A PRICE TO PAY

Mondays Shield’s Gazette contained a couple of articles that caused raised eyebrows in the Shaw household. The first related to the closure of Boldon and Harton police stations. With visitor numbers averaging 1 and 5 per day respectively, the decision to close the doors does have some economic merit. However, officers will still be based at the stations and the premises will remain occupied. Why then not just leave the doors open? One of the biggest issues I have with crime figures is the immeasurable “fear of crime”. If an accurate way of assessing this feeling could be achieved I think that we would find that people consider our streets and city centres etc, to be extremely dangerous places. Knowing that we have local police stations with its doors open goes a long way to negating this concern.

The second article looked at the issue surrounding head stones within the boundaries of the Borough’s graveyards. After a series of high profile compensation claims concerning injuries (and even deaths) resulting from falling head stones, the Council have completed a review of head stone safety and now bereaved families are being approached to pick up the repair bill where necessary. Many people, faced with the death of family members and all the emotional debris that this leaves are now being forced to pay for the reinstatement of their loved ones memorials. Councillor John McCabe (Hebburn South Ward) said “family’s simply have to pay up, like paying their taxes”. So there you have it, you can even be taxed after death! The vast majority of the compensation claims stem from the disgraceful practise of juveniles who consider it fun to push headstones over whilst reeking mayhem in our cemeteries. Why should the grieving public pick up the bill for this dishonourable mayhem? Surely the Council have it within their municipal grasp to have workmen re- position these offending headstones without the need to involve suffering families? How many times have I seen council workmen parked up on roadsides in vans doing absolutely nothing because they aren’t allowed to return to their depots till 4 p.m? Put them to work, that’s what they’re paid for. It is surely a better option than approaching a pensioner whose husband could have died as recently as last year, who has already faced paying for a dignified burial, and then demanding more money to secure a headstone!