose the next thing will be supplying the players and match officials with sunglasses!

GERRY TAYLOR

Newcastle Street

Swindon