Contempt over more homes in Rochford

I read the report ‘Rochford can’t cope with 7,500 homes’ on page 4 of Thursday’s edition of the Echo and, for the first time ever, felt I had to write in response.

It does not surprise me that councillor Sperring is so dismissive of the responses of the electorate when he says ‘I am sure we will hear the usual views…’ as many of us are aware that some of those who purport to represent us on Rochford Council view our comments with disdain, or perhaps more accurately, with contempt!

Perhaps he would explain why he is so contemptuous of how a significant proportion of us feel.

Does he consider that our roads, doctors, hospitals and schools etc are all perfectly capable of dealing with the increase in population that Rochford is planning?

Or is he so gullible that he is taken in by the facile attempts to ameliorate these issues put forward by the planning officers when pushing these applications through?

However, what really surprised me was that he was happy for these comments to be published in the Echo, now, in my opinion, that really does show contempt!

Perhaps the electorate of Rochford would do well to remember this when voting in the next round of elections.

STUART MENNELL Lambourne Hall Road, Canewdon

Road name changes were a big waste

Regarding councillor Phil Turner’s letter, about the the line “Tories would not waste council cash” he fails to mention the amount that was spent on our address change on the Five Links Estate.

This was not only cost to the council, but a cost and inconvenience to the residents.

Not once has he or his Tory cronies apologized for this imposition of an address change for the local residents.

They stated it was for regeneration of the estate, I would like to ask a Mr Turner what regeneration has been done to the estate only to surround the estate with new houses, because the Tories did not like the look of our estate.

Thank goodness he is not in charge anymore.

DAVE PENN Camellia Place (was Mellow Purgess), Laindon

Coca-Cola truck was harmless fun

In response to the letter from Malcolm Woods on December 1 in relation to the Coca-Cola truck.

Judging by the amount of children having fun with their parents by the snow machine, having free face painting and balloons and pictures taken by the truck, I would hardly say that the Coca-Cola truck was unwelcome.

In regards to sugar content, Coca-Cola were handing out FREE vouchers for Coca Cola Zero only.

In today’s days of austerity, why would you want to deprive poor families of the opportunity to have a fun and free evening out with their families during this festive period. BAH HUMBUG MALCOLM!!!!

DANIEL BULL, Chase Gardens, Westcliff

Cash deposit for plastic bottles

Michael Gove is currently looking into creating a plasticbottle return scheme for England.

As an incentive to reuse plastic bottles, the primary focus is on the important environmental benefits of such a cash-deposit scheme.

However, there are also economic reasons to push forward with this proposal.

A recent report by Eunomia showed that if companies, not councils, are responsible for recycling the bottles they’re putting out, the savings could amount to tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of pounds for those councils.

It would presumably reduce litter too, just as the 5p charge on plastic bags has done.

Perhaps our local councillors and MPs could write to Gove and urge him to introduce such a scheme as soon as possible!

JASON PILLEY, Moseley Street, Southend

Unisex toilets are a bad idea in schools

There is an alarming level of boy-on-girl sexual abuse in Primary Schools.

I wonder how much of this grossly unacceptable behaviour is down to misguided so called, sex education.

Now “they” are talking about gender neutral lavatories in schools. Happy hunting grounds for these little monsters?

RON HURRELL, Hadleigh Park Avenue, Thundersley