This week's Bromsgrove and Droitwich Standard letters......

Javid’s bill could make massive difference to the deaf

REGARDING the private member’s bill, our own Sajid Javid has the opportunity to make a difference to the estimated 151.000 deaf people in this country who use British Sign Language as their means of communication.

Can you imagine living in a world where information is shared but you are not included?

An example of this is the present pandemic.

The information communicated to all citizens was vital for staying safe and knowing the rules for a life-threatening virus.

An interpreter was present only at selected briefings.

Should this access have been a right to all citizens?

This private members bill, if successful, will enhance the lives of many deaf people,

Adults in employment, mothers, fathers, children in education, employers and employees would have their status culture and language confirmed in law.

In fact it will affect deaf people in every strata of society and yet they struggle to be accepted on an individual or national basis.

It is vital that the deaf community secure British Sign Language recognition in law.

The purpose of the BSL Bill is to make BSL an official language of the UK. To establish a board to promote and facilitate the use of BSL in every facet of life.

This affects so many deaf people that it is incredible that a recognition of their culture and language has not already been formalised.

Having been privileged to have spent many years interacting with deaf people, I know that support for this bill will be overwhelming.

We are fortunate to live in Bromsgrove where diversity is accepted.

In other parts of the country deaf people struggle.

Hopefully this private members opportunity will add to the richness of the deaf community nationally.

I write this on behalf of my many friends who experience deafness.

Pat Booth

Bill should force MPs to live and spend half their time close to home

I WRITE regarding our MP being chosen to put forward a private members bill – he could raise this issue which is literally close to home.

All MPs must live within three miles of the centre of their constituency full-time for at least 50 per cent of their elected tenures as a mandatory issue to accept their seat or a by-election forced if not.

Graham Dallas

Bromsgrove

Has freedom fighter forgotten about the 120,000 deaths?

On May 14, Phil Haynes wrote disagreeing with the idea of ‘freedom passports’ being required for the restoration of ‘civil liberties’ to go to pubs etc.

Has he forgotten that last year 120,000 people died because they had no vaccine?

If everybody followed the Covidiots who deny the need for a vaccine, this country would now resemble India.

Senior citizens and other vulnerable people have every right to expect that people around them going about their normal business have either a vaccination certificate or a recent negative test.

This is no more ‘discrimination’ than expecting police recruits to pass a medical.

Covid is not just the flu – it is as deadly as the Black Death – and it is the vaccination certificates which will allow us all to get back to the activities we enjoy. Surely a small price to pay!

Paul O’Dell

Voters should have opted for councillors who will deal with potholes

WELL, the people went to the polls and made their mark for a Tory council even though they were not flavour of any day on many issues, mainly on road repairs that is costing motorists thousands from their own pocket due to insurance companies saying if you claim, well you lose your no claims next renewal. My own personal damage cost from a 6ft long pothole was £900.

The council’s response was words to the effect of: “We check the roads every 12 months and it was okay last time we checked the pothole you dropped into, so it’s tough we are not going to pay out.”

I complained to Sajid Javid who did the usual and passed me on, I tried Coun Karen May – it was the same there.

Another issue prior to the elections was the planning agreements in Bromsgrove that again people were up in arms about – but the Tory planning department ignored the people’s concerns.

Latest is the Stoke Prior development that’s going to have 90 static residential homes built on it.

Again, with over 200 people in that village saying no we don’t want it.

But no doubt it will go through.

So why did the people re-elect the Tories when there were plenty of other candidates that would have supported their basic concerns?

Because why else do you pay your council tax?

For true representation of their needs that’s why and not a political party.

Here in Romsley village another planning application goes through for houses that local people and the local council have said is an absurdity for many reasons.

So who’s next in Bromsgrove to have houses built in their backyards?

Looking at the applications now going through the council, it is the villages which are going to get these new builds.

Stan Francis

Romsley

EDITOR’S COMMENT

OUR STORY about vlogger Dave Thompson being inspired by ‘Droitwich’s beautiful canal’ reminds us of how lucky we are to live near so much picturesque countryside.But at the same time, this weekend the Great British Spring Clean begins – a necessary annual tidy because of the mindless actions of a few people who drop litter wherever they roam.

Hopefully, as we approach this bank holiday weekend, we can all enjoy our green areas, but also treat them with respect.