Letters, contributions and comments sent in from Recorder readers this week.

We don’t need another high-rise

An Ilford resident, full name and address upplied, writes:

Why is another high-rise building project being touted for Ilford?

We already have Pioneer Point, which was hyped as a shiny new development for the future and (despite knocking down Pioneer Market to make way for it) it’s nothing more than a white elephant. The only thing Pioneer Point has going for it is the EasyGym.

The last thing Ilford needs is another white elephant – focus on getting better shops, stores and businesses on the High Road, and in The Exchange; rebuilding Ilford station and making the town a better place to live instead of this “mini Manhattan” nonsense.

Car parks left out of free parking

Gary Staight, Chadwell councillor 1994-2010, Jarrow Road, Chadwell Heath, writes:

I note in the spring edition of Redbridge Life, in three separate articles, the Labour administration is proposing to double the length of free parking to one hour.

In Chadwell Heath the council has two car parks in Wangey Road and Station Road.

Neither of these currently have the free half hour parking in place.

As a former councillor for Chadwell ward I noticed that when the council introduced the free half hour several years ago these two car parks were not included.

When I questioned this fact I was advised that the scheme was only experimental and if it proved successful elsewhere then these two car parks would be included.

Well nothing was done.

The inclusion of the free one hour to these two car parks would be very welcome by the local shops in the High Road who are struggling to survive. I don’t know if the current Chadwell councillors were aware that Chadwell had been left out.

Let’s hope the new administration after May’s local election resolves this anomaly. If not I hope the new local councillors can forcefully pursue the matter.

Council must ask what we want

Barbara Bliss, Somerville Road, Chadwell Heath, writes:

Cllr Khayer Chowdhury may have big ideas but Labour has, over time, fallen flat on its face and cost Redbridge a lot of money.

Is it not time to remind them yet again to ask us, the people of Redbridge, what we want?

It’s not a mini-Manhattan, nor a street market, nor a culture centre (whatever that is), or a housing estate in the middle of town. We need, or the people who use Ilford, need, good shops, a nice area, sports centres for young and old.

If you build high-rise apartments people and children need areas to move, sit, play etc.

Ilford was once a lovely shopping area but it lost that years ago and now the last big store has gone it has nothing to make it shine.

It’s dirty, untidy and just full of housing, all of which is private, and just brings in people from outside of Redbridge, which is so overcrowded now.

Invest in KMT not a new theatre

Ken Gaunt, Greenslade Road, Barking, writes:

In reply to your story in the Ilford Recorder, March 22, concerning the Redbridge Conservatives’ pipe-dreams of their new proposals for Ilford.

I strongly disagree with the Conservatives’ idea of erecting another theatre, the Dame Maggie Smith.

Dame Maggie Smith moved out of Ilford at the age of four and, if asked, probably does not even remember living there.

You already have a well established theatre of 43 years. The Kenneth More Theatre throughout that time have performed hundreds of first rate shows. I would like to know what the Dame Maggie Smith theatre can provide that the KMT can’t. Instead of building another theatre wouldn’t it be more cost efficient to invest the money back into the KMT and carry on entertaining the public, which may I add are of all nationalities and cultures.

I would like to know how many of the Conservative councillors have actually been to the KMT and seen for themselves the first rate shows they perform.

Come on Redbridge Conservatives, enough of these pipe-dreams and do something worthwhile for Ilford like re-funding KMT again so they can continue performing.

Who’s searching my rubbish?

An Ilford resident, full name and address supplied, writes:

I was “surprised” recently on dustbin day, when I came out of my home to find rubbish scattered in the garden.

Unless someone has been training cats and/or foxes to unwrap bin bags, I am assuming that someone wanted to check up on me!

I have even had the recycling bin searched when all they would have found was boxes from my occasional packaged food and my many varieties of tea.

It’s quite usual to see scratched garbage bags and debris scattered during the week (if people have put out bags early) but the funny thing was that I didn’t spot any in other people’s gardens that week.

What a surprise they must have got when unused meat and veg fell out of the bags!

Do other residents of Ilford notice this happening to their refuse?

Labour cuts have hit the disabled

Tony Williams, Hainault, full address supplied, writes:

I write as we approach the next local elections because, as a disabled person with many disabled neighbours and friends, we should all be afraid of another Labour administration in Redbridge.

Over the last four years we have seen disabled people’s equality, rights and services cut back to the level of the 1980s.

We have also seen council staff from many departments openly abuse and discriminate against disabled residents of the borough without any disciplinary action being taken against them.

I urge all those who are disabled or have family or friends that are to think before you vote.