Tipping row rolls on (From York Press)

Tipping row rolls on

9:45am Wednesday 2nd May 2012 in Letters

It comes as no surprise to learn that the council has now admitted the real reason behind the closure of Beckfield Lane tip is to sell the site for affordable housing (The Press, April 27).

This is typical of the way the Labour administration is running things, by using half-truths and exaggerated excuses.

We see this all too regularly, where they withhold information, which if disclosed would possibly alter the outcome; the community stadium being another example.

In the case of Beckfield Lane, it’s obvious that the site is being sold to prop up the council’s failing affordable housing statistics. This would not have been an acceptable reason for the closure, so they invented an ostensible reason of cost cuts, and unaffordable upgrading.

It’s time that they cleaned up their act.

Paul S Cordock, Durlston Drive, Strensall, York.

• AS THE person who has been leading the campaign to save Beckfield Lane depot, I would like to thank the 3,000 plus people who have signed the petition in support of the campaign. Sadly, Labour won’t listen.

Labour’s belated justification for the closure, in the report, is a sad example of low standards in British politics. The health and safety argument failed to mention the absence of any record of any injury in more than 30 years of service.

The financial case Labour presented is extremely optimistic. Labour wants to pretend the closure will lead to an instant saving; it is far more likely to lead to an increase in costs.

The use of disability equality legislation to justify closure is, in my opinion, a new low. Labour cites the Disability Equality Duty, while refusing to acknowledge that this duty was intended to increase services to the disabled, not to be used as a mechanism for taking services away equally from everyone.

I would like to thank the neighbours, the Beckfield Lane Post Office, and the Liberal Democrat party members who helped collect signatures. I would also like to acknowledge the cross-party support in opposition of a blatantly bad decision.

Reuban Mayne, Grayshon Drive, York.

• SO LABOUR decided, yet again, to ignore huge local public opposition and shut Beckfield Lane tip.

Now the decision’s been made, the question remains as to why Labour seem so intransigent rather than collaborative on key issues. Do they think listening to residents’ wishes is a sign of weakness? Maybe, but a look at James Alexander on Twitter proves far more revealing.

Referring to their Manifesto he tweeted, “I just don’t think it is fair to criticise [us] for doing what we said we would do”. This exhibits a startling lack of understanding of the nature of democratic decision making. It is flawed to assume that by electing you, voters endorsed you implementing every part of your manifesto.

York residents gave Labour a mandate to act on their behalf in their best interests, which involves reflecting their wishes on local issues. This mandate does not give them permission to act autocratically in implementing Labour manifesto pledges that are plain wrong and against majority public opinion.

If Labour doesn’t understand something this obvious, we cannot hope to have an administration that acts positively in the wider public interest rather than for narrow political aims.

Nick Love, Deangate, York.