Along with my fellow St Helier estate residents, I recently received a leaflet from my local New Labour councillors.

Being the first one since they were elected in 1998, it's a sure sign the next council elections cannot be far away. I use the term local in its broadest sense, as none of them live on the estate and have to journey from homes as far away as Purley and Whyteleafe, the other side of Croydon.

I was interested to see what they had to say about the gross under funding and other problems at St Helier Hospital.

Additionally, I thought they would be telling us what efforts they have made to persuade the Government to carry out its pre-1997 promise to abolish the Tory-imposed Greenwich Judgement and return us to the previous situation where Sutton schools had to accommodate Sutton children first, thus ending the annual trauma suffered by too many families.

At a purely local level, I looked forward to reading their proposals to address the concerns of residents in Middleton Road, forced to live with a race-track between The Circle and Shaftesbury Road, and their suggestion for a speed camera, or even asking our views regarding plans to upgrade the Sutton Arena in Tweeddale Road.

But no, we had nothing of the sort. All we got after three and a half years was how they achieved "a great victory" regarding wheelie bins. But Tory Councillor Peter Geiringer and others, who campaigned for over a year on the issue, that I have spoken to, cannot recall ever seeing them during that time.

Surely not another New Labour spin? Sadly, even on the wheelie bin/ recycling subject they will not admit they were also misled, like the Lib Dems, by incorrect figures.

Tthey fail to encourage people to support a very worthwhile scheme to reduce the need for expensive landfill sites, which will be not only be good for the environment but also of real benefit to the pockets of all Sutton Council tax payers.

I expect the next piece of paper they put through my letter box will be asking me to recycle New Labour councillors, complete with a picture to remind me what they look like!

PADDY KANE

Titchfield Road

Carhsalton

November 16, 2001 10:01