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

Invest in pot hole repairs not pools

Scott Wilding, Wanstead, writes:

The condition of the roads in Wanstead has got steadily worse over the past four years.

The picture, attached, shows the carriageway condition of Wanstead Place outside the doctor’s surgery. The pot holes in our roads and ponding on the pavements show a woeful neglect in maintaining basic infrastructure.

Wanstead is a well used High Street with high footfall. People come to eat, shop and drink in our area and we are lucky to have a thriving community.

Greater investment in the public realm will only bring even more people to town centres, spending more in local businesses – and better quality paving will make it easier for those in wheelchairs or with buggies to navigate.

Don’t let the council say they have no money to invest in basic infrastructure.

Labour run London and Labour run Redbridge. Over the pat four years they have budgeted over £10million for swimming pools, spend £450,000 a month on temp staff and £1million on car allowances.

It’s time we invested in things that are used by the many, and not the few.

Pump more money into police

Gary Zylberszac, full address supplied, writes:

Our children are being murdered on the streets. The air ambulance last year attended more stabbing incidents than road traffic collisions. We are the acid attack capital of the world.

For the past decade I have said London has more than a passing resemblance to the old Wild West days of early America.

I have lived for the majority of my life in Redbridge. In an attempt to reduce the number of burglaries now spiraling out of control, residents are forced to operate volunteer street patrols.

While I agree that if you have been burgled or been a victim of criminal damage to property, there is not a lot the police can do. But how about turning up when a victim of crime, a citizen, is at their lowest ebb? Even if it is just a sympathetic ear, some advice, assurance and support?

Instead we are being sent to websites to self report crimes. Indirectly this is telling people not to attend police stations. A year later statistics show nobody visits police stations so they get shut down!

I was chatting with a friend who is a serving copper. When I asked him if he was working over the Easter weekend, he told me that he had the weekend off. The bosses don’t want to pay bank holiday rates for regular policing, just a few response officers per borough. So no crime takes place in that time?

I wager that not many people who live in the capital know there is a government minister for London.

Well I think Jo Johnson MP should grow a pair, sack Mayor Khan and Commissioner Dick today and get people in who can get the job done.

Take the funds from building more stupid cycle lanes which are effectively closing London down and preventing our city from trading efficiently and slam that cash into the police and let the police do their job properly.

Disability services claims unfounded

Ved Vias Vatas, Henley Road, Ilford, writes:

I do not recognise the picture painted of Redbridge Council services for the disabled painted by Tony Williams (Your Opinion).

As an elderly man of 86, I need regular access to such services. Moreover, I go regularly to a group of elderly people which includes a considerable number of people with disabilities. Apart from recreational activities, group members discuss all kinds of issues regarding health and access to council services.

We have had health and social services officers come to talk to us about their services who have responded to our inquiries with great sensitivity and respect.

Of course from time to time some individuals have expressed a measure of dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided but none of us would concur with Tony Williams’ poor view of Redbridge’s services for the disabled.

What I find absolutely perplexing is that Tony Williams produced not even a shred of evidence in support of his crude and offensive accusations against hard working council staff whom he so grossly accuses of abusing and discriminating against disabled people.

He should either produce such evidence or withdraw these completely unfounded allegations and apologise.

A brilliant show from Lion King star

Ken Gaunt, Greenslade Road, Barking, writes:

Roger Wright, the very first Simba from the Lion King, and Marvin Gaye from Dancing in Street, brought the Kenneth More Theatre audience timeless classics from his many shows plus original songs he wrote in The Feel Good Show.

He had the packed audience up and dancing in their seats and wowed us all with his brilliant voice. Songs by Otis Redding, Al Green, Tom Jones, The Righteous Brothers, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, and more were included.

It was a brilliant two-hour show and had the whole of the audience standing at the end for an ovation. It was certainly a night not to be missed.

Looking forward to his return. Well done Roger, also his two female backing singers and all of his orchestra.

More shows like this please.

We can help if things go wrong

Rob Behrens, parliamentary and health service ombudsman, writes:

One in four adults will experience a mental health problem each year yet often mental health care falls below the standards we should expect.

Last week we revealed that some of our most vulnerable patients, many of whom have complex mental health conditions, are being badly let down by the NHS.

Our investigations shine a light on severe failings but this is not done to attribute blame. We aim to ensure that the organisations complained about make changes to prevent the mistakes happening to others. In this instance, this is to ensure that mental health patients get access to the treatment and support they need.

This is only possible due to patients and their families taking the important step of complaining when things go wrong.

The vast majority of complaints are resolved locally. However if you are not satisfied, you have the right to bring it to us – the parliamentary and health service ombudsman.