What Susan Law, the council's managing director, really needs to do as a matter of urgency, however, is to ensure that a full, independent public inquiry into the Donnygate affair is instigated so that compensation is paid by the council to its long-suffering victims and justice is restored.
Doing nothing about the issue will keep the council held back with a poor image. It is high time that Donnygate be put to rest.
But Ms Law in her letter of November 23, distributed to the council staff and public, has infuriated many by saying that some people are "holding onto Donnygate" instead of concentrating on the present and the future.
This is a little bit rich coming from someone who admits to having been in Doncaster for only four months. She obviously does not know what an impact Donnygate has had, and the damage it caused to Doncaster council's victims who were penalised then, and have suffered a lack of redress since.
With the prosecutions of councillors and officers having ended a few months ago, it is now appropriate that many documents, such as the internal inquiry report, be made publicly available.
For these reasons, and also to get at the full truth, the organisation Justice IV Donnygate Victims was set up this summer.
Since then many local people have come forward to support the campaign for a public inquiry because the Donnygate saga has left us without any explanation in the matter.
Until satisfactory closure occurs, Doncaster is unable to move forward. Justice IV Donnygate Victims is running a series of public meetings and probably Ms Law would be more enlightened if she attended one of them.
Members of the council have taken the time and trouble to attend some of them already. Couns Jackie Clark, Garth Oxby and Richard Walker have signed the campaign petition to be submitted to the Prime Minister. There has been additional support from Coun Henry Green.

Put power back in the town halls
From: GM Hoyle, Burnside Crescent, Skipton.
Of course we should have more control over our local affairs instead of the remote control from Westminster. But the Government went about it the wrong way, with little regard for what the people want.
They should give back health, education and other functions taken from local government and hand over control of quangos as far as possible.
This transfer of powers means the staff in Whitehall and the number of MPs can be reduced and their valuable accommodation sold to pay for the regional costs incurred; extra duties will not be added, but existing ones simply transferred from one place to another.
Thus can we have devolution without an extra layer of bureaucracy, without extra politicians and without extra taxes. Instead of new organisations, let the existing local government structure adapt to take on the extra functions, over, say a 10-year period.

Costs to Britain
From: MK O'Sullivan,
Victoria Street, Allerton Bywater, Castleford.
As with every letter Jo Stirling writes supporting British membership of the euorzone (November 30), she ignores the economic and political costs and surrender of sovereignty involved. Nothing new there.
For her benefit, I will remind her that a single currency is but one stage in a move towards a federal, integrated Europe, with single defence, foreign, trade, immigration, transport, criminal law, social security system, fishing, common tax harmonisation – I could go on but what I have mentioned will do for openers.
I forgot to mention the very important issue of a European army, a project dear to the French, to try to counter the military might of the United States. As the Americans spend on defence more than the next 20 nations combined, the French can only dream on.
I have never had a referendum vote before and if Tony Blair is as good as his word there will be two such in the near future on the European constitution and the euro. My votes will be no and no.

Difficult definition
From: S. Franks, Montreal Avenue, Chapel Allerton, Leeds.
The EU, according to D Godfrey (December 4) represents a shift backwards through the centuries to a mindless, atheistic, corrupt regime.
That's odd; my grasp of history may not be very secure but I cannot think of an ancient regime which was at once mindless, atheistic and corrupt.
Replace "atheistic" with "pagan" and perhaps he is referring to the Roman Empire? But that certainly wasn't mindless. In fact, I think a regime which was actually mindless has probably never existed.
It is this kind of hyperbole which casts some eurosceptics in such a dubious light – though I have to say that the excessive enthusiasm of certain europhiles can lead to
equally absurd statements.

Town's debt
to its MP
From: Allen Davies, Heathfield Court, Augusta Park, Grimsby.
John Varley (Letters, November 27) on Austin Mitchell MP "I am grateful for not living in Grimsby and having him for my MP."
I am one of Mr Mitchell's constituents, but I did not vote for him in 1997 or in 2001, nor will I vote for a party which allows Tony Blair to be a member, let alone elects him leader. Nevertheless, I have no hesitation in asserting that Austin Mitchell has been a first-class constituency member for over a quarter of a century.
There are many here in Grimsby, even his political opponents, who would agree. He has worked unstintingly on their behalf. Further, he is a man of independent mind and Parliament is the better for his presence. If other MPs were as diligent and as willing to court unpopularity, political life in Britain would benefit. Grimsby should consider itself fortunate.

Polish spirit
From: John Murray, Moorside Road, Honley, Holmfirth.
A report claims that DIY is being done less and less by men in this country, and the reason given was "the advent of cheap, excellent and hard-working plumbers, electricians, builders and general fixers from Poland and the former Yugoslavia which has meant that even the most hard-up can forgo the drill and the screwdriver...."
This is a beneficial result of the 10 new countries joining the EU and so giving the right to travel and labour within a population of 400 million.
These workmen are highly skilled, but they don't seem to have got this far north yet. It's still difficult to get a plumber or decorator to do a small job here in Yorkshire.

Imprecise language
From: PC, Uppermill, Saddleworth.
The vitriolic letter submitted by Eric Vevers, (November 29: "Misguided support for hunting with dogs") suggests that the vast majority of people in this country outlawed hunting.
I do not follow the hounds, shoot or fish but whatever my views are, I object to being classed either as the majority or minority, unless it is proven.
RA Scatchard also submitted a letter (November 30, "Our shameful position on war against Iraq") in which he writes, "As one of the vast majority of British people". Once again, how does he know that?
A relative has just finished a tour of duty in Iraq and therefore I have my own thoughts on that situation, but I still object to the terminology used.
Eric Vevers and RA Scatchard are not alone in their choice of phraseology, our Prime Minister and his deputy are dab hands when it comes to misleading the electorate with ambiguous diatribe.

There's more up here...
From: Michael Robinson, Southlands Drive, Huddersfield.
With reference to the report about a nine-foot inflatable Santa and sleigh stolen from a householder's Christmas display in Halesowen, if the thieves would care to get in touch, I could tell them where there are a few more to which they might care to lend their attention.

Destiny day
From Jim Bray, Ilkley.
ANITA Dawson ( November 30) mistakenly believes VJ Day was in 1946. According to my 1945 diary, it was August 15.

Bieber's defence about friend pulling trigger was 'clutching at straws'
From: Michael Perry, Oakleigh View, Baildon.
THANKFULLY Mr Justice Moses has passed down the correct sentence on David Bieber.
For the cold-blooded killing of PC Ian Broadhurst – according to all those who knew Mr Broadhurst he was an extremely likable, helpful and most decent gentleman – Bieber will serve life in prison which will literally mean life.
However, during the trial, Bieber's defence team put forward a suggestion that a friend of Bieber's actually was the killer and Bieber did not pull the trigger which murdered PC Broadhurst and injured his colleagues.
Everyone knew this was total fiction made up by a man with no remorse and clutching at straws, but if the story had been miraculously accepted by the jury, which had then returned a not guilty verdict, would Bieber's defence team have been pleased with "winning" for their client a very difficult case?

Time to burst Gordon Brown's balloon
From: Derek Armstead,
Willow Park Drive, Halifax, West Yorkshire.
As Chancellor, Gordon Brown appears to believe that he has been responsible for the economic success of this land of ours.
I would ask who does he care for? Yes his wife and family, but apparently not for you or me. When did he last talk to us, the electorate, in words we could understand, and with, perhaps, some warmth and humanity?
Where is he in the New Labour hierarchy? Certainly he is not at Tony Blair's side proclaiming loud and clear his support for the policies that are flowing so fast and so furious from No 10.
We do not require of the next leader of the Labour Party someone who chooses at this moment to sit back from the public arena, but yet, oversees policy which have seen National Insurance rates rise, costing his Government a fortune as the largest employer in the country, and which required wage increases for the workers, increasing the bills even further.
I, for one, am tired of the whole circus which our Government, under Tony Blair, is appearing in every day. I am sure that health and safety would have closed this down by now on the grounds of the tent having no visible guide ropes, relying on hot air to keep the Big Top up.
Certainly there are too many clowns and jugglers for the space provided, and as the excessive amount of hangers-on are swinging and clinging to very frayed swings and tightropes even Gordon Brown as ringmaster could not support it with our money.
No – it is now time to start focusing on the so many negatives surrounding Gordon Brown. We should not allow him to reach even further into the stratosphere. Instead it is time to burst the Gordon Brown balloon.
He has done enough damage as Chancellor – what would he do as leader of this country? Perhaps he could go to Scotland as first Minister if they would have him.
A final thought for all politicians: Michael Palin in his Himalaya TV series met one of their ministers who said that Bhutan's gross national product was "the happiness of the people". What a refreshing concept for others to copy.

Points

Democracy
in danger
From: Richard Boldan, Box Tree Farm, Goole.
I FULLY endorse Michael Meadowcroft's view that the introduction of ID cards would be dangerous for liberty and democracy (Yorkshire Post, December 10).
We supposedly live in a free country. Unless someone is engaged or about to engage in a criminal activity, then no one should have the right to stop them and ascertain their identity.
David Blunkett seems to have forgotten that democracy means that the people control the Government, not the other way round.
From: Nick Martinek, Briarlyn Road, Huddersfield.
ONE frequently-used slogan in favour of David Blunkett's ID cards is "What have you got to hide?" The implication being, of course, that only those with something to hid could possibly be opposed to ID cards.
Let me quote Mr Blunkett's own words: "I am very saddened that someone I cared for should seek, quite erroneously, to damage my public position. This cannot be in the interests of any of us. I shall continue to keep my private life private and separate from my public duties."
So even David Blunkett wants to keep his "private life private" just like all of us who are opposed to ID cards.

Different times
From: AJ Stackpole, Ampleforth Abbey, York.
Times have changed since the 1924 Paris Olympics when, on the Sabbath, Eric Liddell refused to run his 100-yard race. The next day he ran the 440 and won gold.
Meanwhile, ITV is to screen its first Oxbridge Boat Race, with James Cracknell as commentator, on March 27. But, as Liddell would say, that day is a Double Sabbath – Easter Day.

Bumpy landing
From: George Stephenson, Wadworth, Doncaster.
havING always been a strong opponent of the Finningley Airport, the ever-increasing number of large jet aircraft passing dangerously over Wadworth and Doncaster only confirms my long-held views.
The opening of the Robin Hood Airport will make matters even worse. In the near future, I predict, Letters to the Editor will be full of letters from Doncaster-area residents belatedly complaining about the constant noise and pollution that is destroying their way of life.

Civil service
From: John Pashley, Westcliffe Avenue, Baildon.
SO a care-conscious junior civil servant presumed David Blunkett's wishes and was responsible for the visa fiasco?
This begs the question as to how such a civil servant was aware of the connection between the Home Secretary and an innocuous Filipino.