Welcome to Shiregreen

This rubbish is on the stretch of Hartley Brook Road, near its junction with Gregg House Road, between the shopping centre and Hartley Brook School.

The waste bin, next to the bus stop and a couple of yards from this pile of litter, is overflowing with domestic rubbish.

The whole 150-yard stretch of pavement and verges is covered in litter, the shopping centre too.

There’s also glass all over the road outside the chip shop.

It’s not much better around the school, where I know there have been complaints about the rubbish strewn around the school entrance.

Not that it did any good. Fortunately, all Shiregreen isn’t like this, but that’s not much consolation to those of us who live in this area of the estate. It’s like living surrounded by a pig sty.

SC, Disgusted resident

by email

Fire risk to Rotherham

Like most of the public and the Labour Party, I agree with the comments by our firefighters and the FBU union against the cuts to our local fire service. I welcome our three MPs now supporting the public and FBU.

Labour should be leading the fight on this not sitting on their hands. The plans that should be open to change are deeply flawed.

The decision not to man our second appliance at Rotherham is indefensible.

Like Grenfell, we need more NOT less fire resources at night when people are more likely to be disorientated and at risk.

Business operates 24/7. Regardless of whether they are petrol stations, hotels, care homes/hospitals, retail or industry.

Acts of arson and terrorism often occur after dusk.

For the record – the public, Labour Party membership locally and nationally and the wider movement are wholly opposed to cuts.

Representatives from other parts of our county had resolve by standing up and fighting for their constituents – and those plans were ditched.

Why is that not happening for Rotherham and district?

Mayor Andy Burnham has also froze any cuts for his Greater Manchester region.

The public demand the return of both fire appliances in Rotherham that are manned 24/7.

Ged Dempsey

Labour Party – Wath & Wentworth CLP pc

What quality of Tarmac?

Resurfaced pavements are a death trap in ice.

Having seen this headline in the Star I remember reading an article about Tarmac and it was saying that if cheaper Tarmac was used it would freeze more quickly and create an ice rink.

I remember the surfaces before being resurfaced and they were nowhere near as slippy or dangerous as they are now.

I believe the first step of an enquiry is to find out what quality of Tarmac was used.

Mr PG

S10

Keep parks public

I’ve just read on social media about the renting or selling of Millhouses Park.

As a child and living in a tiny house with no garden in the 1940s and 50s we’d all go to Millhouses Park for a picnic and it was such a lovely treat.

The paddling pool was a great attraction and we’d stay there all day.

Surely the parks should be kept as a public resource.

Sandra Hodgkinson

by email

Sheffield still radical city

Any doubts that Sheffield is no longer a radical city must be laid to rest after the tree folk stormed the Bastille (Town Hall) recently.

Sans Culottes will no doubt adorn the boulevards of Sheffield après Easter.

Sheffield’s Horse Barracks was once dubbed the Bastille following the incarceration of the Purchon Brothers in the 1790s .

Cold Heart and Bloody Hand ruled English Land when Habeas Corpus was suspended over the Wicker Arches in the form of Pitt the Younger.

Ron Clayton

It’s there for the taking

It goes to show that hard work and dedication will eventually reward you.

Take Paula Nickolds, the 45-year-old, who worked her way up from the haberdashery department of John Lewis to become managing director, an inspiration to all aspiring wannabes.

It’s all there for the taking, so don’t just dream it, do it.

EB Warris

by email

Big John’s sidekick

Me and lads have just been listening to Big John at Breakfast doing the quiz.

A guy on the programme did OK, getting seven out of 10 and what did big John’s sidekick say?

I quote : “He did okay for somebody who sounded not to bright.”

She didn’t even have the good grace to apologise, but John did.

The Pluto posse

Together we can win wars

I say no to fracking.

Yorkshire is riddled with tunnels and mines.

No way do we need any more or our houses will be disappearing down shafts.

Surely, the big fracking companies can see that.

The little communities have no chance but if we all got together and got aid from the system, we could win these wars.

Pam Thompson

Heeley, Sheffield