Cuts in youth services could be reason behind antisocial behaviour in Devizes

The Labour Party, together with many independent bodies, including the Rowntree Foundation, Resolution Foundation etc urged the Chancellor to help everybody with the huge cost of living rise, particularly those on very low incomes, or he was warned, levels of people living in poverty would increase hugely. Sadly, he did not do enough, instead offering “cake tomorrow” in the form of reduction in tax in two years time! (14.5m people were trapped in poverty in 2019/2020, including 4.3m children, 8.1m working-age adults and 2.1m pensioners - Joseph Rowntree Foundation)

Of course it is accepted that the Covid Pandemic created a huge problem for the Chancellor, and indeed the Government. However, there was increased poverty in the UK before Covid, which was not addressed. In 2016, under 19s living in poverty in Wiltshire were 9.4 per cent vs 6.3 per cent in England (Wiltshire Intelligence, Wiltshire Council, 2016).

We urge Devizes Town Council, Wiltshire Council and MP Danny Kruger to push the Government to do more to support hard pressed families, particularly, those with the lowest incomes.

Short term, political expedient reactions, do not work! The closure of Sure Start Centres, and cuts in youth services, as part of austerity measures, may be one of the reasons Devizes is at present suffering from youth antisocial behaviour.

Sue Buxton

Devizes Constituency Labour Party

Long wait for station

Regarding your article concerning the reopening of Corsham Railway Station this was actually raised way before 2009. The subject was initially suggested by Corsham Civic Society back in 1986 I believe. A small group of volunteers formed a committee and began to raise awareness of the need to reopen the station. This culminated in a town wide survey, the results of which were very positive.

Let us hope that the latest estimate of another five years before the plans may become a reality actually happens this time, after all 36 years have passed since the idea was first mooted. Your front page photograph which dates from 1930 shows the intended location for a new station, the original station being located well to the rear of the photograph in the cutting.

Mike Dodd

Brook Drive

Corsham

Renewables call

As chair of Wiltshire Council's Corsham Area Board, I was delighted to listen to Radio 4's The World this Weekend broadcasting from Corsham.

Far less welcome was hearing the ill-informed and foolish opposition of North Wiltshire's Conservative MP, James Gray to expanding renewable energy. Mr Gray's comments were broadcast on the same weekend as the images of the atrocities and war crimes discovered by Ukrainian troops in the towns and villages they have liberated from Putin's invading army. The need to make our country, continent and world far less dependent on oil and gas is pressing because of the impact of fossil fuels in creating climate change. That urgency is made all the more so as much of this fuel comes from countries that show utter contempt for human rights and humanity, like Putin's Russia.

Mr Gray's commentary also coincides with eye watering increases in the costs of heating and lighting our homes and local businesses. Domestic, renewable energy has an important role to play here too as made clear by Ecotricity’s Dale Vince in the programme. So does a VAT cut funded by a windfall tax on staggering profits being made by big energy companies because of soaring prices, as proposed by my own party leader Ed Davey and Labour’s Keir Starmer and the Green’s Caroline Lucas.

Britain is blessed by major opportunities to harness the wind, waves, tides and sun to power our much needed sustainable revolution in the powering of our homes, businesses and farms. This Government's delayed energy strategy must embrace this opportunity with enthusiasm and serious investment, while ignoring the foolish views of its own MPs like Mr Gray.

Dr Brian Mathew

Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for the Environment

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