Newcastle given joint lowest grant increase in country.

Re: Newcastle City Council's budget. About four-fifths of the council's income of well over pounds 400m per annum comes from Government grant (paid ultimately of course from tax).

This year Newcastle has been given the joint lowest grant increase in the country of 2% compared with an average national increase of 3% ( while the difference may look small the cash sum involved is huge.

There is also a major problem with public transport. Gordon Brown promised free bus travel to pensioners, but he seems to think that increased council tax in Tyne and Wear should pay for it.

The alternative is cuts in loss making bus routes (secured services) and in care bus services, and higher fares for children.

We are absolutely determined to deliver our manifesto pledge that council tax should not rise above inflation.

Council tax is evil and regressive, ie, it hits the disposable incomes of the relatively poor who pay for it four times as hard as the income of the rich. Our policy is to improve services while not raising costs. We are confident that by devolving street cleaning to local wards we have greatly improved standards and saved money.

We have been knocking on doors throughout Newcastle over the last three months and know that over 90% of people support our strategy and tactics. We shall press ahead with them.

COUN GERRY KEATING,

Chairman of Newcastle Liberal Democrat Councillors and Member of the Passenger Transport Authority.

Government should honour its commitments on pensions

IDO not often agree with Ruth Wallis. However on the subject of pensions she is absolutely right.

Many of us, who are getting older, have entered into various contracts with the Government over pensions. We have honoured our side by allowing the Government to take our money towards pensions.

It is about time that the Government honoured its commitments and paid decent pensions to the generation that has worked all its life.

RAYMOND M KELLY,

Ouston,

Chester-le-Street,

County Durham.

Why did parking services not tell me of appeal rules?

HAVING read and been most impressed by the articles in The Journal about Neil Herron and his crusade over Sunderland parking services I would like to support all he says by describing as briefly as possible my encounter.

I attended the Galleries Health Centre on May 4 this year and on return to my car found a Penalty Charge Notice for pounds 60 attached to my car. The notice stated if one paid the fine within 14 days only pounds 30 should be paid. For reasons I will not give in order to keep this brief, as a pensioner I objected to the fine but paid the pounds 30 under protest. Incidentally I was fined on a street with no name.

Since May 4 I have written several letters to parking services, some I have managed to get a reply to and some I have not and each time I have protested against the fine for stated reasons.

Despite all this they now say if I wish to appeal I must inform parking services at the earliest opportunity. The council will then issue a Notice to Owner which they say cannot be served sooner than 28 days from date of issue of the Pen. Charge Notice. When I complete the Notice to Owner they will refund my pounds 30 and reopen the case and I must forfeit the right to pay the discounted fine if my appeal fails. If my appeal fails I then have the right to go to the National Parking Appeals Service in Manchester.

They further inform me NPAS will only consider appeals which fall under the following categories: 1. The contravention did not occur; 2. The penalty exceeded the relevant amount; 3. The traffic order was invalid; 4. They were not the owner/keeper of the vehicle at the time of the contravention; 5. The vehicle has been taken without consent; 6. They are a hire firm and have supplied the name of the hirer.

I am informed by parking services my situation does not fall into any of these categories, but should I wish to appeal I will be sent the appropriate form. From their comments it would seem the jury has made up its mind before I get to court.

Why did they not tell me this months ago? There is much more to this tale but space does not permit me to go into it. Perhaps Neil, Herron would like to comment!

E BRITTAIN,

Harraton,

Washington.

Don't judge who you think deserves a transplant

IAM sure the author of the letter in The Journal (December 5) is grateful for their transplant and I hope they are looking forward to a happy Christmas.

However, I feel compelled to say that the author fails to appreciate that alcoholism in itself is an illness. I feel that the press have been sensitive when handling George Best's demise, and have been very forthright by describing his alcoholism as the cause of his death.

Our medical profession is less inclined to "play God" these days so why should we? We are all mere mortals and we have no right to dictate who is a more deserving case to be a donor recipient.

It would seem the author feels if the cause of ill health is seen to be to the ill informed "self-inflicted" then they should go to the bottom of the list. I ask of them do they feel the same about the front page article in The Journal the same day their letter was published which was "Doctors step up obesity surgery".

To the ill informed this could be viewed as self-inflicted so why bother!

My own sister has had a liver transplant which only adds to my, and the family's conviction to be a donor and carry my donor card and have it noted on my driving licence.

As for George Best, may he rest in peace, he had an opportunity which he chose not to make the most of but at the end of the day it was his choice. To any potential donors out there just do it, fill in the card and don't judge who you think deserves your body parts when they become no use to you.

Jane Straker (Mrs),

Alnwick.

Recycling preserves our precious resources

THERE was a time, when Newcastle City Council incinerated most of its rubbish, that I would have happily joined Mr James in criticising the council for its waste strategy (The Journal, Letters, December 6).

In the last three years, however, the council has introduced a range of measures aimed not only at improving the city's recycling record but also at reducing the amount of landfill tax paid by the city's council tax payers. These initiatives have included the rolling out of kerbside collection services across the city; the introduction of recycling facilities to 46% of the city's flats; increasing the range of items that can be recycled using the black box scheme; a pilot green waste collection service and a number of other education and information initiatives.

Perhaps the recent launch of a new pounds 1,000 prize draw for residents who use their black recycling box may help Mr James to recognise that waste is not simply waste.

Residents who use their black box can recycle plastic bottles, steel and aluminium cans, glass, batteries, textiles, paper and junk mail and if that's all too much for one box residents can order another box for free.

Recycling preserves our precious resources, creates jobs and saves energy.

When we recycle everyone wins ( the city wins, the environment wins and, with a little bit of luck, if Mr James puts out his recycling in his black box, maybe he too will win pounds 1,000!

L Crocker,

Jesmond, Newcastle.

There is no room for the improvements needed

BOTH the article earlier this week and the Highways Agency response, regarding the proposed development at Blaydon, fail to mention that the site leads on to probably the most congested area of western Gateshead.

Far from causing congestion on the A1 most vehicles from this development are likely to remain stuck in the endless queues at

Swalwell roundabout and lights.

Despite having had previous opportunities to improve this section of the road network, Gateshead Council has already allowed developments which ensure that there is no room for the improvements needed.

To be fair to Bellway, it is unlikely that the number of new houses is going to generate any more traffic than that which existed when the site was a school ( at least the prospective residents are unlikely to leave their SUVs all over the pavements and double park!

CHRIS MILLS,

Gateshead.

Thank you to those who supported carol concert

ON December 7 the choir of King's Junior School, Tynemouth, raised pounds 145.39 by singing carols in Chevy Chase, Eldon Square, Newcastle.

This money will be sent to a very poor area of Tanzania in Africa.

"Money for Masasi" as we call it, is much appreciated and I wish to thank all those members of the public who so generously supported our singing.

DJ LITTLEFIELD,

Head of Junior School,

Tynemouth.