I write in response to Mr Khalil Yousuf’s letter (Herald and Post, October 23) regarding the need for a more caring politics, with which I wholeheartedly agree.

Unfortunately, it would appear that we are light years away from achieving this. One does not need to look any further than the organised “grooming gangs” (no, this is not a diatribe against any ethnicity or culture) that have run rampant for 20 years or more — and not one government of any persuasion has done a damned thing about it.

The catalogue of failure across any number of tragedies — from, in my living memory and in no particular order, Aberfan, Thalidomide, polluted blood supplies, Hillsborough, Post Office postmasters and others — is appalling. But the child abuse horror is the absolute failure of all failures.

As I write, it is still a fiasco. Jim Gamble, a respected senior police officer with an exemplary record in setting up organisations to tackle this issue, has declined the chairmanship of the inquiry due to the “politicking” of politicians.

Every government pontificates that its first duty is the protection of its citizens. On just this one major issue alone, all governments have failed abysmally, given that Maggie Oliver first started to raise awareness more than 20 years ago.

What is wrong with us as a nation, that we have allowed — and continue to allow — our politicians, local and central, as well as other agencies that have failed, to act in such a manner? Is it that young people do not count because they do not vote?

In my opinion, it is because we have never had any accountability — with, where appropriate, real punishments for those in office who have failed to take appropriate action. We have heard enough about the failures of various agencies (police, social services, etc.), but sometimes there needs to be much more impact on local councillors, MPs and civil servants.

Often, I hear that it is very difficult, legally, to prove or demonstrate culpability. This usually comes from the very same sources that have failed us so miserably — and I refuse to accept it.

The extreme cases of tragedies (and thus failures) may be classed as “corporate manslaughter,” which lets everybody off the hook, as far as I can see. Certain crimes can see gang members charged with, for example, murder, where just one member committed the murder but others were present — described as “joint enterprise” or “secondary liability.” So this could perhaps be applied to officials, who may then face prison sentences, at best, or be barred from all public office for a significant period, at the very least.

And please don’t tell me this cannot be done or is very difficult to prove. Really? Put the facts in front of a jury and let them decide — a rare course of events indeed. The last time I can remember something like this was the Hillsborough disaster, following the unlawful deaths of 97 fans, when South Yorkshire Police suffered no consequences for their actions.

I have written elsewhere that I am currently completely apolitical. No party offers anything remotely that meets my needs. But if such a party were to exist, it would need to address the need for national, official accountability as a priority.

Don Latuske

Badshot Lea

I understand that not everyone is happy with the works in Farnham town centre. For 30 years, we said something needed to be done — and did nothing.

The plan was agreed in 2024 after public consultation. I do not support it 100 per cent; it is a compromise. However, it will make the town more pedestrian-friendly while still allowing vehicles to travel through.

Pedestrianisation of Downing Street, The Borough or Castle Street can only happen if there is an alternative route for the A287. That would require a western bypass, which has been reviewed by the Farnham Infrastructure Programme (FIP) officer team and rejected at this time, as there is no funding source for something that would cost at least ten times more than the current works.

With works on Downing Street nearing completion, those on West Street and The Borough are due to pause from Friday, November 1, as requested by local businesses for the Christmas and New Year period.

The next phase will see overnight works on South Street and Union Road between Tuesday, November 4, and Friday, December 19, 2025, from 10pm to 6am. Farnham councillors made it clear that, if possible, this work should be carried out using lane closures rather than full road closures. If full closures are unavoidable, they should be phased to minimise disruption to car park access during this critical period for the hospitality industry.

The FIP team has since advised that full road closures will be required. I discussed this with the project lead (who has since left Surrey County Council) and stressed the importance of phasing the works to maintain access to the three car parks wherever possible, reducing the need for staff to stop and escort drivers through the site.

I subsequently created a graphic to illustrate the phasing I had in mind (see opposite).

Ultimately, this is an operational issue that will be determined by the FIP officer team working with the contractor, Ringway. We may still end up with a full closure and every car needing to be escorted out after 10pm, with all the disruption that will bring — but I will have tried, as I do with so many other things.

Either way, visitors using these car parks after 10pm will be escorted out safely, so no one should be put off coming into town. I strongly encourage everyone to support Farnham’s hospitality businesses during this period.

I will raise this again at the Farnham Board meeting on Friday, along with several other issues, including future phasing.

Cllr Catherine Powell

County councillor for Farnham North

Leader of the Residents’ Association and Independent Group, Surrey County Council