Disgraceful waste of time and money

From: Mrs M Robinson, Berry Lane, Great Preston, Leeds.

I RECENTLY needed to ring Aire Valley Homes (Leeds City Council) about a new gutter fitted earlier this year, and which drips water on everyone using my garden path.

As the ringing tone began a recording told me there was an answering delay of 10 minutes. After a good quarter of an hour I was cut off. Immediately trying again I was answered in just over 20 minutes, making a total calling time of just over 35 minutes.

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Last Friday, at exactly 2.25pm I needed to ring them again and a recording told me there was a delay of over 20 minutes. I waited the stipulated time and then, as I had waited so long, decided Aire Valley Homes could not delay answering much longer so continued to hold the call. It was finally answered at exactly 3.08 pm. meaning I had waited two minutes short of three quarters of an hour. This is an 0800 number which means the caller does not pay for the call – but actually one does as it is paid for from the council tax.

If this is the best we can expect from our housing department it is a disgrace to the name of the city of Leeds and high time it was looked in to. Surely the money wasted on calls of this length, which must be experienced by other people as well as myself, would be better spent on employing another telephonist whose wages could be covered by savings on shorter calls?

It is not the calls which take up the time but the time the operator takes recording the calls and arranging appointments etc.

Please, Leeds City Council, do something about this promptly.

Mac in disguise

From: Brian Hanwell, Tideswell, Derbyshire.

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D JOHNSON’S letter (Yorkshire Post, August 26) in which he mentions the famous statement of Harold Macmillan “You have never had it so good” reminded me of the following joke about Macmillan.

The story tells how Macmillan went in disguise to visit Christine Keeler. He had heard so much about her activities with John Profumo and others that he thought he ought to see for himself what she was like.

When his two-hour meeting with the lady came to an end and he was about to leave her he was taken aback when she said: “Goodnight Mac, and thank you very much!”

“I beg your pardon,” said Macmillan.

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” said Miss Keeler.

“You are Harold Macmillan the Prime Minister, aren’t you?”

“Yes I am,” he replied.

“But how did you know?”

“Because I’ve never had it so good,” she replied.

Hustlers of the markets

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

WITH typical lack of restraint, our economic “experts” are now forecasting a double dip recession. I am sure those shortly to retire must be extremely grateful to these pundits because it is well known that the markets habitually respond adversely to these predictions. Pensions pots should therefore suffer a further contraction because of those irresponsible scribblings.

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The Stock Exchange itself should be subjected to a full inquiry covering:

Betting on future fluctuations in the market which obviously constitutes a conflict of interest as the market itself can be manipulated.

Selling short so as to lower the price of stock which is then repurchased for a quick killing.

Forecasts of the future movement of particular shares to induce a rise in the price to the benefit of interested parties.

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Insider dealing which is supposed to be banned but everyone knows is rife and cannot be effectively monitored.

Asset stripping.

It is nothing short of scandalous that ordinary people’s jobs, pensions and financial security should be at the mercy of these speculators and hustlers.

We move oil, why not water?

From: R C Curry, Adel Grange Close, Leeds

WE hear about and see the excess of rain being dumped on America and many other parts, not all on that side of the Atlantic. By contrast there is a longstanding drought in North East Africa.

It has proved convenient for the industrialised nations to pipe oil for vast lengths across the world, so what deters them from putting the same technology to transporting water? Could it be that there is no profit in moving water?

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Further, by applying the principles of hydraulics developed by William Armstrong in the 19th century, it could be possible at the same time as piping the water to turn a few generators and put that product into the national grids en route. Surely that would be a worthwhile exercise.

What has happened to the inventive genius of the country?