One assumes he means all children, as it seems an accepted fact among most psychologists that socialising all children, including those from lower income families, has a long-term effect on their development. It leads to a reduction in anti-social behaviour and a more settled child.

In a modern, insular society children need play centres. Of course, disabled and disadvantaged children, especially, need these facilities made available by the council, as for most they are otherwise unobtainable.

To put it simply, closing play centres could lead to an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour, it could also further alienate sections of the community.

Of course, the Conservative council is part of a political dynasty that believes that cutting public spending leading to high unemployment and high indirect taxation such as an inflation-busting 20 per cent increase in parking charges is the way forward.

Look at Stanground, where they're cutting costs by not building security fences, and gates around a very expensive community centre; allowing it to be continually vandalised and leading to its manager and others being attacked.

This false economy appears again in Stanground where they built a bowling green which no one wanted. They then failed to maintain it. It died. They remade it. It died again. Now they are remaking it again.

I hope they will humour me and first ask the local bowlers if they will use it. Those I have asked say no one will. Also, could they ensure they put a tap in, and take out a green maintainance contract? If no one will use it, why rebuild it?
JOHN KNOWLES
Vice Chairman,
Peterborough Constituency Labour Party

Mindless destruction in city
WHEN is the continued destruction and elimination of Peterborough's historic buildings going to end?

Most of Peterborough's old buildings, which show its ancient history, and should be our inheritance, have all but been wiped out of existence, only to be replaced by blocks of ugly, faceless buildings in a mindless philistine approach, to destroy everything that is ancient and familiar and identifies Peterborough people with their past.

We now learn that these mindless meddlers have now set their sights on the Great Northern Hotel to destroy.

This lovely old hotel and familiar sight has a long history of welcoming weary travellers to Peterborough. This is a grand old hotel in the traditional way, offering top-quality comforts, so rare in Peterborough today. What purpose is there in destroying something so irreplacable?

At the same time, we learn that millions of pounds are to be spent destroying the much-needed and used city centre post office. It's not an ancient building, but why remove it from people's needs?

And they want to replace it with a wide open, useless space, which we already have in nearby Cathedral Square.