Your letters...

We didn’t vote for closure

Sir, — The proposed closure of Henley fire station is just another cost-cutting measure foisted on the public without fully thinking through the impacts.

Police stations were always places of safety which even if weren’t visited very often were a sign of security for the public.

The public have never voted to get rid of police stations and they wouldn’t choose to lose a fire station either.

It seems that decision-makers know the cost of everything but the value of nothing.

Having the emergency services visible in the town provides reassurance that there is help at hand when we need it.

Maybe it’s time to think outside of the box and co-locate a police/fire station to give the public something back for their taxes.

I have personally re-opened a police station front desk using volunteers, which proved really popular with the volunteers and public alike.

Let's not lose another valuable service in the community as once it’s gone it’s gone forever. — Yours faithfully,

Chris Phillips

Deanfield Road, Henley

Too many ugly houses

I urge South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, to turn down the plans submitted for
57 new houses in the centre of Henley.

Basically, it will mean too many ugly houses with little or no parking. It looks cramped, with limited access for emergency vehicles. Greys Road car park, virtually next door, is not the solution for parking.

Greys Road is already congested and to have so many residential houses next door with parking and cars will only add to the misery and congestion in the town centre.

Henley is a vibrant, growing town. Sadly, it is blighted by the constant roadworks and heavy duty lorries which cause traffic congestion.

There are constant queues on White Hill to Henley Bridge and on the Reading Road.

We also need the fire station to stay in the town to preserve lives and this historic town with its many listed buildings. — Yours faithfully,

Diana Duggan

Rupert Close, Henley

Support small museum

Sir, — “We are focused on if we can support new smaller museum,” said Kevin Sandhu, interim director of the River & Rowing Museum (Standard, November 7). These words are like music to my ears!

It is what I have myself fought for since notice came of the closure of the museum.

Now I must hope that whoever buys the site shares both my wish for a smaller museum and a desire to make it a community asset.

If you care about the future of Henley, support this now! — Yours faithfully.

Ann Law

Heathfield Avenue, Binfield Heath

Meaningful address

Sir, — I would like to commend all those in the town hall who planned and organised this year’s Remembrance Sunday parade and service, which was dignified and very well attended.

I would especially like to congratulate the Mayor Tom Buckley, for a very thoughtful and personal address. I appreciate it must have taken considerable time to prepare and nuance — the result was all the more meaningful and appropriate. — Yours faithfully,

Tim Davies

St Mark’s Road, Henley

Chairman, Henley Conservatives

Poignant reminder

Editor, — Bravo for publishing a full page on the services in Henley and in 33 churches in the surrounding area from Benson to Woodcote.

I am reminded at this time of the street map displayed in the Old Fire Station Gallery, Henley, some years ago, which indicated those homes in Henley where loved ones responded to the call of duty.

So many in Henley and in villages, towns and cities throughout the land never returned. It is they who we remember. — Yours faithfully,

Douglas Wright

Caversham

Time to halt new builds?

It has been many days and yet Thames Water persists with the hosepipe ban.

This is surely not a failure of the weather but of the infrastructure. Too many people and too few reservoirs.

A solution might be to halt all other major building projects in this area until we have enough water for everyone? — Yours faithfully,

Sophie O’Sullivan

Henley

Here we go again

Sir. — Here we go again, more traffic misery for the people of Watlington.

The road from Christmas Common to Stokenchurch is announced to be shut for
12 weeks from November 10.

That’s right through to February including, of course, Christmas and New Year.

More misery for Watlington through which traffic has to divert.

Surely there has to be a better and far more considerate way to manage whatever work needs to be done.

Road closures are managed through the Lib-Dem-controlled Oxfordshire County Council. They’re just not doing a proper job, as demonstrated by previous correspondents. — Yours faithfully,

A de Segundo

Russells Water

Mankind will see the truth

Sir, — I was interested to see the letter on the existence or otherwise of God (Standard, October 31).

It was sad to see the benevolent Mr Collings joining the Gadarene swine of the godless. There is a bizarre mass of trendy artistes, pop stars, journalists, broadcasters and politicians who hold nothing sacred, yoked to a swarm of vicious zealots.

These are not Muslims, who gave us algebra, zero, chemistry, chess and the most elegant architecture.

These have a history going back to Moloch, who needed a goodly supply of fresh-cheeked children for sacrifice.

The ideas of this motley mass of godlessness will go out of fashion and mankind will see the truth. But don’t leave it too late. Choose God, choose truth and choose life! — Yours faithfully,

Richard Govett

Grove Road, Sonning Common

PS: For Gadarene, see Matthew 8 and Google.

Misinformed on benefits

Editor, — Dr Wood’s Thought for the Week contribution (Standard, October 31) is regrettably misinformed about benefit payments.

The Giro cheque was disbanded in the Eighties, now replaced with Universal Credit. This can only be paid to the recipient, therefore his statement “he collected his Giro via his girlfriend’s bank account and went on a spending spree” is wholly erroneous.

I suggest Dr Wood does a volunteer shift with us at First Stop in Reading. We volunteer with the local church as Street Pastors to help those in need, who may or may not be homeless.

Our oldest volunteer is 78 so Dr Wood will be in good company. — Yours faithfully,

Ms S Arnaboldi

Earley

Condemning bad practices

Sir, — It was sad to see effigies of Keir Starmer being burnt on bonfires last week. At the very least, this is an act, not of protest, but of gross disrespect.

When we treat our Prime Minister in such a crude and violent symbolic manner, we degrade the tone of our national life.

Disagreement is natural in any democracy, but when it descends into burning effigies it can fuel emotions that verge on hatred.

There is no doubt that Starmer is currently unpopular. He may even be more unpopular than the Johnson-Truss-Sunak trio, whom the country tolerated for several years without resorting to effigy burning.

Although Starmer has not shown great deftness in the role of Prime Minister, there is evidence that he is concerned with the breadth of UK society, and it remains possible that his policies may yet lead to better times.

The creation and burning of political effigies is not a violent act. It is almost certainly offensive to many people, and it can generate both anguish and fear among certain groups within our society. At a moment when the country is acutely polarised, gestures that encourage animosity are exactly what we should avoid.

Indeed, one might argue that burning an effigy can approach the emotional impact of hate speech, since it depicts political opponents not merely as mistaken, but as deserving destruction.

Some might claim that effigy burning is a harmless outlet for frustration or a traditional part of protest culture. But in the current climate it is neither harmless nor constructive. It is a deliberate act meant to offend, and it does nothing to help our democracy. On the contrary, it diminishes the reputation of those who carry it out and reflects poorly on the country as a whole.

Given the tensions we already face, should there not be a strong public outcry against the burning of political effigies? — Yours faithfully,

Dan Remenyi

Kidmore End

Correct age of consent

Sir, — I noted on your letter pages last week that the current age of consent (16 years) was established in 1885. That is 140 years ago.

This applies to everyone in the UK, visitors and foreigners alike.

In the Sixties, attempts were made by the head of a very large girls’ comprehensive school in London and a prominent politician to lower it to
15 years but they did not succeed.

So it remains at 16 years in the UK until someone tries again to reduce it. — Yours faithfully,

Enid Light

Wargrave Road, Henley

Viewpoint had me laughing

Sir, — So Jeff Banks, the fashion designer, believes that Reform UK is the “only opportunity” the country has for success and that it is the “only potential for young people for the future”.

I almost died laughing when I read Mr Banks’s quotes (Standard, October 31).

Does he not remember that Reform leader Nigel Farage was the pusher of Brexit and that has completely undermined the future of our young people? No working or studying abroad, for example?

Mr Farage is a central figure who “broke Britain” by peddling wrong-headedness to secure the Brexit vote to leave the EU.

Mr Farage is a hypocrite, such as when he admitted in May 2023 that “Brexit has failed” but attempted to blame others.

Mr Farage is undoubtedly connected to the current political climate, and I suggest the Conservative party’s decline has led them to turn to him as a “solution” and a “receptacle” for extreme ideas. Mr Farage’s stance on Russia should also be scrutinised, following revelations about an ally of his accepting bribes from a Kremlin stooge.

Good for Britain? I think Mr Banks should stick to fashion and leave politics alone. — Yours faithfully,

James Lambert

Henley

Invite to trust meeting

Sir, — May I use your columns to issue a warm invitation to the Henley Community Land Trust’s first public meeting on Monday at 7pm in the town hall.

The meeting aims to explain what the Community Land Trust is, how it works and how we can use the offered plot of land up at Highlands Park to develop homes young people can afford to rent.

The meeting is free and offers an opportunity to ask questions about this new initiative for Henley. There is no obligation to join the trust but anyone who would like to support its aims can become a member for £1. All members can vote to elect the trustees and have a voice in shaping the future of housing in Henley. —Yours faithfully,

Jane Smewing

Chair, Henley Community Land Trust

Wonderful colours

Editor, — In these difficult times of political unrest, financial uncertainty and endless roadworks, perhaps we should take a moment to be grateful for the wonderful colours of an autumnal Henley. — Yours faithfully,

Liz Poole

Upper Bolney Road, Henley

Thank you for support

Sir, — On behalf of the South Oxfordshire Mencap Society, may I say a very big thank-you to the wonderful people of Henley for supporting our collection outside Tesco in Henley on October 11.

In total, we collected the sum of £390.42. This will be used to help provide opportunities for our members who have learning disabilities. We aim to provide mainstream contact for them in our community, with discos, theatre trips and the Meteor Club, which meets on a weekly basis.

These events are greatly enjoyed by our members and have the additional benefit of providing respite for their families. We are a charity based in Henley and are always seeking funds, so donations such as these are invaluable to us.

If you would like to consider volunteering with our charity, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us through admin@southoxfordshire mencap.org.uk — Yours faithfully,

Brian Connolly

Trustee, South Oxfordshire Mencap Society, Church Street, Henley