16th August
Assembly plan is already bringing out good ideas
It is refreshing to read that even before we have voted in favour of an elected regional assembly people are coming up with new ways in which it could benefit us (quick fix for roads, August 12)
The Idea of road fines being placed in the hands of a locally elected group to spend on our roads (as opposed to add to Whitehall’s pot and spent on improving the infrastructure in the South-East) is a logical progression from the powers the assembly will have.
As your editorial said, it looks like the regional assembly will be more of an idea factory than a talking shop.
Are the anti-assembly groups coming up with any ideas that will be more of an idea factory than a talking shop.
Are the anti-assembly groups coming up with any ideas that will benefit the region? Sadly not.
Damian Lee
Sunderland
If the Government won’t dual, no one else will either
Speeding fines to pay for A1 dualling? Where are these people coming from? It would be like each Sunderland supporter buying a brick for the Stadium of Light.
As I have said before, if "Two Jags" Prescott will not dual the A1 there is no hope of a regional assembly doing it, even if they get a ‘Yes’ vote.
Robin Thompson
Amble
Northumberland
List will be out of date for North East referendum
I have just received from the local council a register of elector’s form, which by law must be filled in before October 15, so they can produce an up-to-date register of voters for elections from December 1, 2004.
Voting for a referendum for the regional assembly will take place on November 4, when the present register of electors will be 11 months out of date, there will be thousands of electors who have moved, new electors who are 18 years old who would be entitled to vote and some electors who will have died.
I know the registration officer attempts to keep the register up to date each month but he has to rely on the electors.
The Government proposes to hold a postal ballot in the North East, although they have postponed a ballot for the North West and Yorkshire/Humberside as they regard a postal ballot as unsafe.
How a postal ballot can be safe for the North East and not for other areas, I do not know.
The Government says it is anxious to increase the low turnout of voters at elections. Last year the local council election in South Tyneside cost £1.319m for an all-postal multi channel vote, as against less than £150,000 for the traditional ballot box voting, yet the number who voted was less than the previous year.
If, as I predict, there is a derisory vote for this referendum, as people do not wish to pay for an extra layer of government, the Government will have to accept some of the blame for using a flawed all-postal voting system rather than the tried and trusted ballot box and using an out of date election register.
George Smith
South Shields
Northern Echo
Hear All Sides 16th August
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
NOW we have greater clarity over the powers of a regional assembly since the Draft Bill was published.
The assembly will have powers to create jobs, safeguard jobs, support our home grown businesses and improve public transport.
It will control and influence of a budget of over £1bn per year. That doesn't sound like a talking shop.
S White,
Bishop Auckland.
No comments:
Post a Comment