Where is the Big Society?

Further to Matthew Shaw’s letter “Blight of litter louts” (Yorkshire Post, March 21), I ask: “What Big Society?”

I collect litter around where I live, including the two-and-a-half mile walk/cycle/bridle way to Walshford used by so-called lovers of the countryside. Sack after sack. I fill a fresh one every week.

I get plenty of “By, you’re doing a good job” but I have never had: “I’ll give you a hand.”

I say again: “What Big Society?”

Get tough on drink drivers

From: Roger M Dobson, Ash Street, Cross Hills, Keighley.

IT is very rare for me to agree with all or part of any Editorial in the Yorkshire Post. However, the item “Drinking dilemma” (Yorkshire Post, March 22) is the exception that proves the rule.

Penalties imposed by the magistrates’ courts are in general far too soft, giving no or hardly any deterrent to the crime of drink driving. A first offence should be a salutary lesson to any driver with a short jail sentence being the only one suitable for anyone proven to have been drink driving when three times the limit.

Driving under the influence of drugs must be treated as being as serious as drink driving.

European sense

From: Dr Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

An outbreak of measles in Leeds means that not enough children were immunised as babies. In Europe and North America, no child is allowed to start school unless their parent produces a certificate of the child’s full immunisation.

Why do we always follow the daft rules of Europe but go our own way when something sensible is recommended?