Councillors need to listen to the people they represent

POLITICAL nous tells us that eight Conservative and one Labour councillor will pass the ‘change of use’ status for Ipsley Meadow from green space to burial ground on September 29, 2021.

This will happen despite almost two years of unprecedented objections (782), weighty geological, ecological and environmental evidence of unsuitability of burials at Ipsley Meadow together with a workable plan to extend the existing Abbey cemetery to cover the burial shortfall over the coming 50 years.

It seems, therefore that the immovable ‘Occam’s razor’ that is RBC, will overcome its indefatigable council taxpayer and win the day.

But what is ‘winning the day?’ Producing 60 years of burials on 24,000 square meters of sloping land, accompanied by additional travel congestion to 100 householders, 100 apartment/maisonette dwellings, 100 office workers and 4 acres of new build residential properties when the old GKN site is sold for redevelopment sometime in 2022?

But ‘tallyho,’ the white knight of compromise has ridden in with a solution: The lower (flat) section of Ipsley Meadows – from the bottom the slope marking the lower limit of the proposed new cemetery, down through the flat, tree lined bottom meadow along to the start of the five working football fields bordering Washford Road.

This area, measuring approximately 24,000 square meters already has a constructed entrance and car park between the skate park and the BMX stadium next to the Golden Goose pub.

Is this ‘too good’ a solution whereby the NIMBY’s (courtesy of RBC) can walk their beautiful meadow and our dear departed will be eternally entertained with skateboard twirls and BMX gyrations.

Most common-sense onlookers think it is now time for Redditch politicians and their exasperated taxpayers to ‘bury the hatchet’ and dream about beauty spots saved and tax rises (possibly) abated with cost savings at the adjoining meadow and/or the Abbey extension, plus (of course) a 50- year windfall of £14.4million burial plot sales – at today’s prices!

I Pickles, Ipsley

Cash not kind words are needed to sort out mental health crisis

ON RACHEL Maclean’s Facebook page this week she wrote about Suicide Prevention Week – some warm words to say she was thinking about constituents who had lost a loved one.

This is well meaning, but I’d like to point out that suicide awareness is more than just kind thoughts.

Mental health funding is critical, and after 10 years of Conservative Government there are over 1.6million people on a waiting list for mental health services.

Even more worrying it is estimated that another 8million people have been told their mental health issues are not severe enough to get onto the waiting list.

We must also look at the factors which push people into a mental health crisis – debt, lack of food, homelessness and also physical wellbeing.

If Rachel Maclean truly supports the notions behind suicide prevention week then she must work towards a stronger and more supportive welfare system, rather than continually voting for the punitive and harsh system championed by her political party. Suicide prevention is about action not words.

Sharon Harvey

Southcrest

‘We need to end war after Afghanistan disaster’

IN THE wake of the Afghanistan disaster, is it not time to put an end to war?

There is a simple method of ensuring countries are governed fairly and without the terrible injuries, loss of life and destruction of innocent inhabitants’ lives and homes.

The United Nations has to agree a set of rules all leaders of countries must adhere to in terms of ethical treatment of their citizens, maximum percentages of income they can take in taxes or rent, boundary disputes to be settled by appeal to the UN and agreement by majority vote.

Any leader breaking these rules, or their government and military leaders, will be held personally responsible for their actions and will be sentenced accordingly to fines, imprisonment, removal from power and finally death.

Any leader stepping out of line may attend a UN trial to defend their actions if they wish.

If they do not attend, the sentence remains in power until they surrender themselves and a UN police force will aim to arrest them but not fight other army forces.

If all leaders know they will be subject to these rules which include death, they will be less likely to step out of line in the first place.

All leaders, suffering from acts of terrorism or unrest may appeal to the UN for a decision on how to act against what may appear to be a racial or religious rising and again a majority UN decision will be final.

There will only be a UN army, not individual countries’, and one rule will be no country has any weapons of mass destruction from machine guns and tanks right up to nuclear submarines.

The UN army will be big enough to halt any individual country trying to raise a force and be trained to offer aid needed as a result of natural disasters – their main employment. Please, all countries, take this seriously, discuss, and implement – Israel, Syria and Afghanistan ruled under the Taliban should all be problems solves and the loss of life and the need for refugees to flee, ended.

Margot Bish

Abbeydale

EDITOR’S COMMENT

CONGRATULATIONS to British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu – what she accomplished on Saturday was truly inspirational.

She epitomises how we all should be – not just in tennis or sport – but in life in general.

She had a goal and has worked hard to get where she wanted to be, earning her just reward.

Hopefully her success will lead to more children and young people picking up a racket to give tennis a go, boosting local clubs and the grassroots game.