NUMEROUS suggestions have been placed in the "suggestion box" at the new Aquatic Centre that the public footpath established between the bus stop at the end of Southwick Road/Kier Hardie Way junction and the entrance to this sports complex be reinstated. It is only approximately about 25 metres distance to the swimming pool.

Unfortunately, the soil has been roughly furrowed, thereby making it a dangerous surface to walk on when dry or a sea of mud after periods of rain.

As things are, pedestrians have to walk through the mud, taking mud into the wet floors of the swimming pool changing room, which is not conducive to cleanliness.

The alternative is to walk 400 metres to the vehicle entrance then walk another 400 metres back to the swimming pool entrance.

The only conclusion as to why the footpath was destroyed is probably that our city planners do not wish to have a footpath interfering with their plans for this unsightly churned-up field.

It has long been the policy of the Sunderland Council to ensure people are forced to travel along long circuitous roads to get from where they are to where they need to be with maximum inconvenience.
Ron McQuillan,
Cranberry Road,
Sunderland

Too cheap to swim
I READ with dismay the letter by "Furious Swimmer" on June 21. In it the writer states that £3.05 was too expensive to swim at the new aqua pool.

Just what can you buy for £3 that's of any use in 2008 – not even a decent meal.

I would expect this to be the only city in England to receive this type of attitude. How ungrateful can people be. They spend millions on a venture like this and some folk expect to enjoy the facilities for a pittance.

The fact is it is too cheap, and they should hike the prices up this would encourage the more affluent to visit the city.

Do swimmers not recognise a bargain? I suppose this is what comes from encouraging folk to enter the city centre by luring them with Pound Shops and charity shops which should be only allowed in inner-city estates.

You wouldn't find this type of offering in the Cotswolds or Surrey. There, you have to knock on the door of the antique shops before they let you in.

It's about time folk stopped moaning and thanked the authorities for building such a great arena in Sunderland.
Mick "The Pen" Brown

We need more GPs
I'M at a loss to understand the local GPs' opposition to Lord Darzi's proposal to give Sunderland three extra GP practices and an additional Health Centre, all funded by the Government, and in addition to existing services.

This offer came about when it was demonstrated Sunderland had fewer doctors per head of population than the national average.

The growing campaign stoked up by the doctors' trade union the BMA borders on the ridiculous, with claims that this is the end of the NHS as we know it.

A few years ago local health chiefs had to take special measures to employ doctors to serve the Pennywell area. The St Chad's Labour party and its candidates and councillors have, for years, campaigned for GP facilities for the Ward. There are no GP surgeries in Herrington, Farringdon and Lakeside.

The Government has made a generous offer. Let's have more doctors in Sunderland. We surely need them as we are continually told we have a poor health record, or are we now meant to believe this is not the case.
Darryl Dixon
Raby Drive,
East Herrington

Memories wanted
AS the author of a recently released book "104 Men" about the 1947 William Pit disaster in Whitehaven, I would like to ask for an opportunity to appeal to your readers as I continue my research into the history of men connected to the coal trade.

I begin with a pub that I believe has since closed it's doors, named The Wellington, which I believe is situated on the main road between Fence Houses and Colliery Row.

If anyone would be willing to provide me with a bit of the history of this establishment, I would be most grateful.

An ancestor of mine was found dead near High Dubmire, and the inquest was held at the Wellington in the spring of 1847.
Any assistance very much appreciated.
Amanda Garraway Roberts
dampnr@golden.net
Bechtel Street,
Cambridge,
Ontario,
Canada

Labour helps poor
WHAT ex-Tory Councillor, Norman Bohill has failed to mention in his postcard (The Echo, June 20) was that the average council tax increase this year was one per cent higher from Tory councils than that of Labour councils. Therefore, the people of Fulwell and the rest of Sunderland would have been worst off under a Tory-controlled council.

Our council tax is now the lowest in the whole of North East England and one of the lowest in the whole country.

Under a Labour Government we have lifted over two million of the poorest pensioners out of absolute poverty and a million pensioners and 600,000 children out of relative poverty too.
Bob Price,
Rydal Mount,
Fulwell,
Sunderland

Game of two halves
THE recent meeting of Sunderland Council on June 25, was a "game of two halves".

The annual reports of the review committees was a verbal picture of conciliatory exchanges as spokesmen for the individual committees poured out their versions of bonhomie to the complacent gathering. Indeed, the opening shots were dull to the point of inducing comatose conditions.

The antidote that saved the meeting from being a complete farce was the notice of motion submitted by the Conservative opposition requesting that the Labour council freeze the Council Tax level in the next financial year.

The reason behind this request was that a freeze on Council Tax would help to alleviate the heavy burdon placed on people by the day by day price increases that have seen living costs increases of 17.5 per cent over the past four months.

The response by Labour councillors to the motion was fringing upon mass hysteria, especially that of Coun Miller, who derided opposition members for proposing that the Council Tax payers of the city should be given something back after years of ever increasing hikes.

There was never any suggestion in the Conservative motion that any freeze would be funded by a reduction in front-line services. It was typical Labour Party strategy.

In the end, and as usual, the motion was amended to read that the council would explore areas where savings could be made and that if so they would be used to control the ever increasing tax burden upon the people of the city.

Well we've heard that one before, which has seen Council Taxes increase by more than 93 per cent over the past seven years with no appreciable improvement in services.
Councillor GE Howe,
Fulwell Ward

Back on track!
RECENTLY, I wrote to the Echo letters page commenting on how impressed I was with our clean, tidy and modern Sunderland Central Station.
I am sure rail passenger numbers will go up even further up with the rising cost of petrol and diesel.

Now we have the Sunderland to Kings Cross direct rail link and the Metro route. On Wearside, things can only get better.

It would add even more icing on the Central Station's cake if the clock opposite the station was repaired and illuminated at night. It could also have a countdown to the Olympic Games due in London in 2012.

I don't remember seeing the clock over the road to the station ever tell the right time. It does not give visitors to our lovely city centre a good first impression seeing a broken clock in a prime position.
Peter Kerr,
Sunderland

Out of his depth
AFTER a year in charge what can we deduce from our great leader? Well, in my opinion the guy's way out of his depth. He is an introvert in an extrovert's job.

When he was in charge of the Government's finances everyone hailed this genius. However, many in the know could see this crisis looming years ago. The whole economic boom was built on borrowing and debt. No money was put to one side for when the good times end, so the country ends up potless.

How many people has he left in poverty with his taking of billions from the private pension funds? His tax raids have been a bitter pill for all of us to bear.

But the thing that riles me is what made him think he had an automatic path to be prime minister? It was undemocratic to have no election.
We were getting Brown at any cost. Aren't we the lucky ones?
Do not despair

What great service
IN this very fast world we live in it was nice to have a great bit of customer service twice in one week, where people actually took the time to advise and actually care about the customer.

The first was at the Sunderland Aquatic Centre – no not the swimming pool, but the shop that sells many species of fish at Stockton Terrace in Grangetown.

We had big problems with my four-year-old grandson's fish and the gentleman at the shop tested the water, advised me and pointed me in the right direction, even though the shop was extremely busy.

Second, we popped into the Albion pub, which is under new management, to try the meals that are advertised 12-7.

Everything was home cooked, piping hot and absolutely delicious and the lady that owns the Albion was very welcoming. Nothing was too much trouble.

There wasn't many in, which was a shame, but maybe with a bit better advertising passing trade may notice whats on offer.
Yvonne Partridge,
Ryhope,
Sunderland

Summer coppers
ISN'T it marvellous, oh how refreshing and reassuring! Once again those cycle-riding police officers are out pedalling along in the lovely sunny weather.

It's funny, it seems as if they've been out of commission since the back-end of last September, and no doubt they'll disappear again come the cold dark nights.
Anthony,
Roker

You greedy shower
ONE of the worst councils in the land was Easington Council, which took as much of veterans' war pension as they dare.

They should be made to pay it all back, and they had the cheek to put in the Echo how it was good news for war pensioners – we've stopped taking the war pension off you.

They were nearly all dead, but for the few that are left, what have you done for them? Nothing. I know one old man who can't get a shower in, and that's what you are – a shower.
Pensioner,
Seaham

Well done there Bill
THE committee of Sunderland Old Township Heritage Society would like to thank the dedicated and selfless Bill Dove and his many helpers for their work during the recent Strawberry Tea held in the Sunderland Parish Church.

Despite the weather conspiring against us more than 60 people, young and old alike, enjoyed the food, the snippets of history in the background and guided tours of the church, illustrating its importance to the community in years gone by.
R Hope,
Chairman
S.O.T.H.S.

Take a look at your own party first, David
IT was Tory David Davis who made a one-man crusade against what he saw as the iniquities of the 42-day detention issue, which only served to embarrass his own party.

Conveniently, however, he overlooked his own party's performances on human and civil rights from 1979 to 1997.

Trade unionists faced by mass-unemployment, raging inflation and the economy hopelessly out of control, could see their standard of living eroding before their eyes.

A miners' strike was called, which was almost inevitably followed by a raft of anti-trade union legislation which saw miners made prisoners in their own villages for the crime of invoking their civil right to withdraw labour.

It did not end there. For 17 continuous years legislation designed to dilute trade union power down to inadequate impotency was imposed on trades unions by the reactionary Conservative government of that time.

Mr Davis then claimed the PM. would be a coward if he did not put a candidate up against him in his vacated Haltemprice and Howdon constituency, when he learned a possible challenge could come from former Sun editor, Kelvin MacKenzie, backed by Mr Rupert Murdoch.
The point being, the PM had already beaten off the Davis challenge by nine votes.
Fred Brady,
Honeycomb Close,
Hall Farm,
Sunderland


ON Thursday, June 26 I misplaced two USB memory sticks in the Fulwell area, possibly in the library.

One is a black with red patterns on and the other is a blue one. They are on a key ring that is a red bottle opener.

If you have them or know of their whereabouts please ring 0783 529 5169 or 0790 319 2565. I'm offering a cash reward for the return of them.
Gary Kenny,
Alston Crescent,
Seaburn Dene,
Sunderland

RE the feature "Parents shun talks", the consultation time was inappropriate for parents and at short notice. We don't all have the ability to attend at 6.30pm. We have families who need feeding, bathing, homework and a bedtime routine to ensure our children are fit and able to be schooled the next day.

This consultation was very short-sighted. In this day and age there are other ways to consult with the audience.
It is not apathy, thank you. Be realistic.
Mrs B,
Fulwell

I AM writing to extend a thank-you to Trish Hownam of Doxford Park, who kindly gave a home to Chipper and Cherry, the two abandoned chinchillas featured in the Echo.

Trish already has two chinchillas of her own and plenty of spare cages in case Cherry does have babies.

Thank you also to all the other warm-hearted people who offered them a home, and thank you to the Echo for helping to find one.

I wish to reiterate that anyone looking to buy a pet animal should give it great consideration before making the jump to being a pet-owner. Pets need a great deal of attention, such as care, cleaning, and also money for food, accessories, and possible vet bills.

Above all, we need to ensure we can provide permanant homes for our pets so we don't have any more abandoned or homeless.
Chris Higgins,
Abi's Animal Ark,
Derwent Street


AFTER my recent stay in Sunderland Royal Hospital I felt I must put pen to paper and say a huge thank-you to Mr Surtees and his team and all the doctors, nurses and staff who cared for me on Wards C31, C32 and ICCU.

I couldn't find words to describe the care I received on ICCU. It was excellent.

Also, it was all done with a pleasant and caring manner which was much appreciated. So, good luck and God bless you all and keep up the good work.
J Howe,
Fordfield Road,
Ford Estate,
Sunderland