Open letter to Maria Miller
Dear Editor,
Although we cannot say we are shocked, we are completely disappointed and disgusted in Maria Miller’s support of the abhorrent policing crime bill.
This crime bill proposed by Priti Patel will criminalise non-violent protests deemed ‘noisy’ (read “effective” or “a protest”) and give the outrageous punishment of 10 years for damaging a statue. Using ‘The Law Pages’ for frame of reference, Assault occasioning actual bodily harm is 5 years, Carrying loaded firearm in public place is 7 years and Controlling prostitution for gain (read as the exploitation of sex workers or simply, being a pimp) is 7.
In other words, one could attack someone else to the point where genuine harm to the other person’s health and comfort has occurred but our obsession with private property over human lives is so strong that the damage of a statue (of a slave trader for example) could carry a punishment of twice that to actual physical harm to human lives.
Needless to say this is ridiculous. Ridiculous, draconian and cruel. 
On top of that, the imprecise nature of the word “noisy” gives police the ability to arrest protesters that they simply don’t like on the grounds that all protests cause at least some noise.
This is not the only way this restriction affects protests however. Police are allowed to force one-person protests into silence. Police are also allowed to impose noise limits and time limits. This can and will also be used to stigmatise and jail Gypsy, Roma and traveller groups, as well as the homeless using the added trespass offence and clauses against unauthorised encampments (which will carry a fine of £2,500 or 3 months in jail).
Maria Miller claims to be in support of the Roma and traveller community but this law is utterly out of touch with this. As the organisation for Nomadic peoples’ rights, the Friends, Families and Travellers puts it, “in reality, the proposals are widely open to interpretation and are likely to impact upon everyone who is or wishes to live nomadically -by culture, choice or necessity.” 
Miller herself wrote in her inquiry into racism in Basingstoke and Dean about the issues the Gypsy, Roma and traveller community, with institutional racism and refusal of entry to pubs based on their ethnicity. 
Actions speak louder than words, the actions of our MP show that her commitment to ending racism in our town is limited to words alone. 
We stand, LOUDLY, in solidarity with the protesters, the communities affected 
and the youth who have found their voices only to have them stamped out for suspected ‘annoyance’. You all deserve better than Maria Miller.
We as a mutual aid group, founded on Marxist and anarchist principles of community solutions to systemic problems brought on by the same people who supported for this bill, utterly and decisively condemn Maria Miller for her cowardice and despicable actions.
Maria Miller, Shame on you
Signed in solidarity with those affected by, 
Basingstoke Mutual Aid Network and Basingstoke Red Fightback branch.

Picking up after town’s litter bugs
Dear Editor,
It seems to me that a new sport has evolved on the rural footpaths of Basingstoke. 
During the lockdown my partner and I have embellished our local walks by taking a couple of ‘grabbers’ and a bin bag with us to remove some of the rubbish left on our paths and hedgerows by lazy, selfish, idle people who have thrown their rubbish onto the roads and footpaths as they walk along or by lobbing it from their car windows. Also the amount of poo bags full that we find is amazing as are face masks we are at a loss as to why they do this.
We were always taught to put our rubbish in the nearest bin or take it home with us.
My old Fairfields School motto comes to mind - ‘To see and admire - not harm or destroy’.
However now we see more and more people have taken to litter picking like us, but however much we remove it all comes back again in a day or so. Never mind, we do our best because we hate to see our paths in such a state. I am fully aware that the council do a great job in doing their best to keep our town tidy, but they need help in odd places that they don’t get to and that’s where we can all help.
I wonder who the champion litter picker is?
D Buckland, Basingstoke.

Derelict building to be demolished
Dear Editor,
I am writing with regard to the news that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council demolishing the former Play Council building on Winklebury Way.
Until 1969, the ground for this building was part of our garden. A large part of my family’s property was taken from us by the Basingstoke Development Group, and somehow came into the hands of the Basingstoke Council.
Legally, the building was the Winklebury Community Centre. It was rented out by the council to the Boys’ Club Association. 
The place at that time was a pest. Boys being boys would enjoy jumping over into our garden and blocking up our drains. 
Neither the council, or those in charge, appeared to care about us. The place became derelict for a while, before the hall part became the Play Council. 
However, a room at the back was used by another organisation that dealt with local schools and confidential information regarding pupils. That got locked up in a brick cupboard against our joint fence. 
Paul FitzPatrick, Winklebury Way.

Always there, at NeighbourCare
Dear Editor,
I was sorry to hear of the difficulties Mrs J A Ball was having accessing the Dial a Ride service. 
I am sure this is very worrying for people trying to get to the hospital in these difficult times. I cannot offer any explanation for Dial a Ride.
I am sure they will be doing their best given the issues raised with the pandemic, however I would like to suggest Mrs Ball contact Basingstoke NeighbourCare to see if one of our drivers could help her. 
Basingstoke NeighbourCare is a local charity that can help people get to hospital appointments and other activities. We have managed to meet demand over the last year despite many of our drivers having to isolate. 
We hope that now many of our volunteers have received the vaccination that we will be able to help even more people. Basingstoke NeighbourCare can be contacted on 01256 423855.
Colin Hunsley, Chair of Trustees, Basingstoke Neighbourcare.

Seeing through the grandstanding
Dear Editor, 
Is grandstanding by some Councillors already at play ahead of the Local Elections on May 6; one by putting forward a Motion which could well have been expected to fail? 
That Motion was to protect land from development near M3 J7 and beyond; only made at a recent Full Council Meeting by the Borough Councillor, who not only represents some of those Parishes but also is the Cabinet Member for Planning, having some responsibility deciding on whether or not Lord Lymington’s land will be placed in the Local Plan for 2500 homes. But surprise, surprise the Motion couldn’t be agreed on and was then deferred.
As a general point, Councillors in all Parties and Groups really should give more credit to some of their constituents who are able to see through their ‘smoke and mirrors’ and so not allowing themselves to be hoodwinked. 
Simon Preedy, Cyprus Road, Hatch Warren.

Are we all in this together?
Dear Editor,
One of the oft repeated mantras of the Conservative party has long been ‘we are all in this together’. All know how true the Covid pandemic has needed that statement to be.
Many have lived up to this creed; police enforcing muddled regulations, teachers working online through confusion and exam chaos; shop workers keeping us fed, and many more.
There can be no group that has embodied this belief in community more than our NHS staff.
Nurses, doctors, porters and researchers have worked miracles; not through the ‘heroism’ politicians love to piggyback, but through professionalism, dedication, compassion and sheer hard work; often while raising a family.  I have personal cause to be grateful. Thank you all.
Sadly, the government demonstrates too casually the insincerity of its belief in communal struggle with a dismissive 1% pay offer, halving the figure proposed even before NHS workers stepped up to carry us through. 
Any hope of a change of heart is dashed by the government minister, Lord Bethell, responding to protests by saying ‘nurses are well paid for the job they do’ and ‘there is a long queue of people’ wanting to train as nurses. One per cent.  Watch that queue shrink.
Governments develop this mindset when convinced the public have no alternative; that voters will stick with leaders whatever mistakes they make, whatever suffering they neglect, whatever Grenfell style disasters they enable, whatever values they adopt.  1 per cent.
On May 6, voters must remind this government they are not the only game in town; or look forward to more of the Conservative party’s vision of what ‘all in this together’ means.  Whoever you vote for, remind them; that in a society where we are ‘all in this together’, even one led by a PM who believes in ‘having his cake and eating it’; for our NHS, the crumbs are not enough.
Grant Donohoe, Cleeve Road.

Electronic points need sorting soon
Dear Editor,
There is an issue with electronic charging points at service stations like Winchester, Sutton Scotney and Rownhams services. These are all run by a company called Ecotricity and I believe they have put little or no effort into maintaining and improving their infrastructure.
I’m a big fan of electronic vehicles but I’m seeing a few issues which could become a problem in the near future.
While a lot of destination chargers are free to use,  such as Tesco for instance, others you pay around 20p/kWh which is more expensive than charging at home but about 2/3 the price of a rapid charger.
Destination charging is better for everybody, cheaper chargers, cheaper electricity and more time efficient.
So what’s the problem? Well there aren’t enough locations with destination charging.
Adrian Chapmanlaw, Bournemouth.