PUBLIC OPINION

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Do the members and officers of what is laughingly called the planning "control" committee on Derby City Council ever consider the consequences of their actions? I refer, this time, to the decision to allow an access road off Uttoxeter Road, Mickleover, to serve a proposed development of 450 houses on the university campus site. Another 450 houses? Can they imagine the extra traffic this will generate around the Mickleover and Littleover area? Do the maths. 450 houses, possibly 700 extra cars struggling to get on to Uttoxeter Road. And then where? Corden Avenue, Chain Lane, Burton Road, into Littleover? Already, these roads are bulging at the seams and almost unable to take the present quantity of vehicles.

Who actually wants another 450 houses in Mickleover, when Heatherton is being almost doubled in size and other development are proposed? Head of traffic David Gartside is being disingenuous when he tells us that traffic lights would function satisfactorily with the minimum of queues. Perhaps he should get out more. Can our "planners" consider the road infrastructure for once and just say "no, enough is enough!" I full sympathise with the residents and understand why they are "incensed" by this ridiculous decision. John Orgill

EVIL POWER
Now we have proof that the city council ignores public opinion, following the Five Lamps decision. Option one attracted far fewer votes than option two, so option one is the one being implemented. Why does it have to be altered anyway? All that is needed are clear signs on King Street stating which lane to get into and signs over the traffic lights at the junction. And what uproar the proposal to pull down the bus station caused. Has notice been taken? No. We are now to have a new station and wine bars along the river gardens.

Will ordinary people want to wait for a bus surrounded by the clientele from these bars? No. Have the planners thought of that? No. The River Gardens should be somewhere for all of us to be able to walk through and sit and enjoy the peace and quiet and not listen to blaring music from these establishments. I would like to know if the architects given the job of designing new buildings for the Market Place even had a look at it first. Does all that glass and metal produced fit in with the Guildhall and its surrounded buildings? No. What next?

When these monstrosities have been built, will we be told that the Guildhall doesn't fit in with its surroundings and will have to go? Why can't we preserve the beautiful parts of Derby? Well, the few we have left, like St Mary's Gate and St Helen's House. I believe there is an evil power presiding over the Council House that turns all councillors, whatever their political leanings, into members of the Monster Raving Loony Party as soon as they walk through those doors. Mrs A. Ward

PREJUDICE
The decision to bar Councillor Crosby, vice-chairman of the planning control committee, from a meeting about the Riverlights application because she has an opinion on the matter is ludicrous. It is also a very dangerous attack on democracy by the unelected director of corporate services, Michael Foote, who chooses to interpret the code of conduct in his own way. Why have those councillors who have spoken in favour of the scheme not been barred? The code of conduct is mainly concerned with councillors who have financial interests in matters under discussion, it is intended to prevent corruption.

It also states that a member has a prejudicial interest if it is so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgement of the public interest. Mr Foote is using this rather nebulous concept to say that Councillor Crosby does not represent the interests of those who voted for her, and that she will not act in the public interest. An unelected employee must not be allowed to prejudge what a councillor will say. He should be reminded that his job is to support the democratic process, not destroy it. D. J. Minor

POLICING COST
It is about time that we, the people, had a say in how money for policing is spent. After all, it is our money that pays the wages. Why do we put up with an antiquated system of police committees that follow the party political line when Joe Public has no chance of getting on to one of these committees? Why do we continuously have Home Secretaries who rant and rave about crime and then turn out to be nothing more than timorous wee beasties themselves? We do not need a poll to tell us what is wrong with our country. It is obvious that the powers-that-be have not got a clue about how to deal with crime, or anything else. The majority of people are more concerned and frightened about being burgled, mugged and robbed than being involved in a traffic accident.

We are suffering all this crime because of the lack of political will to deal with the drug addict who has a self-inflicted ailment. It is the same class of people who continuously suffer from the results of their addiction. But alas, where do they spend the money and resources allocated for law enforcement? Yes, you are right - chasing the motorist. On a Saturday afternoon at the football match, you will see more bobbies out of their cars than you do elsewhere in a year. With this huge show of strength, does it mean that the powers-that-be see the football fan as a greater threat to the public than the drug addict burglar, mugger or robber? They were told at the time that it would be a huge mistake to take the bobby off the beat and put him in a car, and time has proved us right.

Drug addiction is costing this country more than the Iraq situation. Drug addiction is a bigger threat to this country than Saddam ever was. Drug-related crime is here now and has been for years. Why is the fight against this enemy continuously under-funded, under-manned and under-resourced? Why have we never had enough customs officers? Why have we never had enough police officers in the drug squad? Politicians are out of touch with the will of the people. They are so arrogant and incompetent and full of "the party first before anything else" that people do not see any future in any of them. That is why more and more people are not bothering to vote. Politicians are in danger of being put on the list of endangered species. Frank Leeming

CITY COUNCIL ARE OUT OF TOUCH
Firstly, our wonderful planners are proposing a new development north of the river, to house a new concert hall and theatre. What a wonderful idea. May I suggest that the proposed Quad building is stuck there too? That way all the arts facilities will be in one location. In the same article it was proposed the current Assembly Rooms should be downgraded to a conference centre. What an opportunity to get rid of this building altogether and build some worthwhile retail units in the centre of the city, bringing shoppers back to the Market Place.

We should do this before the city centre becomes a barren wasteland, when its heart is moved to the south of the city, under the control of the new Eagle Centre. Secondly, it has been announced that the area between St Mary's Gate and Sadler Gate is to be redeveloped to emulate the Shambles in York. What a load of rubbish. I think that Derby City Council's planning department has had plenty of opportunity to preserve the old buildings that we had in the city centre, without allowing another private developer to create an imitation for profit, in the vain hope of attracting tourists.

When the extension to the Eagle Centre is completed, parts of Derby, such as Irongate, Sadler Gate, The Strand and Cornmarket, will die from economic starvation, due to planners pandering to developers. One can only deduce that the planning announcements that now seem to come on a daily basis are to distract members of the public from the major mistakes that are already happening. Steve Frost