Readers' letters - March 1

Recycling charges make no sense

In the LP, I was interested to read an article reporting that South Ribble Council proposed to start charging an annual fee of £30 to collect garden waste (i.e the brown bin) (LP February 23).

I thought “how strange that I should be charged for something I was doing to help the authority”, as previously garden waste just went in the general waste bin (ie the grey bin). Probably next there will be charging for blue bins and then paper etc.

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Well, never mind, I thought, I don’t want to pay the charge, so will revert back to putting the lawn cuttings etc in the grey bin, as presumably most other people will, if they have any sense !

As an aside, I notice that they also propose to charge to replace bins, although no amount was reported. I always thought bins remained the property of SRBC, so why charge individuals, especially as they might need replacing for numerous reasons, such as damage caused by refuse collectors, theft and general wear and tear?!

Anyway, reading on through the paper, I came across a letter from a County Coun Marcus Johnstone, Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services ( a rather grand title I thought, so he must be very important and know what’s what ).

In his letter, he referred to a previous article about green waste, and stated: “Garden waste is composted and not sent to landfill, at a cost of £20 per tonne”. Very commendable, I thought.

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However, he then goes on to say that waste sent to landfill costs £120 per tonne if put in grey bins.

Coun Johnstone finished his letter by saying: “In Lancashire, we’re doing really well at recycling, so please keep it going including separating your green waste”.

I hardly think charging residents for separating garden waste will encourage them to do so !

I think that our local councillors and our county councillors perhaps should talk to each other, as obviously they are not all singing from the same song sheet !

Bemused Leyland resident

politics

Tory duo in plot to keep us in EU

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In the early 70s, the then Prime Minister Edward Heath took us into the European Economic Community (EEC ).

He deceived our country into believing that it would be very beneficial for trade and easier to export to Europe.

I understand, however, that Mr Heath knew from the outset that the true objective was to become part of an ever closer political union, headed by Germany and France.

If this had been revealed to the British people so soon after the war (less than 30 years) then the outcome of the referendum in 1975 would probably have been different.

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As Mr Heath is no longer with us – the spotlight must now fall on the two remaining members of Heath’s government, who were also obsessed with the European dream .

It is surely safe to assume that they were also party to the real objectives of the ‘EU’ (as it became known) but said nothing – they were complicit.

They were Michael Heseltine and Kenneth Clarke, who awoke from their dormant state and sprang into action the moment David Cameron promised an EU referendum.

Proof indeed that, despite being 83 and 76 respectively, they were still prepared to fight tooth and nail to keep us in a ‘political union ’ where Germany and her allies would have control over our future.

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Their motives and actions must be investigated. I feel they are capable of doing anything to keep us in the EU.

They obviously do not believe in democracy – nor do they respect those whom they have served.

What are their current connections with Brussels and the EU?

Harvey Carter

Newton

environment

Act now and save our countryside

This letter is to all who enjoy Healey Nab and surrounding area (pictured).

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Are you all aware that a planning application has been submitted for a large house that will change the outlook of this area forever, if it goes ahead?

We’ve all heard of cases of how cheap pasture land in green belt areas are acquired under some kind of ‘pretext’ and then all of a sudden, surprisingly, years later, plans are drawn up and a house appears and then is sold off at a huge profit.

This isn’t the first time plans have been submitted in an attempt to gain a dwelling in this area of outstanding beauty. Wouldn’t we all like to build a house here?!

The attempt to obtain a property this time has been submitted by someone who doesn’t even live in this county, let alone Chorley!

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They are classing it as an ‘Agricultural Worker’s Dwelling’. Here is the planning reference number: 16/01021/OUT.

Please check it out for yourselves on the Chorley planning website and do something to help stop this development taking place.

Voice your opinion on the website and get in touch with your local councillor.

If you care about preserving the surrounding countryside, please do it now before this application is passed and it’s too late!

The decision is imminent.

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These beautiful views for us all to enjoy, on the way up to Healey Nab, will be lost forever.

Please act now!

Name and address supplied

environment

Incentive to stop recycling waste

Nationally, we in Britain lag behind our continental neighbours in the proportion of our waste that is recycled.

It’s not so long ago that, here in Chorley Borough, we were able to dispose of food waste along with the garden waste in the brown bin.

This resulted in a minimum of non-recyclable waste finding its way into the green bin.

How different the situation is today.

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Not only is the food waste no longer recycled, there is now to be an incentive to treat garden waste as non-recyclable.

I find the decision to charge for disposing of garden waste completely contrary to the objective of encouraging us to recycle.

Whilst understanding the need to find costs savings, I would have hoped a more imaginative scheme might have been adopted.

All the earlier efforts to encourage recycling look to have been abandoned – an extremely poor reflection on our borough.

John Poole

Mawdesley

horse racing

Preston had plans for a racecourse

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In the early 1950s, I was in the County Hall with my father, who was an architect.

On display was a model of the proposed Preston by-pass. There was also an outline sketch of a racecourse, to be sighted in Fishwick Bottoms, using the natural banking for viewing.

The main access being from the new roundabout on the bypass at Samlesbury, and emergency access near the Shaws Arms on London Road.

Name and address supplied