Newmarket Journal readers' letters to the editor
The environment, the town council and a thank you in this week's letters.
REOPEN RECYCLING FACILITY TO HELP ENVIRONMENT
The Prime Minister has been exhorting world leaders at COP26 to do more to address climate change.
It is clear from the results that his words have impressed few, if any.
Although the biggest and most effective action is in the hands of senior politicians, we can all help by doing our part.
Here in Newmarket, the first thing the town can do, for itself and nearby villages, is to reverse Conservative councillors’ closure of the recycling facility. Labour has long been advocating this move, which has a lot of support in the town.
At present, people wanting to dispose of many items have to drive to the recycling plants at Mildenhall or Bury St Edmunds, a ridiculous state of affairs when they are trying to act responsibly. It suggests certain Conservative councillors still in office neither understand nor care about the issues. Restoration of Newmarket’s recycling plant would help to fulfil the responsibility that each individual owes to the future, and would help to focus our minds on the need to keep applying pressure on this government and those that follow.
Alex Pointon, The Avenue, Newmarket
LETTER WRITER MADE WRONG ASSUMPTIONS
I really didn’t want to waste my time acknowledging Ian Young’s letter in the Journal last week but I will respond to highlight the abjectly wrong assumptions he makes and the misinformation he presents.
I also wish to point out that Mr Young consistently campaigns for the Labour Party and the Independents against the Conservatives, which he fails to declare in his letter. I am perfectly capable of expressing my own views and where does he get the idea that I am an officer, let alone a senior officer of West Suffolk Conservative Association?
My letter to the Journal was to express a view about the future administration/constitution of Newmarket Town Council, not about politics.
What a surprise that Mr Young has got his facts wrong, yet has the nerve to say my observations are spurious and misleading. I was at the town council meeting that was discussing the future of the meetings’ schedule. Mr Young was not. Working groups do have terms of reference, I didn’t say otherwise. Working Groups can have non-councillors as members. I didn’t say otherwise but, in reality, how many? Virtually none.
What does concern me is that working groups generally are not open to the public to observe, as town council committee meetings require.
And, where are the minutes/notes and written reports from the current array of working groups? How can one easily see what was discussed and who attended?
Mr Young’s letter has nothing to do with the subject matter of working groups. Is he a member of one? It is yet another attempt to discredit councillors who happen to be under the banner of a certain political party, whom he consistently campaigns against.
I wasn’t aware that anyone who felt strongly enough to write a public letter was to be seen as someone who was stooping low or that I was to include a register of interests but, if the latter is to be a requirement of the Journal, I look forward to scrutinising these in the future.
Sara Beckett, via email
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
On behalf of the Newmarket Royal British Legion, of which I have the honour to currently be the chairman, may I thank the residents of Newmarket for their remarkable generosity in the past week or so.
It was as if everyone was determined to make up for any shortfall that may have been caused last year by the pandemic. Technology also came to our aid as we now had the use of card readers to enable those who have joined the cashless society to join in the giving.
How ever you donated, where ever you parted with your money, the Royal British Legion sincerely thanks you all.
Tony Pringle, Chairman, Newmarket RBL
Email your letters to news@newmarketjournal.co.uk
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