I DO not think anyone could be in any doubt about the severity of the wintry weather which crippled some parts of the UK in December.

As a resident of Alexandria, I feel that West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) should be largely congratulated for its ploughing and gritting response.

There may be some of those whose streets or paths were not gritted who may disagree, however, it is unreasonable for the council to be expected to clear every single street across West Dunbartonshire and the main routes were kept clear.

However, the problem that now remains is that almost every pavement in the area is coated in red blaes, which I understand is usually used on football pitches.

I assume this was thrown down to preserve the rock salt supplies.

A few weeks on, and despite the thaw and rain, this shows absolutely no sign of washing away.

Does WDC have any plans to clear up the unsightly mess left behind throughout the area?

Name and address supplied Time to resign?

I CALL for the resignation of councillor Craig McLaughlin as convenor of Corporate Services at West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC).

His credibility has been absolutely shot down in flames.

In his recent budget proposals for 2011/2012 - Shaping Our Future - Councillor McLaughlin states: "The UK national debt now stands at over £4.8 trillion." Councillor McLaughlin really believes that "this runaway debt is at the core of the challenges now facing the entire public sector." However, in his mid-year spending review proposals 2011/2012 his figure for all the UK national debt is £1.4 trillion.

By now he says: "Very few people will be in any doubt that the UK is facing a debt crisis." So what happened between October and December to make Councillor McLaughlin's national debt figures jump from £1.4 trillion to £4.8 trillion?

Did Councillor McLaughlin see Martin Durkin's film Britain's Trillion Pound Horror Story on TV and that is where the figure comes from?

Durkin is a notorious counter-factual, spoof, drama-documentary film maker.

His last film, The Great Global Warming Swindle, provided a propaganda platform for right-wing climate change deniers.

It was riddled with inaccuracies.

Durkin's source for his latest spoof - Kelvin McKenzie, the ex-Sun editor, the Tory Taxpayers Alliance, three Tory ex-Chancellors in Howe, Lamont and Lawson and the Adam Smith Institute (Thatcher clones). You know the script, public sector bad, private sector good. Do the rich wealth creators pay for the public sector? Don't be silly.

They take ownership of all the sources of profit, including credit/debt and disown the rest.

By definition, multi-millionaires do not pay bills, the working class pay for everything in this country.

The Bank of England estimates that the banking crisis could cost up to £7 trillion.

That is to be disowned by the rich and billed to the poor via these cuts.

James Graham Socialist News