HOUSING: Just what is ‘affordable’?

The debate over the need to increase affordable housing in the county has been going on for decades, ever since the end of council houses being built.

Keeping a wide age range of people in a community is important to protect its identity.

Over the years there has been a wide range of definitions of what makes housing affordable. Such definitions are often so convoluted that it would take a housing expert to translate.

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However, if you are a school or a university leaver, for example, affordable housing would be something you could afford on your salary and savings, which on limited amounts might cover the cost of a flat, not a house.

Talk about the impact of budget cuts on the police service concerns many people, particularity as the nature of crime we are at risk of dealing with gets more complex.

For example, in many areas you are more likely to become a victim of online, telephone or postal fraud than of being burgled.

But whatever the crime, if you have been a victim your concern will be for the culprit to be caught and to face legal consequences.

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Each type of crime has a clear-up rate and the police have to prioritise their resources.

With talk of changing the nature of short-term sentences, and even improving access to telephones in prison, I hope there is still thought on how to improve the clear-up rate for crime.

Robert Pollard,

Morpeth