SIR – The report (Worcester News, February 9) of two children being trapped under a wall in Bretforton is of course alarming.
In this case people had already reported on the bad state of the wall as recently as January 26 and Wychavon engineers department had contacted the owner who was in the process of arranging the necessary repairs.
These were planned to be carried out as soon as the weather improved. Unfortunately Storm Imogen arrived first.
The owner must be very sorry that the trouble wasn’t rectified sooner. Who are others to criticise? But as a pedestrian, I see many walls in precarious states and often wonder if the owners are aware or even care.
There are many such walls, possibly one or two hundred years old. I hope that many more people will learn by this and act before it is too late.
PHIL PEGLER
Worcester

Stuck with a party that most did not vote for
SIR – One of the most depressing events of my daily life is the realisation that this country is stuck with a Tory government for the next four years when less than a quarter of the total electorate voted for them. 
The Tories have always been in a minority but were and still are able to override the progressive majority in this country because of our first-past-the-post electoral system. 
Since 1979, they have destroyed a housing system that worked for people wanting a start in life and to save up for a deposit if they wanted to own a home. 
They have attacked social workers, teachers, probation officers, doctors and local government. We are now in a fight to stop them from privatising the NHS.
They once ridiculed progressive ideas like gay and lesbian help lines and efforts to advance women and minorities suffering from discrimination in employment. They now realise that such attitudes were losing them votes.
The outcome of the last general election was a travesty, denying millions fair representation. 
In Worcestershire, the Tories got 52% of the votes, but took all six seats. Nationally, UKIP and the Green Party got just under 5 million votes (16.4%) between them and took one seat each.
Of course, as long as the Labour Party continues to oppose proportional representation, the Tories will always manage to sneak into power on the back of an electoral system that is neither fair nor democratic.
No wonder the Scots decided that Labour MPs were more interested in their own careers than in the people they claim to represent. 
PETER NIELSEN
Worcester

Warning signs need to be positioned better   
SIR – My heartfelt sympathy goes out to everyone stuck on the M5 the other day.  
Last summer I was stuck on the M5 south when it was closed from Junction 8  at Strensham. It took me one and a half hours to travel to junction 8 from Worcester south junction 7.
There is an information gantry about 800 yards from junction 7 on the M5 south. It gave warning of the closure but, of course, for anyone entering at 7 it’s too late. 

Why can’t electronic signs be placed off the motorway adjacent to entry junctions to give motorists the chance to avoid the hold-up?  
DAVE SKELTON
Worcester

Sending sick children to school is madness
SIR – So headteacher Darryl Walsh says send sick kids into school? Is he on cloud cuckoo land?
Why would any parent sent a sick child to school? This time of year cough bugs and flu are common and a doctor’s advice is go home and get into bed.
So why does Mr Walsh think it’s just for an unwell child to sit in class for six hours and spread the germs to others?
Children are not machines, they are human beings!
GB DIPPER
Leominster

Confusion over football stadium site proposal
SIR – I would like to clarify a misconception oft repeated by both your reporters and some correspondents to your newspaper - that the football stadium site for which a planning application has been made is in St Stephens. It is NOT: it IS in Claines ward.
 One of your correspondents has suggested (Worcester News, February 8) that entering the planning application in Claines ward would constitute it being “moved out into Claines”.
Well, it is in Claines ward without it moving anywhere. In fact the whole of Perdiswell is in Claines ward. The boundary between Claines and St Stephens ward runs along the middle of Bilford Road and the middle of the canal.  
I don’t expect your correspondent to be familiar with details of ward boundaries, but do expect it of your reporters and of council officers.
The planning application is wrongly listed as being in St Stephens and as Cllr Jones says, it should be corrected.
LIZ SMITH
Former Claines councillor

It defies belief layouts were not signed off
SIR – I recently sent a letter you published regarding the result of my FOI request regarding the Ketch and Whittington roundabout saga.
It revealed that neither of the John Hobbs or John Fraser had signed off the layout for both schemes. For two such big price tag projects, this defies belief.
To compound this there was a shameful attempt to scapegoat three more junior officers.
It’s about time they fessed up, apologised and took the rap.
CLIVE SMITH
Malvern