'Just take the cardboard,' 'Dele - our city's inspiration' and 'Dogs are dying in hot cars' - this week's letters to the Milton Keynes Citizen

MPs are silent on our climate

We are used to seeing extreme weather in such places as Bangladesh and the Philippines but there is something so much more potent when it lands in your own backyard.

The recent storm and flooding in parts of MK were the most extreme weather that I have seen in 40 years of living here.

Global climate change involving extreme weather is real and scientific opinion points to human action being to blame.

Given this is by far the most serious threat confronting the planet one might expect MPs, including the two from MK, to put this at the top of their agenda. I can’t say I’ve to monitored every feature in every Citizen but I have seen not a word in your paper on this subject from either of them in their statements or regular reports from the frontline.

Could this be because the subject is not taken seriously by the government?

The best that we can claim is that we are better than Trump. For every small green initiative we see, there are several anti-green measures, including lowering subsidies for solar panels, planning a third runway for Heathrow, favouring nuclear and fracking over renewables, and fixing petrol prices while forcing up the cost of public transport.

Surely we are entitled to hear something on all this from MK’s two MPs?

Frederick Toates

by email

Dele - our city’s inspiration

A lot of nonsense gets said about young people nowadays.

A lot of nonsense gets said about our footballers too. And about our place in the world. And... well, a lot of nonsense gets said generally!

So let’s remember Dele Alli, the MK lad who is off to the World Cup.

He has got to the top of his game thanks to hard work, skill, and dedication.

Go Dele!

P Tuxon

Bletchley

Just take the cardboard!

Every week the refuse is piled in front of my property for collection.

This is not just our refuse but our neighbours also.

To be fair, the refuse collection has been good to date, however the new ‘ policy’ of not taking unbagged cardboard has now caused difficulties as unbagged cardboard has today been left behind!

Whose responsibility is it to sort this? Or do we have to take weekly responsibility for others?

I tried to contact the council by email regarding this matter but unless I make an account I don’t get a reply unless I choose to register , rather than just leaving my email address.

This is a ridiculous situation which will only continue in weeks to come in many different properties across Milton Keynes wasting valuable money and time by the council having to respond to complainants at a time when every penny counts. Solution? Just take the cardboard!

Name and address supplied

by email

Big strain on good landlords

A few years ago in Woburn Sands, the Milton Keynes Council private housing inspection team was given new allocation to inspect the rented properties.

When they did that my current landlord, who I see as a wonderful person, was unnecessarily overburned to upgrade his 100-year-old large house up to modern standards, which is ludicrous and over-expensive especially since many of the flats are currently occupied.

It has now got to the point that not only is my flat space reduced by at least 40 per cent, but the council is now forcing my landlord to either evict me or destroy half my personal belongs . The council don’t seam to care that I’m disabled.

Stuart T

by email

Dogs are dying in hot cars

The RSPCA received more than 300 calls – that’s two calls an hour – last week, during a mini-heatwave which swept across England and Wales.

The animal welfare charity received 317 reports of animals in hot environments, the majority of which were dogs that had been left in hot cars, from Monday, May 28, to Sunday, June 3 – when temperatures hit the mid-20s. Advice is that people should contact the police on 999 if they see a dog in distress in a hot car, but on average more than two calls an hour were still made to the charity.

The RSPCA is one of 14 organisations which run the Dogs Die in Hot Cars campaign each year, reminding pet owners never to leave their animals in hot environments such as vehicles, caravans, conservatories and outbuildings.

It’s difficult to understand why we are still receiving so many calls when the weather improves and why owners are still dicing with their pets’ lives.

It’s simple – never leave your pet alone in a hot environment. Whether you’re popping into the shop for a newspaper or nipping into a pharmacy to pick up a prescription, please don’t take the risk.

Last week, we had more than 300 calls about animals in hot environments; this figure should be zero.

Unfortunately, despite the campaign’s clear messaging, owners continue to put their pets at risk by leaving them unattended in stationary vehicles, believing they will be okay if they park in the shade or leave windows open.

The RSPCA is urging owners never to take the risk and to either take their pet with them for their outing or leave them at home in the cool with access to lots of water.

If you see a dog in a hot car and have concerns please contact the RSPCA’s 24-hour emergency line on 0300 1234 999 for advice.

If it’s an emergency and you believe the dog needs immediate help please contact the police on 999 as police officers have the power to enter a vehicle and remove the animal.

Holly Barber

Dogs Die in Hot Cars campaign manager, RSPCA

Parking permits going wrong

With reference to your articles about the parking permit schemes, we have one in Newport Pagnell and we have to pay £25 for each car permit.

We had a letter telling us that as we now pay we would get a minimum of three visits a week.

This was done for a couple of months and seems to have now stopped completely, and we again have cars parking with no permits and not getting a ticket. I assume that as this is the case we will not get charged next year.

Ralph Stimson

by email

Make friends with the blind

This is Volunteers Week (June 1-7) and there is no better time for our unsung heroes, who make a vast difference to so many charitable organisations, to be recognised for their efforts.

For many charities, volunteers play a vital role in their ongoing success.

For others, like Fife Society For The Blind volunteers, in the form of befrienders, make a huge difference to the life of someone with sight loss.

Living with a sight impairment can be lonely, especially if people find it difficult to step out beyond their front door.

But we have found that having a volunteer befriender can enable people with sight loss to become active and connected members of their local community.

They also reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation and help achieve increased independence.

Carl Hodson

Chief Executive

Fife Society for the Blind

Traveller dogs foul play field

Are you aware of the travellers parked behind properties on Severn Way, Bletchley?

Their dogs are fouling the field where the youngsters play football surely this is a health hazard.

How long will it be before the council or the police evict them?

Name and address supplied

by email