Chattering Classes

Yours faithfully
Sally A. Stracey

In the latest issue of the Burngreave Messenger, Mr Steve Pool mentions that some of the people employed by the New Deal are on salaries of £30000 per annum. The more I read of New Deal, the more convinced I am that its purpose is to create highly paid jobs for the chattering classes. 

Another article advertised separate New Deal meetings for Yemenis, Somalis, Afro-Caribbeans, Pakistanis and women. Why do we need separate meetings for different ethnic groups? Is it your intention to reinforce segregation in our community? Since when have women been a minority group?

Which brings me to the article on mental health problems. The reason why there are so many people in this area with mental health problems is because the Council uses it as a dumping ground. Compassionate and understanding as the chattering classes are, they don’t want problem people where they live. 

One last point to Mr Rob Smith. I am a white, female, middle class, graduate from the South East and I have been stopped twice by the police in Pitsmoor. On neither occasion was I breaking the law. I found both incidents quite intimidating. If this is the price we pay for less crime, then it is a price worth paying. Also never, ever, try to be funny with the police; they have no sense of humour.