Bemused by brochure from 'rejected' assembly

Northumberland Today

I WAS more than a little bemused the other day when, with the morning post, a heavy envelope landed on the doormat containing two beautifully produced ring-bound booklets entitled View: Shaping the North East.
No expense on these booklets had been spared. Heavy, translucent covers, thick glossy paper and full colour printing, and the postage alone was £3.10.

I have no idea how many of these booklets have been distributed, but I am certain that the cost was not small.

Why all the fuss? The source of this expense is written on the front cover. North East Assembly, the voice of the region.

The voice of the region? Did I miss something?

I seem to remember that a few months ago, four out of five people in the North East voted against such an assembly. Odd isn't it, that before we were asked whether or not we wanted a regional assembly, one was already in place, and after an assembly was firmly rejected by the electorate, it is still there.

I phoned the number advertised on the booklet to ask what the North East Assembly is, who are its members and how are they appointed.

After being passed to four different departments I was promised a reply within two hours – I am still waiting.

In the meantime, I can only wonder how many of us it took to pay, via our council tax, for this one document, and marvel at the bare-faced arrogance of Mr Prescott and his minions as they totally and unashamedly ignore the wishes of the electorate by imposing on us an unwanted North East Assembly.

So much for democracy.
Clive Hallam-Baker,
Branxton,
Cornhill on Tweed.
10 March 2005