The new old town hall

What an amazing collection of computer-generated images of the Old Town Hall, (Star, April 13), showing how this beautiful building could look if restored and brought back into use.
What the old town hall could look likeWhat the old town hall could look like
What the old town hall could look like

This historic building has such great potential to provide the citizens of Sheffield with a wonderful community space with multi-purpose facilities for a variety of events which could include a meetings and conference centre, art exhibitions, wedding venue and performance space for drama and music. The possibilities are endless.

This gem of Victorian architecture must not be turned into apartments as it would then lose its unique interior features which would be a catastrophe. It is an absolute disgrace that this fine building has been allowed to crumble away during two decades of neglect when it is such an important part of the city’s history.

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Surely the Old Town Hall deserves to be transformed to its former glory and it is to be hoped that the £10 million can somehow be raised for the long-awaited restoration work to be carried out as it will be more than worth it to see it brought back to life and serve the people of Sheffield once again in a new and exciting role.

Susan Richardson

Westminster Crescent, Lodge Moor, Sheffield, S10

Every saving helps

The Green Party continues to push for action on high council salaries, noting chief executive John Mothersole’s £219,000 in salary and pension contributions last year.

In the budget amendment in March, Green councillors again proposed reducing the pay of senior officers on salaries of more than £50,000 a year. Reducing inequality between the highest and lowest paid is important for a fairer society.

A further Green proposal was to “cut political spin from the Town Hall” by cutting all the paid political assistants from the council payroll and requiring politicians to do their own research and press work. This would have saved £73,000 in 2018/19 and £150,000 in future years.

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It’s no surprise that the party that benefits the most from this political expenditure, Labour with two posts, doesn’t want to cut them. The Lib Dems, with one post, did at least support cutting one of the Labour posts. With the government cutting so much from local council funding, every saving helps maintain basic services.

Kaltum Rivers

Broomhill & Sharrow Vale ward Green Party, (S3)

Not much chance of that

Not much to say to Baslow’s M Roper, (Letters, April 17), suggesting I am have become a ‘remainer’ except to say “you wish”.

There’s as much chance of me becoming a ‘remainer’ as there is of Baslow’s M Roper becoming a proud British ‘Brexiteer’ or maybe a Marxist ‘Corbynista’.

You undemocratic ‘remainers’ keep forgetting, you lost by 1.5 million votes but, just like some MPs, Baslow’s M Roper chooses to ignore the democratic verdict of the people.

Have a nice day.

Terry Palmer

South Lea Avenue, Hoyland, Barnsley, S74

Can we have some proof?

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If Jeremy Corbyn says he needs proof that Russia was involved with the poisoning of the Skripals can we have proof that Tony Blair had proof of the weapons of mass destruction.

PH Siddall

Brinsworth

Hear him out

When Theresa May spoke in the commons this week the Labour MPs were respectful to her and heard her out, yet when Jeremy Corbyn spoke he wasn’t given the same grace.Many of us don’t agree with him but at least have the decency to hear him out.

Jayne Grayson

S35

Drafty tram shelter

Herdings tram shelter or lack of it is looking bare. Iit makes one wonder what’s going to happen there, not much joy in waiting there.

So is it possible it could be repaired or at least made more weather-proof.

Brrrr, it’s drafty.

EB Warris

Sheffield, S14

For richer or poorer

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There is a well-known phrase used by the UK community in our legal sentencing system of “one law for the rich and one/another law for the poor.”

This is generally interpreted as the rich defendant unfairly getting a more lenient court sentence than the poor one when found guilty of an offence.

Readers can be excused for questioning the reality of this saying in the case of Ant McPartlin, the television show presenter, who has to been fined £86,000 and given a 20-month driving ban after pleading guilty to a drink driving charge at Wimbledon Magistrates Court.

I do not in any way condone Mr McPartlin’s conduct in committing this offence to which he plead guilty.

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I do however question the financial severity of his sentence in relation to the severity of the offence.

The District Judge said she had to consider the “seriousness and gravity” of the offence, but noted that the defendant had shown “genuine remorse” and had taken “immediate action” to address his issues.

He was twice the legal limit for driving – fortunately nobody was seriously hurt in the incident.

The £86,000 fine is believed to be the biggest in British legal history for a drink driving offence.

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It is reported that Mr McPartlin is paid £130,000 per week for his TV work.

Some readers may be of the opinion that he is easily able to pay his fine and should have been given a more severe sentence.

Others may think that the old saying of “one law for the rich and another for the poor” has been turned on its head by the severity of his financial penalty.

It would be unthinkable to impose such a figure for this offence if committed by the average man or woman on the street, whether they be rich or poor.

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The law should lay down a level playing field for all defendants in criminal cases – those found or pleading guilty should be sentenced on established legal guidelines for the severity of the offence and not on their bank balance and celebrity status.

Cyril Olsen

Busk Meadow, Sheffield, S5