Our readers from across the borough give their weekly take on the biggest issues impacting Gedling and beyond.
Join the debate by sending your letter to letters@gedlingeye.co.uk . Please put ‘Letters’ in the subject line. You can also submit a letter by filling in the simple form below, and it may appear online.
Some letters refer to past correspondence which can be found by clicking HERE
Names and addresses will be withheld by request but must be included in the email. We reserve the right to edit letters. Letters published do not reflect the views of Gedling Eye
Has our new MP been absorbed into the Westminster bubble and given up on us already?
Sir,
Thanks to intense lobbying by our former Conservative MP, Tom Randall, Carlton was awarded £20 million in March with a newly formed Carlton Town Board responsible for the development of a 10-year vision for Carlton. This includes a three-year investment plan outlining how these funds are to be spent across Greater Carlton, including Carlton Hill, Netherfield, Gedling, Colwick, Burton Joyce, Stoke Bardolph, Mapperley and Mapperley Top.
After listening to the spending priorities of our constituents in Gedling, Stoke Bardolph and Burton Joyce, Cllr Mike Adams and I have submitted spending ideas to the Carlton Town Board. Tom Randall also consulted residents across Carlton prior to the recent General Election and will be sharing that feedback from residents with the Board.
The Carlton Town Board is chaired by Sir John Peace as their Interim Independent Chairman and also includes a number of board members, including our local MP as a mandatory requirement. The first meeting of Carlton’s Town Board took place on Wednesday 10th July 2024 but, to my surprise and disappointment, our new MP did not attend this meeting.
Before the Conservative Government allocated the £20 million for Carlton, “Sick and tired”: Anger and disappointment as Gedling borough misses out for THIRD time on ‘Levelling Up’ funding’ was just one of the many stories I read on Gedling Eye over the years from Michael Payne expressing his anger and disappointment at Gedling not receiving funding from central Government. I have also sat in lots of Council meetings listening to Cllr Payne calling on the Government to invest in Gedling, including in November of last year when Cllr Payne seconded a motion expressing the Council’s ‘disappointment and anger’ in not receiving levelling-up funding.
So, it would seem that investment into Gedling was a matter of priority for Michael Payne until it actually came to attending the inaugural meeting of the Carlton Town Board last Wednesday, where discussions were had on how the £20 million for Greater Carlton should be spent. Words and not action. Like many residents across our Borough,
I am as disappointed in our MPs lack of attendance as he was in Gedling not previously receiving levelling-up funding.
I note that instead of attending Wednesday’s Carlton Town Board and representing the spending priority views of residents across Carlton, Michael Payne was instead being sworn in as our MP in Parliament. Other new MPs were sworn in on Thursday, July 11, including Payne’s contemporary at Gedling Borough Council, Cllr Welsh, who is the newly elected MP for the Sherwood Forest constituency, which I believe Payne could have done instead to allow him to attend the Town Board meeting.
Has our new MP been absorbed into the Westminster bubble and turned his back on Gedling already?
Councillor Sam Smith,
Gedling Borough Conservative Councillor for the Trent Valley Ward
Letter writer is a ‘disgrace’
Sir,
Why in God’s name would you publish that letter from Ron Lim (Letters 04/07/2024) about taking bus passes off pensioners and handing them to school kids.
Ron Lim is a vile individual, judging from his letter, and so is your publication for giving him a voice via your letter column.
I won’t be reading Gedling Eye anymore and will be telling my friends to ignore this publication as well.
Good riddance Gedling Eye!
And Ron Lim – get stuffed!
Julia Stansbury,
via email
Do we need another gambling outlet in Arnold?
Sir,
After reading your story “Former fishmonger in Arnold to become 24-hour adult gaming centre (25/07/2024)” I have to ask do we really need another gambling outlet in Arnold?We have to many already.
We also have too many bars and so much crime going on.
Arnold used to be a good place to live but not any more.
The authorities have a duty to invest in young people. The future of the country depends on them.
Patricia Knott ,
Arnold
Ignorant litterers spoiling our beautiful countryside
Sir,
I was taking my dog for a walk down the path that runs by the River Trent in Stoke Bardolph recently
We stopped to rest our legs on a bench.
It was a beautiful day, the sun shining and a pleasant breeze rustling the leaves on the trees.
As we returned to the car park I witnessed a woman lifting a pushchair out of the car boot. She changed the baby, then proceeded to throw the soiled nappy in an orange nappy bag into the foliage and set off out of the village.
A lovely day was spoilt by an ignorant person. The most annoying thing was that there was a bin nearby but because it was full she decided the grass would be the only other option.
The very next day I passed a family group – grandparents, parents and children – feeding the ducks.
Walking back later I came across two empty bread bags discarded on the river bank. A fine example to set for the children.
Anthony Slater,
Netherfield
Give Netherfield shoplifter a chance
Sir,
I’ve just read the story about the prolific shop lifter Thomas Howitt (“Prolific Netherfield shoplifter now behind bars after breaching community behaviour order” 15/07/2024)
Yes, he’s broken the law many times, but surely the way he’s being handled in terms of his rehabilitation is clearly not working.
Has anyone actually sat down with him and asked him why he keeps doing it and what could be done to help him stop and turn his life around?!
He, to me, is crying out for help and keeps attention seeking as he’s desperate for someone to get to the root cause of his persistent ‘bad’ behaviour and help him turn his life around and live a more fulfilled offending free future.
I read a very interesting article in The Sunday Express paper from June 30, 2024 page 28 entitled ‘Ready steady, crook! About trying a different approach to treating criminals at HMP Rye Hill.
By virtue of them being incarcerated is a punishment in itself and if you continue the current format that clearly for many isn’t working, then you’re going to get the same results.
So, why not try something different?! At first there will be the sceptics, who are perfectly entitled to have their opinion, but give things a try and see what happens. It doesn’t have to cost anymore money, but use the facilities/resources more intelligently.
Thank you and best wishes.
Vicky Arnall,
via email
