Irresponsible people

Irresponsible people

I am a senior citizen living in a rented apartment at Dore. I have just read with disgust a story in The Star regarding a £20,000 bill being passed on to householders for a clean-up.

May I point out colloquially speaking “you can’t tar everyone with the same brush”. However, my sister and brother-in-law live on the Norfolk Park Estate (council tenants) have a garden that is lovingly tended, absolutely beautiful with a delightful fishpond. Why should they as council tenants have to subsidise such irresponsible people who, undoubtedly, have no intention of cleaning up this filthy mess?

Council tenants responsible should be threatened with eviction and owner occupiers made to pay up if it applies to them. I was born and bred in Attercliffe and moved to the newly built Norfolk Park estate many years ago. The estate was absolutely wonderful, we had a good array of shops, a super infant and junior school and last but not least four very decent pubs for socialising. I have never forgotten my roots living in a council house for many years until we could afford a deposit to become owner occupiers.

Sheffield

Save the pub

CAMRA has had to make a third application to the council to designate the University Arms, Brook Hill, as an Asset of Community Value. Close to 2000 people signed a petition in 2014 against possible demolition - the likely fate of the boarded up Star and Garter, nearby on Winter Street. In opposing previous applications, the University of Sheffield’s PR company falsely claims it is a student pub. Previously Club 197, the university staff club, it actually attracts a unique mix of students, staff, local residents and people from far and wide. It also hosts community clubs, events and functions and is the only all-inclusive social area on the University campus with a secure, closed garden.

The decision is due this month. I trust that sense will prevail and Asset of Community Value status will be granted this time.

Coun Magid Magid

Broomhill & Sharrow Vale ward Green Party

Get used to that too

It seems your frequent contributors Jayne Grayson and Terry Palmer can’t wait for Brexit.

They along with those in a similar mindset remind those who voted to remain that we are leaving Europe so get used to it.

However, may I remind them that mass immigration into the UK, a significant reason may voted to leave, is here to stay, Brexit or not, so get used to that too.

There are a number of reasons why. Firstly, the majority of immigrants are not from Europe but the wider world.

Secondly, many of the much mooted new trade deals will require an element of a greater freedom of movement between the participant countries.

This has been shown recently by Australia which says there will be no trade deal without Australian citizens getting easier access to the UK. India too has made similar demands.

Thirdly, Theresa May has stated at the latest Euro meeting in Malta that the Uk will continue to help with Europe’s migrant crisis after Brexit.

The current Conservative administration continues to state that it hopes to bring immigration down to around 100,000 per annum.

This is hardly stopping immigration or pulling up the drawbridge that many of the 52% might have thought they would get by voting leave.

It is important to realise that immigration is not driven by MPs or by Europe. It is driven by the demand of the British business.

In the 1950s it was London Transport and the National Health Service. It is now much wider and includes manufacturing, farming, warehousing and distribution, IT and financial services and construction as well as the NHS.

Restricting migration from Europe will simply see Polish, Lithuanian, Romanian and Bulgarian migrants replaced by those from India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Australia, China, USA etc, etc.

S Miller

Do you want any help?

The sad death of Dorothy Hull brings back to me a day in mid-1974 when I was a member of Sheffield recreation foreman Jim Turner’s gang.

Jim and I were struggling with a heavyweight gate post down Freedom Street, Lower Walkley, when out of her cabin, just a few yards away on Freedom Street, came the voice of a young blonde lady: “Want any help?” she asked.

Both Jim and I just burst out laughing. She repeated the question and then she explained she was a Drott digger driver.

Anyway, we left her to it and within the next 15 minutes she’d used the bucket of her Drott digger and lifted out the 8ft by 2ft wide concrete garden gate.

She refused an offer of a tip, shook hands with both of us and then went back to her Drott to demolish the row of old houses on Freedom Street.

Both Jim and I were left wringing our hands, for Dorothy had a grip like a vice. Jim, as I can remember, was once a middleweight wrestler but said he thought Dorothy had crushed his hand.

I can also recall that long line of terraced houses was demolished in just two and a half days before Dorothy moved on to her next assignment some streets away.

I wonder if Jim is still around and can remember that June day in mid-summer 1974.

Pete Godfrey

ex-recreation workman 1955-1992

Pay as you go mobile

My husband had a “pay as you go” mobile phone. The last time he used it was in January last year, but after that, he became too ill to text etc. and due to circumstances it wasn’t used again.

Knowing there was plenty of credit on it, in December I decided to use it, but there was no provider there.

I went to the EE shop to find out why. They said if I haven’t used it for a while, we delete it (I found out later it was deleted in October).

I asked where the credit was and could it be transferred to mine - sorry, it’s not refundable, they said.

The young lady in the shop was very good and put me in touch with a lady, presumably in head office, who said it was their policy and in the contract to do this.

We didn’t have a contract or a written policy so were unaware of this procedure.

I was insistent it was our money and it was like stealing. In the end she said she would send me a credit in 7-10 working days, probably to get rid of me. That was December 30.

Have I received it? No.

So, all you people, especially the ones who keep a mobile just for emergencies, beware. Just because you have credit on it, check your provider is still on and use it now and again, because I would hate for you to be stranded.

I have found out it is not only EE that can do this.

I wonder how much revenue they get from taking your credit on mobiles that have not been used for a while because they can and they have?

Mrs A Taylor

Star reader of 53 years.

PS Your Whitworth cartoon in The Star dated 7th February has prompted me to air my views.