Hard-working police do not need this

WHY isn’t Lord Prescott contented with his place in the Lords? At 74, surely he can have a well-earned rest, a little afternoon’s doze while listening to Lord Scroungemore and Lady Clueless?

However, no, he cannot rest and now wants to become the Police Commissioner for Humberside. This is the interesting thing. The public are being duped once again that it is more democratic to have elected commissioners. Is it?

In my opinion, the police do a grand job. They are faced with reduced officer numbers, and, like other public sector workers are victims of the Government’s austerity policy. Most people would prefer to see more bobbies on the beat than a new multi-million police HQ in Hull, and a similar state-of-the-art HQ in Harrogate. Are these really necessary?

These commissioners are only in it for the money, hence Lord Prescott applying for a job worth £75,000 a year.

From: Barry Bevitt, Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract.

YOUR report (Yorkshire Post, February 14) that John Prescott has applied for the position of police commissioner filled me with horror.

I think the police are having enough trouble sorting themselves out without Lord Prescott meddling in police affairs.

We have not at this moment got a clown on TV doing I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here or Dancing on Ice. I believe Lord Prescott would be better suited to such roles – there is probably more money in it.

Protecting farmland

From: D Harrop, Malton Street, Sheffield.

IT is asserted that 60 per cent of the land in this country does not have designated protection against building and other development work.

As there are huge pressures on this 60 per cent of land for construction purposes, and as continuous expansionism is the principle force underlying and driving economic and business activity in England, I’d like to propose that, in addition to National Parks, Green Belts, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an additional category of protected land be established, to be known as prime agricultural land.

This category would have all the legal protections afforded the previously established protected areas, named above, and the documents of protection would lay down the restrictions and prohibitions within the areas of prime agricultural land.

As the name suggests, traditional food production, not the laying of concrete, would be the main activity permitted within this newly designated area.

At the same time, the integrity of rural England would be preserved; no small matter in itself.

Councils must look harder

From: Andrew Allison, national grassroots co-ordinator, The Taxpayers’ Alliance, Tufton Street, London.

I WOULD like to respond to two letters (Yorkshire Post, February 7); the first from Coun Sandy Taylor of York City Council implied the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) does not represent the interests of ordinary taxpayers. This could not be further from the truth. How can a council tax increase benefit those families already struggling to pay their bills? He also fails to acknowledge that the Government’s grant (equivalent to a 2.5 per cent council tax increase) is there to soften the blow while councils continue to look for more efficiency savings.

Those councils who are planning increases (like York where council tax has increased by 50 per cent in the last 10 years) are refusing the Government’s offer because they are not looking hard enough for further efficiencies. If the majority of councils can find those savings, with some reducing council tax, why can’t councils like York?

The second letter from Bob Holland asks the question: will those who benefit most from this freeze in tax be owners of the most valuable houses? Although a freeze would be worth a higher value to those in bigger houses, it would also represent a smaller share of the household income, therefore proportionally of less value to someone who is richer. It is also worth noting, after VAT, council tax is the second most burdensome tax for poorer families.

Mr Holland also asks who the leaders of the TPA are. This information is freely available on our website, although I can tell him our chief executive and co-founder, Matthew Elliott, was born and brought up in Leeds.

Assembly for Yorkshire

From: J A Renshaw, Thornhill Road, Rastrick, Brighouse.

I THINK I live in the British Isles; in Great Britain; but do I live in a United Kingdom? I think not after watching recent TV news reports.

I’m tired of hearing Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies wanting more money from Westminster. It is about time northern MPs got together and demanded an assembly for our region. Then we could have free university fees and enhanced social services like Scotland.

What gives Alex Salmond the right to tear up the 300 year-old Act of Union between England and Scotland? Scottish MPs are still represented in a Parliament covering the British Isles. Can we the English not have a say on this matter? I think people forget that there are more people in Yorkshire than in Scotland. As a supporter of the Union I sign myself Nonne Nos Eboraceuces.