We must look after our heritage
When will newcomers living in the countryside realise it is up to them to help the council preserve the rural heritage?
I am disgusted at the sight of recycling boxes piled around the old cross in Barton Lane, Barton, awaiting collection by the council each week.
The lane opposite is surfaced, enabling a vehicle to call at the new houses for collection of rubbish.
I have contacted the council on more than one occasion but so far nothing has been done to rectify the problem.
The present cross was erected over 100 years ago to protect what little remains of the stump of the old Saxon one.
Barton was a hamlet as early as the 900s and these old wayside crosses were a resting-place for coffins. Families shouldering their loved ones to the funeral on their way to the local church rested here a while. Will anything be done to stop this vandalism or is it only when something has been destroyed that people remember it was here at all?
We should look after the past as we hurry into the future.
Pamela Dean, Goosnargh (full address supplied)

Creche a victim of latest service cuts
I think the closure of leisure centre creche facilities in Preston is absolutely appalling. Apparently most users of this wonderful facility are not even aware of the upcoming closure.
I have been informed it is a result of the council cutting back and re-introducing weekly refuse collections. Something had to pay for this and unfortunately the creche facilities were chosen as victims.
At 75p per session for a child it is sometimes a parent's only means of quality 'me' time or where parents have more than one child, it enables them to take one of them swimming.
If there is one thing that local council election candidates should be focusing on it is the closure of one of our best facilities instead of re-introducing a weekly refuse collection. It is appalling to think that our council tax is being used in this way without any say from the people affected.
Mrs Wren-Brown, via email

Traffic calming does not work properly
My wife and I have lived in Woodplumpton Village for more than 22 years and I must write in response to a recent letter from Mr Clarke regarding the traffic calming measures proposed for the village.
Mr Clarke did not state his knowledge of or interest in Woodplumpton when he criticised Couns Gornall, Davis and Hudson and asked how they were qualified to comment on the needs of the village.
Mr Gornall and his parents have lived and farmed in Woodplumpton all their lives. I am sure that with his vast local knowledge, he is aware of what is and what is not required in the village.
Mr Davis, a police officer for 30 years and a traffic officer for 15, received specialist training, including accident investigation.
Mr Hudson lives quite close to Woodplumpton and I would consider his knowledge validates his comment that the traffic calming scheme is "taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut".
A similar scheme to the one proposed for Woodplumpton was
implemented in Cromwell Road, Ribbleton, but has since been
removed.
Also a scheme almost identical
to the one proposed for Woodplumpton is in operation in
Penwortham.
This had the opposite effect to "calming" traffic. Vehicles race from one chicane to the next, to get there before having to give precedence to opposing traffic.
J Troughton, Woodplumpton, Preston

Restrict MPs' choice of second homes
While I understand the need for MPs to have somewhere to live in the south when attending parliament, why could the State not buy an old hotel or convert an existing building to flats for them?
Surely it would be cheaper and more accountable than the present arrangements. They would simply vacate when their seat is lost or they retire and leave it vacant for the incoming MP.
If they insist on choosing their own place then they should be treated like the rest of us, especially pensioners, and have their handouts of taxpayers' money means-tested.
It's time for our mollycoddled MPs to join the real world.
Jeff McCann, Hoghton, via email

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