BEFORE the General Election, and before Mr Gummer Junior became an MP, he made a statement about his constituency - Ipswich - saying the town had spent in excess of one billion pounds on its development over the last few years.
BEFORE the General Election, and before Mr Gummer Junior became an MP, he made a statement about his constituency - Ipswich - saying the town had spent in excess of one billion pounds on its development over the last few years.
It has changed dramatically and, in my opinion, this has happened since the introduction of council tax. And for that reason, it makes my blood boil to hear people say they wish to stay as part of Suffolk when the county council has done nothing for Lowestoft.
Yes, one of its senior members, the portfolio holder for roads and transport Guy McGregor, did offer us a week's free transport into the town centre when we were jokingly called 'cone city'. He also made a couple of 'statements' - one being the new road Tom Crisp Way. But this was not a gift; it was paid for by tax-payers. Unless I'm mistaken, the working people of Lowestoft were tax-payers, and all the land was compulsorily at a giveaway price purchased in the 1950's - upsetting a lot of people at that time.
Despite this, it took 50 years for Suffolk County Council to allow this new road to be constructed.
Secondly, we were told by McGregor that opening Millennium Way (to Yarmouth Road) would solve our town's traffic problems. I'm not sure of the name of his planet, but he must know the real answer to the development of our town is a third crossing. However, this can only happen after the county council has spent a few more hundred millions on leisure complexes in Ipswich.
Meanwhile, we hear that Andrea Hill, the county council's chief executive on �220,000-a-year has appointed a 'spin doctor' - Miss Jill Rawlins - on �182,000-a-year. We're told Miss Rawlins' expertise will save money.
But I wonder how many frontline workers lose their jobs to make this saving. Perhaps dustcart drivers will be asked to empty all the bins on their own, and if they fix a broom to the front of their trucks they can sweep the streets at the same time!
Jonathan Nunn
Witney Green
Pakefield
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