Last updated 14:29, Friday, 04 July 2008

THE Haltwhistle parish is not one to be exhibited as the epitome of what a community should be.

So much care appears to have been given to development being attracted elsewhere, with futile cosmetic attempts to indicate otherwise.

Trading is at a low. The expensive branch road into the Hadrian Park industrial estate from the A69 appears pointless when empty premises are available elsewhere.

It is not that this is not known in town; the more practical residents see what is happening and express disgust but, otherwise are unable to remedy the situation.

Haltwhistle does not, for instance, have an association football ground. Provision for one was included in the plans for the diverted A69. As there is no ground, there is no longer a town football team. There has been talk of one, but only talk. Two organisations, the swimming and leisure centre and Haltwhistle Partnership talk and talk but achieve little.

It was only recently that the constitution of the swimming and leisure centre’s parent body was revised. The base for the centre is the defunct Miners' Welfare Hall and recreation ground. It is to another charity – the coal industry social welfare organisation – that the assets of the centre belong.

Both charities are far from being public bodies fully accountable to the public. The recent legislation about open accountability does not apply to either. The grants spent on the sports hall would have been better used on a publicly owned property.

In all these matters, those who are members of the town council do nothing.

M. EDEN IRVING,

The Coign,

Haltwhistle