Council concerns over expansion plans

SIR - I have written a letter to the Clerk to Caddington Parish Council as I was informed that the residents of Caddington and Slip End were not informed of the proposed airport expansion from their local representatives, or of the public consultation meeting yesterday.

The parish council is aware of the impact of noise pollution from aircraft above us from the NATS consultation not too long ago, where the community came together and was fully supported by our council along with Cllr Ruth Gammon and Cllr Richard Stay.

Luton Airport’s proposed doubling of flights from 11,000 to 18,000 per year with an increase of up to 30,000 for the future, will represent a similar increase in noise pollution over our villages, schools and houses.

I feel the parish councils should be informing the people of what is happening.

My concern is for the residents in our villages to be informed of the situation and how the parish councillors and district councillor stand on this issue.

I formally request that the council acts without delay and that the airport expansion is put on the agenda at the next parish council meeting.

For more information visit www.caddingtonvillagenews.com

Mr P B Smith

Caddington

Misguided homophobics

SIR - So the homophobic extremists who distributed leaflets in Derby calling for the ‘execution’ of all gays have been given prison sentences.

But is a prison sentence enough? These misguided guys seem to be in serious need of some basic education. Especially in subjects like biology and logic.

They claim that execution (extermination?) is the only way to end homosexuality.

Presumably they think that by exterminating all gays there wouldn’t be any more born therefore the world would be rid of all gays within a generations? Do they really not know that human procreation only occurs as a result of heterosexual union?

Somebody should tell them that gay behaviour does not lead to procreation.

Furthermore, all gays are the result of heterosexual union - just like the rest of us.

And it could also be pointed out to them that homosexual behaviour has been observed in all animal species from birds to primates and even to worms.

So that gives the lie to the claim that it’s ‘not natural’. The truth is that humans would be very unnatural if we didn’t have a good proportion of gays among us.

Ron Turvey

Stanmore Crescent, Luton

Spotlight on boundaries

SIR - Thank you for an interesting article regarding parliamentary constituencies.

Our family live on the Bushmead estate in Luton LU2 - in one of more than 500 properties under Central Bedfordshire Council - not that Ms Dorries knows that.

Before attempting to ‘integrate’ the good people of Dunstable into the Luton North constituency perhaps consideration could be given to ‘integrating’ this part of Bushmead into one of the constituencies of the town in which this area lies.

Mr D Werin

Saffron Close, Luton

Increase will be tough

SIR - Labour blasts the struggling middle class again.

The Labour-run Luton Borough Council is planning to raise the council tax by 3.44 per cent this coming financial year.

The council has been offered a generous £1.6 million from the coalition Government while the tax increase would bring in £600,000 in comparison.

The excuse from Cllr Robin Harris, who is the portfolio holder for finance, was that ‘if the council were to take the money on offer from the Government, it would leave it with a multi-million pound hole in the following year’s budget that would grow to around £8 million over the next five years.

Cllr Harris must give council tax payers the name of the council’s accountants.

This increase will give hard working families a kick in the teeth.

Those just above the benefit level could have to pay an extra £58 on band E.

The new Localism Bill has a trigger where any council tax increase above 3.5 per cent will trigger a referendum to approve the increase.

Labour should have the courage to put their increase to the vote, rather than trying to sneak it under.

A two-year freeze was a key Conservative pledge made before the 2010 General Election, first announced by George Osbourne at the 2008 Party Conference. The Conservative Party is delivering on our election promises.

As every family in the country is counting their pennies and pounds, there is a strong moral case for the freeze.

Taken together, this and last year’s freeze could save local families almost £150 in extra taxes.

The Labour Party oppose this freeze.

Had they clung to power, they would have hiked up council taxes – just as Tony Blair and Gordon Brown did after every election.

Labour are wedded to tax and spend. Before hitting hard working families and pensioners, perhaps they might reconsider the Government’s offer.

Or look towards the £2,948,000 in uncollected council tax, and an incredible £3,384,000 in uncollected business rates – the highest in the Eastern Region, before they hike up taxes yet again.

John Young

Chairman of Luton Conservative Association

Home is where The Mall is

SIR - While driving into Luton recently I noticed a welcome sign proudly boasting the town was the ‘Home of the Mall’.

Hardly the greatest claim to fame - dreary concrete shopping centres that have done so much to kill off our traditional high streets.

Would Luton not be better promoting itself as ‘Home of the Hat’, ‘Home of Vauxhall Motors’ or even ‘Home of the Chav’?

Charlie Garth

Bedford Street, Ampthill

Why not the Drill Hall?

SIR - I would like to say how much I agree with Ms Wraith’s letter about the new Inspire Sports Village and the point made.

For years people protested about moving the swimming pool. It should have stayed in Bath Road where a pool has always been. Cllr Hazel Simmons’ reply to Ms Wraith’s letter goes to show how out of touch she is with local opinion.

Perhaps the ‘Drill Hall’ in Old Bedford Road could be utilised as a leisure centre/dance hall for the rest of us Lutonians that do not live in Stopsley.

Angela Welch

Holmbrook Avenue, Luton

Coalition worries

SIR - It came as no surprise to many of us finally an organisation has been set up by Liberal Democrats appalled at the hijacking of their party to an essentially right wing Conservative agenda.

Where this organisation will end up and how it could advocate co-operation with Greens and Labour only time will tell.

However, less well known has been the slow drift of former Lib Dems returning to The Liberal Party.

Only this month we have been pleased to see Cllr Tony Williams and Diane Bennett in Cannock Chase and Rugeley Liberal Chairman Cllr Neil Stanley.

As a Liberal Party we have been advocating radical policies to increase tax thresholds to enhance the work ethic, even prior to Nick Clegg’s stand on this issue.

Moreover we have been calling for the removal of all the exemptions on inheritance taxes and utilising the tax income to fund universal tuition fees and business tart up grants for young people.

We have recognised the lack of flexibility in the EU and supported the UK not joining the Euro and allowing different levels of co-operation with the EU rather than one straightjacket for all.

We believe in significant devolution and allowing local councils determine housing policies which reflect the needs of their communities.

We believe it is vital to close the gap between young people and current politics, we should introduce votes at 16.

If young people can fight for their country, pay taxes then it is right that they can vote for the Government along with every other taxpayer.

In our history Liberals have often had to fight their own leaders drifting into the embrace of the Tory Party, our Party is the continuing home for Liberalism as a distinctive and radical voice.

Cllr Steve Radford

President of the Liberal Party