Rubbish bins for new road please

Since the new Bradwell bypass has been built I have travelled along it many times and there is not one litter/dog poo rubbish bin along it.

There are also no 30mph signs!

As it’s an ideal, safe straight it is a very welcoming place for dog walkers, joggers, walkers, cyclists, mothers with pushchairs and children among others.

Would it not have made sense to position a few bins along that road from one end to the other? No wonder the ditches and grass verges are getting rubbish deposited in and around them.

Once the planted trees and bushes are established it will be a pleasure to travel along!

J ELLIOTT

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No to politics at the local level

I refer to the letter from Robin Cooper, March 2. I entirely agree with his statement about politics interfering with good governance of local issues.

Fed up with the political machinations of the other parties, and candidates crossing the floor just to keep their seats, thus betraying those who voted for them and abandoning the ideals on which they stood for, Mike Monk and I formed the Tribune Party in November 2016.

Indeed our mantra is and has been from the outset “there is no room for national politics at the local level of governance.”

We will be standing candidates in this coming election.

We already have two councillors who voted against the ice rink, and with Labour, because it was obvious finances and projected benefits did not stack up, and could have been spent differently in promoting the town centre.

We voted against the closure of the town centre toilets (a motion by UKIP) which I seconded and spoke a length, and we voted for a 100pc retention of council house sale monies and the scrapping of the housing revenue allowance cap, so the council retains more of that money to accelerate and increase the building of more social housing, (a Conservative motion).

We, as a party, are not politically aligned to anyone. Our party’s central office is in Great Yarmouth, not London. We are locally driven, by local people and represented by committed local residents who are already working in the community with other groups to improve their area.

We are not professional politicians who look to point score at council meetings. We formulate and support polices that benefit the residents of Greater Yarmouth.

None of our members are whipped which means they are answerable first and foremost to the electorate, not the party. We believe it is time to do things differently, we have had over 96 years of this political nonsense, and are we really better off?

Please remember party politics interferes with us, from central government policies pursuing a political aim, permeated down through the ruling party at county and then to us at the borough council.

No more politics at the town hall means no more politicians in the town hall. There is only one party that can offer that, and that party is Tribune. We have been and will be holding further public engagements in the town centre so people can talk to us directly.

Visit our website to find out more about future dates and us at www.tribuneparty.org

Cllr ADRIAN MYERS

Leade, Tribune Party

Thanks to people who came to help

I would, through your column, like to make two big thank you’s.

Firstly to the young man and young woman who picked me up and helped me home after I fell on the on the ice on Tuesday morning last week near St George’s Park, Great Yarmouth.

There is so often bad reports of some of the younger generation so it is most gratifying to witness first hand that that is not always the case. I do hope this letter comes to their attention so they can be aware of just how impressed and grateful I was.

And secondly to the James Paget Hospital where I was later on that day, admitted for three nights with a broken ankle. I cannot praise the hospital enough because not only did I receive excellent care from all departments, but my stay coincided with some of the worse possible weather this town has ever experienced.

Because of this the hospital was not only busy with more emergencies but a lot of the staff faced many problems getting to work in the first place.

I heard many stories of how they braved the elements to what only can be described as devotion to duty. So, many thanks to both parties.

GLORIA WEBB

St Peters Plain,

Great Yarmouth

Local farmers did a good job in snow

I would like to thank the local farmers over the last few days in the rural areas of Norfolk.

Today I was in my van ready to complete a job in a BT cabinet (green box) and two farmers in 4X4s stopped and asked if I needed towing out of the snow I was parked in. Further up the road several farmers were clearing the snow drifts. Thank you farmers.

ANTHONY STRONG

Hats off to JPH staff dedication

I had to visit hospital again on Thursday, March 1 and would like to express my thanks for the assistance and care I received.

Not only was the staff under pressure dealing with the ever-increasing people coming into the hospital but the guys were working extra shifts to cover fellow workers who could not make it to work due to the weather. I take my hat off to all of you.

Let’s not forget all the care workers, postmen and any other public service I have missed, it is easy to sit at home in front of the fire with a cuppa, moaning about what you are or are not getting while people are struggling.

Also massive thanks to the local community with helping others who are stuck or struggling in the weather.

In these untrusting times it’s good to see people helping those who need assistance.

JIM GRAY

Hot stuff at cinema and the theatre

Despite the snow and icy conditions Gorleston was treated to two fine examples that the show must go on last week.

So a big thank you to Sheila Pascall and her Stage Door Youth Theatre, the cast and the Pavilion team for not letting the adverse weather stand in the way of staging an enjoyable production of the musical Oliver! with such talented youngsters and principle players. The full houses were well deserved.

Meanwhile all praise to the Gorleston Library staff for staying open on that Arctic Thursday and allowing the Community Cinema and its faithful organisers to carry on. What better for the handful who braved the elements on this coldest of days than to be rewarded with the hilarious Billy Wilder classic… Some Like it Hot.

TONY MALLION

Lowestoft Road,

Gorleston

People came to aid after fall in snow

Last Monday about teatime, I was using the cycleway between Gorleston and Hopton, as I had just finished work.

There was still some considerable snow that had not thawed out after the atrocious weather we had last week. My method of transport is a bike and trailer as I am a window cleaner. I was struggling through the snow getting a bit het up and I ended up taking off my trailer so I could carry my bike first for a bit, then my trailer.

As I carried my trailer for a few yards, I fell on the snow, as I started having a non epileptic seizure, which I have been having since 2015.

A passing motorist stopped and took care of me and another lady stopped as well. I would just like to thank them, as they made sure I was okay and the kind chap took my bike and trailer home in his car.

I would also like to thank the two police officers who stopped in their patrol car and the ambulance crew who took good care of me, one even cracking jokes and trying to cheer me up.

I was taken to the Paget as a precaution and I am fine now. Thank you again.

JOHN HUGGINS

Turin Way,

Hopton

Take note of our NHS Jeremy Hunt

I felt I had to give my experience of both sides of the NHS saga through my eyes.

I had to have my operation cancelled twice so that meant I had to wait approximately nine months. I was rather upset but have now seen both sides ie TV and media news, complaints about doctors and nurses, plus general practices and finally the hospitals.

I went in to have my operation on February 5; I was in ward 22 on the orthopaedic ward.

I found all the staff from consultants to doctors, nurses, trolley ladies and cleaning staff were all extremely wonderful, even if they were understaffed they all coped very well.

There were staff from all over the globe and all worked so well. Everyone was treated with respect and wonderful care, nothing was too much trouble and we often had some good laughs which makes a change when one is in hospital.

I thank these people from the bottom of my heart and I think they all need to be honoured in some way.

When the health minister’s name is mentioned they are all none too happy, Please Jeremy Hunt take notice and do something for all these wonderful people, if you do not, goodness knows what will happen to our NHS.

You have been warned.

JEAN COTGRAVE

Email

Party politics akin to the knotweed

I totally agreed with your correspondent Robin Cooper about party politics in our councils (March 2) because it can be akin to Japanese Knotweed in its multi-tangling propensity.

When I was much younger I was always told to vote for the person in local elections and the party in general elections. So if an amazing

councillor was not my political preference it wouldn’t matter, because all I would be concerned about was how well they looked after the people in their ward.

But I also agree with the writer that this now is never going to happen, but this constant point scoring is sometimes unnecessary and counter productive.

I had agreed it was a good idea to bring back the ice rink and unfortunately it was not the runaway success it might have been. But saying this many men, women and children did enjoy the experience and hopefully lessons have been learnt.

I have a certain sympathy with Daniel Candon’s comments that sometimes the powers that be have to take a punt and this can be successful. We do need a council which does think outside the box in this way but I was rather worried to read about the proposed four weekends of fun before Christmas at a cost of £148,000.

The council is looking for outside funding and I sincerely hope it gets it because I don’t think the local council taxpayers can take another ‘hit’ if it goes pear-shaped. I know they want to instil the feel-good factor but sometimes with that incredibly hyped up time of year a

feel less factor might be more appropriate when Christmas fatigue can kick in.

But it does sound interesting and might be just the ticket for the season. Although I am rather concerned about the ice sculpture if we get a unseasonable mild December as the rink was affected in this way.

I also read in the EDP about the county councillors who were asked if they had accepted the 10.5pc allowance increase and if they did, whether they had donated it to good causes, as some maintained they would.

I was very pleased to read the majority of our local councillors either did not accept the increase or if they did donated it to good causes. Good for them and as for the majority of Conservative councillors who did not respond because they were advised not to by their leader Cliff Jordan, I find this incredibly spineless and lacking in transparency, which should be the byword of local politics.

JUDITH A DANIELS

Winifred Road,

Cobholm

Understand why we have permits

In reply to John Spooner of Cherry Close, and M Lilly of Humberstone Road, Gorleston.

Blue parking permits are awarded to people who have a disability. I have numerous illnesses and have one of these permits.

What people need to realise is these are not handed out to just anyone, the form is very vigorous. Please do not mock people like myself and other people. Look into why these people have these permits.

I was stopped the other day and asked why I have one of these permits.

When I explained, the person seemed to understand my condition

JENNY OXBOROUGH

Portland Court,

Great Yarmouth

No thanks for my donation of wool

I feel for Alyson Corey, letter last week, trying to give her fur coats in good faith. It was like last month’s letter from the lady who gave those tortoises to charity shops, hundreds of pounds worth, and no answers.

I took three large bags of new, coloured balls of wool to the Louise Hamilton Centre, it cost me over £11 taxi money. I could not manage them on a bus using a walking stick. I left these bags in reception with my name and number. The knitting group were not there.

I had no thank you, I even wrote asking if they had received them or had they been taken, still no answer.

Another letter last week from Don Stacey, and what he feels of the council. Yes, they spend, we have to pay for mistakes. All the extra money coming in from holidaymakers and day trippers, where does it all go?

Other towns across the country manage without this extra.

I was brought up in the 1930s, a big family, and we didn’t have much. No benefits then. What we did learn was love, good manners and respect.

Name and Address withheld

Community spirit in the parishes

I would just like to mention how pleased and proud I am of our community spirit once again in the northern parishes.

Hemsby Parish Council and the inshore lifeboat crew deserve special credit along with the local farmers for the wonderful support they gave to residents and people who couldn’t get on with everyday life in the village with the recent weather conditions.

Seeing the local farmers with heavy machinery clearing the roads was a great example of how everyone just helped.

This latest weather event is a great challenge for our communities but Somerton and Winterton with Hemsby all stood up to the challenge.

In events like this it really does bring out the best in our community. A big thank you to everyone who pulled together to assist, despite the difficult circumstances.

Cllr JAMES BENSLY

East Flegg Ward