Prisoners of the street light cuts

This article is published in today's Northants Evening Telegraph:

Prisoners of the street light cuts

Pensioners say they are becoming prisoners in their homes since the county council switched off street lights.

Elderly members of the congregation at St Ninian’s Church, Beanfield Avenue, Corby, have stopped attending functions in the evening because they fear falling over and being injured in the dark.

A fundraising musical concert and dinner planned by the church in February has been cancelled because no-one was prepared to go out in the evening.

Church elder Margaret Malley said: “The performers were booked and the invitations issued but unfortunately the concert has been cancelled because most of the congregation no longer felt safe to venture outside their homes after dark.

“They didn’t feel able to attend something to which they had looked forward.

“Lack of street lighting on the Beanfield estate makes them feel very vulnerable during the hours of darkness, even close to their homes, and consequently fearful of coming to the church in the evenings.”

The church elders have written to Corby Council and the county council to express their concerns.

So far the county council, which switched off half Northamptonshire’s street lights last year to save £2m a year, has not responded.

Mrs Malley said: “As an ageing congregation we understand the need to tighten our belts and to live within our means, apparently more than some politicians.

“It is something that we have all done throughout our lives.

“However, it cannot be right that discretionary spending decisions of the county council impact the most vulnerable in our society the most.”

The church has urged the county council to re-think its decision to ensure that the elderly are not isolated through the fear of stepping outside their own front doors.

Bill Morrison, session clerk at St Ninian’s, said: “The decision to switch off street lights is affecting community life. We understand the need for cutbacks but the way the lights have been switched off has left elderly people in fear of falling. Many are sight-impaired and they are worried they will stumble and be hurt.

“If alternate lights had been switched off it wouldn’t be so bad but this has not been the case.”Mr Morrison said a sequence dance group which meets once a week at the church and has elderly and middle-aged members has changed its starting time from 1.30pm to 12.30pm.He said: “People are simply afraid to be out in the dark.”

Ann Leech, 67, of Farndale Avenue, Corby, and her husband George, 68, are members of St Ninian’s congregation.

Mrs Leech said: “I won’t go out after dark unless I have someone to pick me up and drop me back home. I’m worried about falling on kerbs or other obstacles in the dark. It’s a terrible state of affairs, and very disappointing the concert has had to be cancelled.”

A county council spokesman said: “The lights haven’t been turned off on an ad-hoc basis. We’ve worked hard to establish a rationale, available at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/streetlights, and have liaised closely with the police to help make our decisions.

“We continue to liaise with the police and monitor any feedback we receive to stay aware of any issues which arise.

“In addition, a new PFI scheme will see all of the county’s street lighting stock replaced over the next five years. The new, modern lighting system will provide a more consistent, better quality of light and will be much cheaper to run.”

Doctor fighting religious discrimination claims

This article is published in today's Northants Evening Telegraph:

Doctor fighting religious discrimination claims

A Christian doctor who resigned from the county's adoption panel told an employment tribunal she believes children placed with same-sex couples are more likely to become gay themselves.

Dr Sheila Matthews, 52, of Kettering, who is bringing a case of religious discrimination against Northamptonshire County Council, said she began researching the issue of same-sex adoption after a training course in March 2004.

She told the hearing in Leicester yesterday: "The child is likely to be subjected to attitudes and influences which promote homosexual relationships rather than heterosexual relationships.

"This means children are more likely to consider or be involved in homosexual relationships themselves.

"Lesbian communities often present an anti-male bias and this may be difficult for boys. Boys without a father can grow up believing the father role is not important and will lack a good role model for being a father themselves or having a healthy heterosexual relationship."

Dr Matthews, a community paediatrician with the council since 1991, was on a panel responsible for interviewing couples hoping to adopt but asked permission to abstain from voting in cases where homosexuals applied to adopt due to her beliefs.

She lost her job last year but was partially reinstated to the panel without any voting rights – in both cases of homosexual and heterosexual couples. She resigned in March last year.

She said: "As a Christian, my faith leads me to believe that marriage between a man and a woman in a faithful monogamous sexual relationship is the most appropriate environment for the upbringing of children.

"The Bible is also clear that homosexual practice is not how God wants us to live."

She added: "Having considered research and opinions from different sources I became aware there was evidence to suggest that children placed with same sex couples did less well. I am aware that there are different viewpoints but I believe that there are many reasonable people who believe as I do.

"The gay lifestyle is one which attracts risks for many reasons and it is not appropriate to encourage children towards it. These risks include mental health problems, including depression, suicide and substance misuse. There is increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and certain cancers.

"The overarching principle of adoption is to seek the best interests of the child who has already experienced disadvantage."I believe that I am being discriminated against on the grounds of my religion or belief, a belief that is supported by rational scientific research."

Martin Pratt, the council's former head of services for children, young people and families, told the tribunal: "I asked her whether she could consider applicants on their merits. She said she could not.

"She did not believe it was in the interests of the child to be adopted by a same-sex couple.

"She said she had a religious objection and made reference to there being some research.

"Both of these were part of Dr Matthews' reasoning for her decision.

"Primarily it was a religious matter, I think. Her inability to act fully in her capacity posed a serious problem."

The three-day hearing is expected to finish today.