The deer in Dagnam Park Reserve.
- Credit: Jan Sargent
We will fight to protect land for deer
A Romford resident, full name and address supplied, writes:
Oh deer! Once again, Havering takes the surgeon’s knife to Harold Hill.
It seems enough is NOT enough when it comes to the removal of much loved and used green space which has been a blessing to so many over the last year. It seems bursting-at-the-seams doctors’ surgeries are, in fact, not bursting at the seams and it seems, the deer population has a low cash value.
That value is packaged up as a very important parcel of land off Priory Road and a pivotal crossing point for the many wild stags and does who use it to access from the Manor to the fields around Harold Hill, driving a diversity of wildlife that is enjoyed by all residents and visitors.
Unmesh Desai, London Assembly member, City & East London, writes:
The chancellor must use his Budget announcement on March 3 to keep the £20 weekly uplift in Universal Credit payments. This has been a lifeline to the most vulnerable in our community and the many thousands of Londoners who have lost their livelihoods during this pandemic.
This is the very least the government can do to keep countless households from falling into poverty. Even with the extra £20, Universal Credit claimants are struggling to make ends meet.
A recent study conducted by the Welfare at a Social Distance project has revealed that a significant number of new claimants have been unable to eat regularly or healthily, pay bills or put away a modest amount of money each month.
Dear Editor, Why has the Day Surgery in the Andover Hospital stopped doing endoscopy and is it permanent? There has been a great deal of time and money spent on the unit and I feel it is such a shame that the Andover people have to travel to Winchester or Basingstoke when it could be done here.
Name and address supplied Dear Editor, What part of ‘stay home, protect the NHS, save lives’ does Tony Barron (letters Feb 19) not understand? Does he think that having people out and about delivering leaflets is a good enough reason NOT to adhere to Government guidance or does he think like some that the rules shouldn’t apply.
Readers letters
Government is planning to scrap the Union Learning Fund
- Credit: PA
Campaign to save training fund before it is scrapped
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw, general secretary, writes:
Let’s stop the government scrapping the Union Learning Fund in England at the end of March.
This unique scheme provides lifelong learning in many local workplaces, bringing together employers, education providers and trade unions to give workers a second chance at learning by contributing time, money and resources.
Learning and reskilling will be core to helping us recover from the impact of Covid-19 and dealing with the changing world of work because of automation.
Readers letters
The last tree standing at Dixon Clark Court (left)
- Credit: Alison Gosper
Open spaces
James Dunnett, Barnsbury Road, Islington, writes:
Islington Council is building on the green spaces on its housing estates in order to gain a handful of new houses.
The battle at Dixon Clark Court, Highbury Corner, has just been lost and the trees cut down – there will be a 400 per cent increase in built footprint on the site.
But there are other such schemes in the pipeline – many for which the council granted itself planning consent a few years ago before the pattern was widely appreciated.