Being fed to the lions

Published 10 Feb 2010 12:00

WELL ladies and gentlemen, it has been two weeks since I sent my last letter in, regarding our council's refusal to take responsibility for the safety of its taxpayers.

And unsurprisingly, no-one from West Dunbartonshire Council saw fit to reply or discuss the issues printed.

So I 'got over it', so to speak. Then, just when I thought it was safe to go back out into the ice, I read that the average family accessing childcare in West Dunbartonshire is to pay over the odds as the council prepares to hike its charges. Why?

Why does the council persist in these acts of blatant thievery?

Coupled with the highly dubious £15 charge for picking up unwanted furniture/household items, it seems increasingly that the taxpayer is yet again being fed to the lions in the interest of covering up financial mismanagement.

Perhaps I can offer more ideas in the same vein.

Shall I come to the council depot and drive the refuse lorry up to my own house on bin collection day?

That would save a few pounds.

Oh, and I was standing for more than 15 minutes at the Rosebery Place office whilst waiting to pay my Council Tax, perhaps I could be charged rent for the space I occupied on that day?

It is all money.

Interestingly enough, something that people in Clydebank do not have a lot of - and yet more is taken. Our soon-to-retire MP presided over a Commons Treasury Select Committee investigating banks and their financial practices.

In several columns in this very paper, he stated that it was "for the benefit of my constituents".

Gordon Brown said this week: "Throughout unprecedented turbulent times, John remained an authoritative voice that emboldened and reassured both Parliament and the British people on how to steer through the recession.

"Parliament and the people of Dunbartonshire will miss his wise counsel."

I am sorry Mr McFall, I'm not seeing it.

What I am seeing is the elderly people freezing this Winter because of crippling fuel bills.

I am seeing all the seriously ill children having to rely on charity for life saving operations.

I am seeing people scraping by on minimum wage, whilst filling the pockets of an insolent and ineffective Government by paying outrageous tax.

I am seeing the wasteland this town has become and any politicians' utter refusal to do anything to change it.

Each politician promises that they will do better than the previous person.

When that does not happen, no-one is prosecuted for telling bare-faced lies.

It has been like this for as long as I can remember, certainly since I was a child - I'm 33 now.

That is a very, very long time.

Take heed politicians, May is looming.

I think I will be staying home on polling day.

Joseph-John Markey, Faifley

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This article appeared in Clydebank Post 10 Feb 10

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