Chainsaws and jackets

Well, let’s face it, the whole debacle has made Sheffield into a laughing stock, with the latest protestations involving enough trumpets, tambourines and recorders to make any primary school jealous.

So, great news for us tree lovers, the trees themselves, their inhabitants and for a polluted city that needs all the help it can get. Well, trees are said to be the earth’s lungs after all. However, I’m not holding my breath(!), though with pollution being as it is (even with the help of our beloved trees), that may be a good idea!

After all, taking out my crystal ball, below, I have made a prediction.

Let’s just say, I can bet my rear end that, straight after the local elections, on will go the high viz jackets, out will come the chainsaws and heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work they go!

Cue more protestors, more coppers, more beefy security men, more music... mark my words!

Sheffield’s finest

clairvoyant

Name and address supplied

The party politics wins

I read this letters page every day and there are many critics of our Sheffield council and I have heard that their meetings are dull affairs.

Labour proposals are little debated because opposition or counter proposals by other parties are shouted down. Party politics wins.

What our city needs is a victory for common sense. You can achieve this by casting your vote in the direction of UKIP or the new party Democrats and Veterans. They have no party whip.

Don’t let tree violence win

A barrage of negative media and political output apparently led to the pausing of tree maintenance works.

What is strange is that the focus is on the use of police and security guards to facilitate the work programme and the arrest of people who are breaking the law, sometimes violently.

It is worth remembering that if the protesters did not break the law and use violence against the workers, then there would be no need for police and security guards to be present.

It would be a shame if criminality and violence won the day.

Stephen Beaumont

by email

Enlighten me, please!

In February I had an exchange of correspondence on your letters page with B Heaton.

Mr Heaton made claims about the EU referendum for which I asked him to provide proof which he completely failed to do.

Imagine my surprise to see a letter this morning, (April 5) in which he attacks someone for failing to provide proof of the statements that they have made.

Do they not have pots and kettles in Doncaster? Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

Stephen Crowther

Greystones, Sheffield d

A step ahead of the game

As we all know, trees have dominated the Sheffield agenda for the past 12 months.

The gravity of the situation has prompted the present administration to suspend further work with the local elections looming.

This is clearly a damage limitation exercise, not only for the trees, though that may just be temporary, but also a move to minimise an anticipated dilution of power which means everything to the politicians. It is a strategy that demonstrates they are street-wise. A step ahead of the game perhaps?

What of the opposition though, do they have a strategy?

Will STAG be fielding candidates in the May elections, or will they be working in collaboration with the opposition parties?

In 2016, despite the wholesale bus changes generating a huge public outcry, in the end almost all of the changes proposed were implemented. So will history be repeated with the trees in 2018, through the administration riding out the storm?

Tree Watcher

Sheffield

He’s eating his words

Once upon a time, there was a lifelong Labour supporter. He was red right down to the roots, he laughed helplessly when a friend voted for the Green Party at the 2017 General Election. “What? The Bogey Brigade?”, he exclaimed: “Don’t tell me you voted for them!

They live in a parallel universe!

They’re away with the pixies! Are you serious?”

Fast forward a year. A year of tree felling and SCC shenanigans going into overdrive.

A year of Corbyn-antics galore. Enough to make a grown man weep. And a red man turn.

No prizes for guessing who he’s voting for now!

Is he eating his previous words? You bet.

It’s his friend’s turn to laugh now!

Ha, ha, ha!

What a difference a year makes.

Green Urn

Name and address supplied

Can’t beat the lead

I wonder if Sarah Carner could explain what happens if my dog gets bitten?

The dogs running loose are most likely to be the culprit, but then also their owners are usually a few yards away from their dog.

By the time they get over, I could be bitten also trying to protect my dog, who is on a lead at all times.

These dogs I am talking about are on the field where we live.

You can’t beat the lead at all times for the safety of all and maybe vets bills.

Brenda Wilkinson

S10