Wirral News Letters – October 7

Oct 7 2009 Birkenhead News

Let’s just ban dogs altogether!

HAVING read Wendy Lawrenson’s “Dog Ban Call” letter, I feel I must reply in defence of my K9 companions.

Why stop at banning them from the beach in summer, why not the parks as well? In fact Wirral Council should just ban dogs in public totally!

That would stop all the problems such as dog mess, irresponsible “gold chain , no brain” Staffie owners, packs of wild dogs “bothering” people on New Brighton beach, would this make Wendy happy?

As an owner of two large breed dogs, I find people judging me because of the dogs I have chosen to own. I personally think all dogs should be kept on the lead in public places because most owners cannot control their dogs with only vocal commands.

We are lucky to have loads of countryside where you can exercise your dog off the lead without bothering the likes of Wendy.

But can we also ban the litter louts who think it's ok to have barbecues/parties on OUR beaches (Thurstaston being a favourite), who think its ok to leave their rubbish everywhere – paws and children’s feet cut the same on glass!

I am a responsible owner and a dog lover, don't tar us all with the same brush.

DAVE COLEBROOKE

Birkenhead

Accident thanks

ON Tuesday, September 29 my three-year-old son and I were involved in a serious RTA on the Upton bypass at the Saughall Massie Lights.

I would like to take this opportunity to pass on my sincere thanks to the three people who helped care for myself and my son at the scene prior to the emergency services reaching us.

In particular “Louise” who, despite having her own young child with her, stayed with us and reassured us.

As for the young European driver – who drove directly into me and our oncoming stream of traffic – perhaps you should familiarise yourself with the highway code and traffic rules before driving on the roads.

SUE AND CHARLIE

Greasby

Council is wrong

I WAS appalled to read Wirral Council had stated Mr Cowley “might not win his appeal” the next time he is issued with a parking summons, although he was legally parked and displaying his blue badge on the dashboard of his car.

When the “spy car” spots you on camera and passes your car registration to Wirral Council, who in turn liaise with DVLA, surely the council can then check on their computers if a blue badge has been issued to anyone living at that address.

It certainly would reduce the cost of council tax that is wasted sending unjustified fines to disabled drivers and causing unnecessary anger and upset to recipients. I am speaking from experience.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

Responsibilities

YOUR front page news story (September 30) about Wirral Council considering privatising public parks is a further step in the council’s abdication of responsibility for services.

I am old enough to remember the state of the roads in Wallasey and Birkenhead at the end of the Second World War when there had been virtually no maintenance for six years. Today the road surfaces in Wirral are in a worse condition than they were then.

The owners of 4x4 off-road vehicles come in for a lot of criticism for having environmentally unfriendly cars, but I have been forced to buy one because my previous two cars (an Austin Metro and a Ford Ka) both suffered repeated suspension damage due to pot holes.

No doubt if I complain about the state of the road surfaces now, they would tell me that this is the responsibility of a private company.

M HOWLEY

via e-mail

No surrender

I WAS disappointed to read your front page item this week, “Parks could be privatised”.

The privatisation of local government services is an acceptance that someone else can do the job better. They have already surrendered the chores of supervising street cleaning, rubbish collection, etc., etc. The council should not be providing a profit opportunity to those entrepreneurs who take on duties which are the proper responsibility of its managers.

CHRIS LORD

via e-mail

Money saving

AT first I was angry when I read about the council getting rid of all the usual things that councils do for their rate payers until I realised the money we would save.

Without all the services we wouldn’t need a council. Just think of the money we would all save by getting rid of the Chief Executive and all the other people on inflated salaries who bloat the council.

Yes, hand everything to private companies and to those people who do actually work for us, e.g librarians, lollipop ladies and gentlemen etc and the rest of you can vote yourselves out of your jobs.

Unless, of course, you weren’t thinking of getting rid of yourselves, just the people who actually do something?

CHRIS EDWARDS

via e-mail

Problem solved

BLUEBOTTLES lay their eggs on food. The eggs turn into maggots.

If you avoid putting food in your wheelie bin I don't think you'll get maggots. Cook your own food then incorporate any leftovers into really good meals the following day.

If you’re leaving food on your own plate then you took too much! Or am I missing something? Why is everyone throwing food away?

Once you’ve boiled chicken bones and stripped them to make soup you’ll find bluebottles aren’t very interested in them.

I’ve never seen a maggot near my bin although I sometimes forget to put it out for four weeks. Or am I just lucky?

ROSEMARY WADDINGTON

Oxton

Health hazard

I AM afraid that Cllr Jean Quinn reveals her ignorance by asserting that “maggots are not a health hazard”.

Has she forgotten that maggots are the larval stage of flies? Within a few days all those tiny, white, wriggling maggots will become big green/blue bottles being very active flying about, feeding on unmentionable rubbish, and then free to land on our food before we eat it.

Most people that I know would much prefer a weekly collection of our green bins.

BARBARA STAMPER

via e-mail