Letters: October 17, 2016

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Data analysis hypocrisy

JOURNALIST Gill Harris claims that Home Secretary Amber Rudd is encouraging racial hatred and paranoia by asking employers to list all foreign workers (SA 13 Oct).

Leaving aside the fact that compiling data on racial and ethnic origin, gender, sexual preference and religious persuasion is fairly common, Gill’s hyperbolic comment is simply wrong.

I can recall a time when minority interest groups positively demanded that employers/businesses compile such information and declare their employment profiles.

The purpose on that occasion was to name and shame those who weren’t employing ‘enough’ non-white or non-English people.

Is it the case that data lists are good when used by minorities to identify a trend but wrong when used by government for like purpose?

Gathering personal information is the stuff of the State and business, both nationally and internationally.

Indeed some European countries insist on the very system of which Gill is so opposed.

They use it in statistical analysis to determine such things as social trends, health treatment needs, housing and planning.

For my part I believe much data gathering to be invasive and unnecessary and oppose the State infringing too much on personal freedoms, but I don’t think a compilation of non British workers is either wrong or misplaced.

In 2002 the Labour Party set out a programme to do pretty much the same as is being proposed by the government – I wonder why there were no voices raised to shout down Ed Milliband’s ideas?

The presence of Foreign Nationals in the UK is to be welcomed and provides social and cultural difference as well as economic benefits.

Gill’s colleague Marion Sauvebois is respected and identified by her wonderful writing, with her French heritage often being expressed.

I feel sure Marion would be the first to acknowledge that French immigration rules are much stricter than those applying to the UK as reflected in a July 2006 law, to restrict the immigration of unskilled workers and persons who would become a burden on the French State.

Finally, as I am sure many readers knew, an autodidact is a self-taught person.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive, Swindon

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Get complaints right

THE Swindon Advertiser’s Letters To The Editor page provides an excellent platform for members of the public to comment on government and local government services.

However, I believe residents who complain about lack of service provision should direct their complaint to their own service provider.

On October 11, Deborah Young, of Winterbourne Bassett, wrote a lengthy letter to complain about Swindon Borough Council’s proposal to close certain libraries and made particular reference to the Wroughton library.

She concluded by saying: “So by choice of libraries the borough council may decide to close, they are excluding those of us who pay our rates, but happen to live in more isolated areas.”

As a resident of Winterbourne Bassett I suggest Ms Young should check to see who she is paying her council tax to.

I assume it is Wiltshire Council, not Swindon Borough Council.

Consequently, I fail to see why Swindon Borough Council and its taxpayers should be responsible for providing Ms Young with her local authority services.

If she is a resident living within the unitary authority boundary of Wiltshire Council she should complain to them about her inadequate library facilities.

Since their logo is “Wiltshire Council, Where everybody matters” I feel sure they will welcome her observations.

K KANE

Wharf Road, Wroughton

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Boost parish petition

I THOUGHT it was time I informed fellow residents of Swindon exactly what the definition of a parish is.

Swindon Borough Council either does not have a clue or chooses to manipulate its meaning so as to impose an unwanted redrafting of the council tax.

The definition of a parish if one discounts its definition in relation to the Christian church which is not applicable in this context is: ‘The smallest unit of local government, constituted only in rural areas.’ Therefore may I ask since when have the proposed ‘Central parish’ or parishes as yet to be decided been rural areas?

I should imagine that most residents would undoubtedly perceive the area that encompasses the town centre as being definitely urban.

Therefore the definition points to how completely absurd the whole idea is and also how appalling it is that the council has refused to give the residents of Swindon a referendum to show whether they favour the proposal.

Could the reason be that they realise that the scheme would be overwhelmingly rejected?

and so on the contrary chooses to make their own minds up on behalf of all residents behind closed doors in a style reminiscent of some archaic feudal dictatorship, reminiscent of a small scale nanny state.

If people are not being listened to, we now have social media which may be used as an expression of ‘people power’ when all else has failed.

In this case there is surely nothing more relevant or important, as residents are now being asked to pick up the tab for the years of financial mismanagement of the Conservative council.

I did consider starting a petition to give people a say on the proposals. However, after checking on the internet it would appear that one already exists.

But I was shocked to see that only 272 people to date have even bothered to sign it. I then considered as to if this was yet another case of the much talked about and infamous apathy of Swindon people, who tend to ignore matters until it is too late and then whinge and moan after the event.

If anyone would like to exercise their right to be heard, instead of being ignored by Tory Swindon Borough Council, may I suggest that they make an effort to get all the family and friends together to swell the petition by exercising their right to use the modern weapon of fighting back by the use of modern technology.

The petition can be found at change.org/p/swindon-borough-council-give-residents-vote-on-parishes-or-no-parishes

The above URL address has no full stop at the end of it and should be copied and pasted as shown to the browser address bar. Let’s swell this to a gigantic size so that SBC can no longer ignore the people of Swindon, and try to make them scapegoats for their mismanagement and profligacy with council taxpayers’ money.

G A WOODWARD

Nelson Street, Swindon

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EU fees far too high

ONE of the main reasons that I have been keen to leave the EU is that I have found it strange that the UK has had to pay £9 billion a year to be a member of the EU club.

I regret that it is necessary for the UK to continue to pay this punitive membership fee while negotiations take place as to how the UK should trade with the EU after leaving.

NOEL GARDNER

Carlisle Avenue

Old Town

Swindon

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Pensioners turfed out

NOW that Theresa May, our dearly beloved, unelected Prime Minister, is firmly ensconced in Number 10, her caring government wishes to help our poor pensioners even more, it seems.

They intend to cut housing benefit for pensioners who have a spare room in their council house.

In short, encouraging them at that frail old age to downsize. Think of all the stress involved at an age when you simply do not want such a thing.

Experts say, however, that there simply aren’t enough smaller homes to move into, especially ground floor flats.

Will this put off ‘prosperity for all’ May? Not on your nelly.

Some pensioners will lose up to £34 a week if these cuts goes ahead (and that’s what Tories are all about – permanent austerity).

It might mean choosing between switching on the heat or paying the extra rent because the state pension is too inadequate to cope with both.

It appears that Theresa May wants to turf elderly folk out of their council homes this coming freezer of a winter.

Protest to your MPs, but bear in mind both are fully paid up members of the Nasty Party.

J ADAMS

Bloomsbury, Swindon

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Rip off for motorists

I EXPECT most motorists have noticed that the price of fuel has gone up.

It has been said that the increase is due to the fall in the value of the pound.

Yes, it’s true that in the last couple of weeks the pound as gone down from €1.30 to about €1.11, so the price at the pumps has risen by a few pence a litre to offset the fall.

But wait a moment – a few years back the price of fuel went nearly through the roof. I believe it got to £1.40 a litre.

Then there was a dramatic fall in the price of crude oil but the price at the pumps stayed the same.

An oil company’s spokesman stated that as they buy crude oil six months in advance the price at the pumps would take a couple of months to filter through.

So, if that’s the case, why has prices risen at the pumps?

By their own admission the fuel we are buying was bought six months ago when the pound was worth €1.30. So, by their reckoning, prices shouldn’t go up until Christmas.

It looks like another case of any excuse to rip off the poor old motorist.

ALLAN WOODHAM

Nythe

Swindon