In its dreams

Let me explain.

Prior to the Conservative Government, our council applied for and received every conceivable grant that was on offer.

Then, when the Labour Government had almost bankrupted the country, it was replaced.

Now that grants are not so readily available the council has been pleading poverty ever since, with threatened cutbacks on many services.

It borrowed £2.5million to purchase Jacksons Landing (which had stood empty for years) at a “steal”, declaring that it would sell it to a developer for a vast profit.

We now hear some years later that, in its infinite wisdom, it is going to demolish it at a cost of some £40,000, which it will get from a £90,000 council lay-by from last year.

And guess what?

It is going to sell it to a property developer to build a hotel.

In its dreams!

Then I read (Mail, July 27) that it is absolutely delighted to get a £600,000 grant towards the £18million it needs to build a bypass for Elwick.

In my 11-plus maths, I find that is still a shortfall of some £17.4million.

I suppose that will come from some hidden council lay-by as well, and for what?

So Elwick residents don’t have to suffer extra traffic problems.

Easy solution?

If you don’t like the traffic, move!

T Wilson,

Macaulay Road,

Hartlepool.