Mike wrote on May 5th to the Wilts and Glos Standard "News that people in the north of Wiltshire will again be able to go inside the Malmesbury and Cricklade police stations (Wilts and Glos Standard, 1 May) is very welcome. I congratulate Brian Moore, Wiltshire's New Chief Constable, for reversing the unpopular and counter-productive decision of his predecessor.
Mike wrote on 5th May "The situation surrounding the gypsies living in Minety is clearly a very delicate one. The excellent letter from Paul Venton in last week's Gazette and Herald acknowledged that the gypsies must be involved in finding an alternative site and that Conservative-run North Wiltshire District Council was wrong in the way it sought to rush through a decision. Unfortunately, also in last week's edition was a column from James Gray MP in which he compared gypsies to red-headed Scotsmen and suggested that the planning process should not accommodate their desire to live together as a group. Surely what is needed from the area's MP are considered and thoughtful comments rather than the rash and divisive ones written by Mr Gray.
Mike wrote on 5th May "The situation surrounding the gypsies living in Minety is clearly a very delicate one. The excellent letter from Paul Venton in last week's Gazette and Herald acknowledged that the gypsies must be involved in finding an alternative site and that Conservative-run North Wiltshire District Council was wrong in the way it sought to rush through a decision. Unfortunately, also in last week's edition was a column from James Gray MP in which he compared gypsies to red-headed Scotsmen and suggested that the planning process should not accommodate their desire to live together as a group. Surely what is needed from the area's MP are considered and thoughtful comments rather than the rash and divisive ones written by Mr Gray.
"Congratulations to Chris Howe, the Lindisfarne resident who chaired the public meeting in Wootton Bassett on Thursday (Swindon Advertiser, 3 May) for making it clear that attacks on gypsies will not be tolerated.
"Congratulations to Chris Howe, the Lindisfarne resident who chaired the public meeting in Wootton Bassett on Thursday (Swindon Advertiser, 3 May) for making it clear that attacks on gypsies will not be tolerated.
I am perplexed, as I am sure other readers are, by Ian Smith's letter (BFP 1/5/09). He indicates that the EU Directive EU/67/EC and 2002/39/EC are related to the post office closures. I am sure everyone else knows it has nothing to do with the Post Office network, but relates to postal services delivered by the Royal Mail. The Royal Mail, the Regulator Postcomm, and the consumer watchdog Postwatch all support these measures so what is Ian's problem with them? These Directive set out to create common postal standards across Europe and opens up the current monopoly the Royal Mail has in the UK. Despite losing their monopoly the Royal Mail still support it.