Letters, August 2, 2013

Just a thought! Perhaps the £4,100 allocated from Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s contingency budget to create “a smoothly sloped beach’” could be better used?

One use could be supplying all those facing a “yomp” to Flegg High School with the necessary equipment (boots, waterproofs etc to alleviate the effects of hazards such as mud, wind and rain.

This would help to protect polished shoes and ironed trousers and with an extra layer of clothing as appropriate the effects of cold would be reduced.

If for any reason the re-spreading of the beach material lasts beyond the next robust high tide, then the idea could be sold under licence to every other coastal council and the huge profits could provide funding for a well lit smooth tarmac path to Flegg High and all other schools with the same issues!

NIGEL GILHAM

Carlton Square,

Carlton Colville

Complain about the flytipping

Following on from my letter in last week’s Mercury, I was amazed that when I came home Friday morning from visiting my mother that there was a street cleaner on Apollo Walk.

But still to the date of this letter, they have not made it round to Palgrave or Alderson roads. However, if it keeps raining perhaps the streets will clean themselves.

As for the people who live in the area: phone the council and complain about the dog poo and the rubbish lying about, then perhaps something will get done.

Report the fly tippers and people who let their dogs foul the paths.

KEVIN HUBBARD

email

Fight but don’t cosset children

Whilst visiting Norfolk I bought your newspaper and read the school bus pass predicaments at Belton, Burgh Castle and West Somerton.

Whilst appreciating parents’ anger at having to pay for passes I was extremely disappointed at the attitude and lengths they would be prepared to go to in order to prevent paying. Firstly they try to pass the buck by implying that councils have a “moral responsibility to ensure children get to school safely”.

Since when was this? I thought parents had a legal requirement and a moral one to ensure children got to school. If parents keep passing the buck, the next generation will expect councils to bring their children up!

If you voted for a party that promised minimal rate increases then what do you expect?

Secondly, I always thought it was city slickers that could not cope with walking, rain and mud. Surely young Will has a pair of Wellington boots and a decent winter coat to wear?

Finally, I wonder what our parents are breeding these days.

If children are not capable of carrying their school bags for a couple of hours then there is something wrong.

My parents never worried and my daughters never complained. I am sure it’s good daily exercise that will make them healthy and fit.

After all, us baby boomers were working at 15 and we are living longer than any generation before.

So parents, fight your financial case but stop cosseting your children and using them to fight your battle. I am sure you would not mind paying £100 for a new mobile phone or £300 for a tablet, or increase the rates.

TREVOR ANDREWS

Corfe Close

Fareham

Parents block our driveways

Question. Is it so unreasonable to expect 24 hour access to our driveways, which are situated on Beccles Road?

Life is unpredictable, maybe a family emergency, ambulance access or simple appointments to keep and so on does mean we do need to get on and off our driveways safely.

However according to some parents delivering their children to the Wroughton school their needs outway any of the above when it comes to getting their children to school on time.

As a working parent myself I appreciate the stress that school runs can cause, however I have found forward planning the key, leaving earlier and sometimes parking further away and walking the children to school.

When my neighbours and I have respectfully asked parents not to block our driveways we are met with a torrent of abuse. One parent wanted to know why it was unreasonable to completely block my drive and how else was she to get her children to school on time.

When I explained the issues mentioned above I was told I need to get a life and that I was a sad cow!

My neighbour has contacted the highways department, the police, and the borough council all of which just referred to the other agencies. The headmaster himself has tried to monitor the situation himself but due to obvious time constraints he is unable to be out there on a daily basis.

We have now reached a hiatus as the summer holidays commence but come September the trouble will begin all over again.

Does anyone reading this have any ideas how to prevent this occurring repeatedly once September arrives?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, this is not really just a matter of inconvenience but also a matter of safety for the children, myself and our neighbours as getting out of our drives is treacherous at the best of time without dangerous parking adding to this.

Thank you to those who do park respectfully and safely. And to those that don’t, it’s time you begin treating others the way you would like to be treated and consider others whilst getting your little ones to school.

Name and Address withheld

Derail the twin hat councillors

It was very kind of the person who told Graham Plant and his Conservative colleagues (ex twin hatters) that when they are elected to the borough council it is for them to attend the meetings and represent the constituents of their ward which they have not done in the past as they have spent most of the time at county hall.

It is about time the gravy train got derailed.

P A RIDLER

East Anglian Way,

Gorleston

Join our special network to help

Great Yarmouth’s Older People’s Network has been functioning in the Borough for 10 years. There is as much need for us now as ten years ago, some may say more need.

Examples of things we have helped with – getting better access to doctors’ appointments, the Ageless Opportunities Directory; participating in the meetings that led to the introduction of the Swifts, the Night Owls and assistive technology - helping people stay living at home.

Most recently we have held the Celebration of Age events.

We meet every two months at the Cobholm and Lichfield Health and Resource Centre.

Our aims are to represent and advocate on behalf of the issues and concerns of older people in the borough; act as a pressure group campaigning for improvements in services for older people; exchange information, knowledge and experience by networking with other voluntary and statutory bodies.

We are keen to recruit new members and would ask anyone over 50 who is involved in a number of local clubs/groups to get in touch. If you decided the network was for you we would ask for it to be a two-way process – you telling the network about issues affecting the older people in the groups you are involved in and feeding back from the network meeting to those older people.

If you are interested in getting involved please contact me on 07525 902918 or

PMcGuinness@redcross.org.uk

PETER McGUINNESS

Chairman,

Great Yarmouth Older People’s Network

I’m sad M&Co shop is closing

I would like to express my sadness that my favourite shop M and Co in Great Yarmouth is closing down. I would like to answer the letter from Mrs Grint of Acle, 21 June.

If you would like to visit the store now you can clearly see it is closing and not just a ploy to have an extended sale as you suggested. Also the reason it has taken so long is Barclays Bank was refused their original planning permission, having to re-appeal hence the delay.

I do wish people would get the correct facts before writing these letters, so Mrs Grint you will soon get your perfect-looking shop front instead of the closing down sign you thought was so unsightly.

But when you were writing your letter maybe you should have given a bit of compassion to the ladies losing their jobs. I wish them all well.

Name and Address withheld

The chips hadn’t been downed

On Monday, July 29, I was just about to board a number 3 bus going to Hemsby at 15.55. I was only carrying my bus pass when the driver shouted at me not to get on his bus because I was eating chips.

I asked him what chips, and he said the lady with me had chips so I could not get on the bus. I told him I was by myself.

Even if the lady had have been with me, how can the driver stop me, and for what reason?

TERRY RIFKIN

email

Fireworks will help raise money

In regards to the letter published in last week’s Mercury titled “£4K on fireworks is just a waste”.

Firstly I would like to say that the traders of Beach Road, Hemsby have contributed and raised the money for this event without any help from the council or the general public, as they are trying to save Hemsby as a seaside resort.

With regards to the beach that is disappearing; there is a fund also set up by the traders to help raise money to help prevent the erosion, which anybody can contribute to.

I would also like to point out that the traders have also contributed to this fund, and are hoping the fireworks bring the general public back to Hemsby, to help save Hemsby as a seaside resort and to help raise money for the future of Hemsby beach.

Anyone who wishes to contribute to the save Hemsby beach fund will find there are collection buckets available. All donations would be gratefully appreciated.

G HUGHES

On Behalf of Hemsby Traders

Beach Road

Bure Park public loos excellent

Regarding council toilets, last week we made our first visit of the year to Bure Park and must congratulate the staff there for the excellent condition of the toilets.

Due to the state of previous public conveniences I have used, it’s something of a rarity to even frequent one but needs must and I would have no hesitation in once again availing myself of the facilities on site.

I told the staff what a first class state they were in. Well done.

SHARON KING

Halt Road,

Caister on Sea

I, too, found old bottle in garden

I was recently told of a small article published in the Mercury a few of weeks ago of an old bottle found in Gorleston.

I too have found a whole bottle with stopper in my garden in Gorleston with Lea Direct Supply, Gorleston on sea, embossed in the glass. I contacted Gorleston Heritage group and they found out it used to contain mineral water bottled by a Harold Lea

JOE-ANNE COLLEY

email

Please help us save our beach

We have started our bucket rattling in Hemsby this week to raise money for our sea defences but I have not had much response to my pleas for volunteers. It’s a shame as we only have enough people to cover three days a week and in the first day we took £227.

Imagine if we could cover the whole week it would raise a huge amount towards our goal.

Do you live in or around Hemsby and do you want to save your beach, your house, your village? Please come and help us for just two hours a week for the next four weeks. Shifts are 10am to noon, noon to 2pm, and 2pm to 4pm. You are on hard standing and chairs are provided. It’s not difficult and you could help save Hemsby.

Please call me on 01493 732041.

JOAN NAYLOR

email

No cash to pay for bus travel

In recent weeks I have been contacted by a number of parents and local councillors in the Belton and Somerton areas who are most concerned about the impending loss of free bus passes for pupils living less than three miles from their local high schools. I know that what I have to say to them is unwelcome.

The three-mile rule for entitlement is fixed by the government, not Norfolk County Council, and sadly there is little I can do as long as there is a safe alternative route to school on foot or by cycling.

I have of course made a firm commitment to walk these walks to see for myself. What I haven’t got is the cash to provide free bus travel for those living closer.

Our local Conservative MP of course knows all about the three mile rule and in his role as a Local Government Minister knows that Norfolk County Council will have to find a further £182m of new “cuts” and economies over the coming three years.

He needs to be a little more sincere with his constituents rather than offer false hopes of an easy solution.

As county council cabinet member for schools with a unhappy legacy from my Tory predecessors of too many schools which are inadequate or requiring improvement, you will appreciate I am making a priority of putting targeted resources into securing school improvements.

There will still be many tough decisions to make to balance the books.

MICK CASTLE

Yarmouth North and Central

Water butts put animals at risk

Is there any chance you could put a warning in your paper about the dangers that uncovered waterbutts cause to animals.

If they fall in they cannot get out and drown. Where I live there are many uncovered butts a lot of which are nearly full and I am scared for my cat as there are two uncovered ones in the immediate area. A piece of wood or something similar would make these safe.

Name and Address withheld

Thanks for help after accident

On Tuesday, July 23 my four year old daughter fell off her scooter in Great Yarmouth Market Place resulting in a nose bleed and many tears! Through your paper I would like to say a massive thank you to all the very kind passers-by who offered assistance with tissues, water, wipes and even sweeties! Their kindness restored my faith in humanity. Thankfully my daughter has no lasting damage and will be “scooting” again as soon as the swelling subsides!

Name and Address withheld

Town’s facilities cannot cope

What is wrong with this borough and in particular with the town of Great Yarmouth? You are more expensive to visit than to pay for a flight to Europe and stay 14 nights!

We stayed for a week at a local holiday park and to visit the town - and some of it’s wonderful old buildings - it meant bringing the car into Yarmouth.

We soon found it was costing us a fortune on a daily basis to park, that is if you could find a place to park, particularly on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

You are a busy seaside resort with a busy town centre but you do not have the facilities to cope. There should be more seats for people to sit especially when it is hot weather.

I would suggest Great Yarmouth gets its act together and quickly. We won’t be coming back even for a weekend visit until our relatives who live here report there have been changes. And that’s the message we will be passing on.

Many people who stayed on the same holiday park were of the same opinion.

Mrs DOREEN HUGHES

Worcester

Hippodrome was so spectacular

I visited the Hippodrome Circus with my daughter and grandchildren. Wow! The show was spectacular, the best I have ever seen there, and I have been going since the 1960’s. I also used the offer voucher 2-4-1, which to me says Peter and Jack Jay are thanking and rewarding the locals that continue to support his efforts to bring top class entertainment.

Just a shame my three year old grandson fell asleep during the second half and missed the water spectacular. Never mind, an excuse to go again at the end of the season.

JULIE TUNGATE

email

Beach fireworks were wonderful

I would like to say my family attended Hemsby Fireworks. What a wonderful event it was and we are looking forward to next Tuesday for a repeat performance.

I would like to say how you could see the effort which had been put in. But on a negative note I would like to pass on my disappointment to the various outlets which chose not to open, as a small holiday resort looking for every bit of income, publicity and guests?

I would have even opened if it was just as a gesture. Their support would be paramount to their fellow business associates. After all I, as a local, in one night spent approx £20. But thank you to all those who did make the effort,.

Ooh, one last thing, fireworks need the dark so before 10pm is really not a option at the moment.

BURTON FAMILY

Hemsby