An MP’s job
Rebecca Cain’s front page article regarding my MP, Bill Wiggin, and his involvement with a ‘Bermuda-based’ company that specialises in offshore financial solutions, sadly came as no surprise, nor did Mr. Wiggin’s failure to respond to your inquiries. 
This country faces a funding crisis. The recent release of the so-called ‘Paradise Papers’ indicates that many individuals and companies are not paying their ‘fair share’ of tax, regardless of the legality of using offshore tax havens. 
For our MP to involve himself in this type of business shows an utter contempt for his constituents for two reasons. 
Firstly, it is immoral, when his own party is claiming to clamp down on tax ‘avoidance’ as well as ‘evasion’.
Secondly, he is paid nearly £75,000 annually by us to represent OUR interests. 
Not only is Mr. Wiggin the MD of EAM Ltd., the director of two offshore fund platforms, a director of Allpay and a director of Philip T English, but he apparently finds time to have ‘a day’s shooting’. 
With this exotic, high-flying life style, can we really expect him to care about our hospitals, roads, schools and libraries.
The response from James Price of the Taxpayers Alliance is ridiculous and shows just how out of touch he is with real people.
The idea that Mr. Wiggin’s additional jobs ‘will help broaden’ his experience is fanciful. Experience of what? 
Flying around the world, getting his expenses paid discussing something that is totally irrelevant to most constituents. 
If Mr. Wiggin really wants to gain experience, how about working in the Ambulance Service for a day, rather than slaughtering pheasants? 
Unless all these jobs (and the shooting) are done in genuine holiday time, we are being short-changed as taxpayers. 
No surprise there, given the MP’s predilection for ‘tax-saving solutions’.
It would be informative if Mr. Wiggin could let the ‘Hereford Times’ know exactly how much time he spends on ‘not being an MP’.
Colin Boylett
Pound Farm. 
Kingswood, 
Kington 

Tax avoidance
Well said Roger Page and Anna Coda; Bill Wiggin’s behaviour is completely unacceptable to a lot of us.
He has consistently voted for measures introduced by the present and the coalition Government that have had the result of putting many children into poverty, achieving a level of homelessness not seen since the 1950s and driving working families to ask for emergency help from food banks. 
Oh, and depleting the NHS, the police, schools, the fire services and other public services of sufficient funds to be able to support adequately the people who make up the unwealthy majority of this country.
The type of tax avoidance with which Bill Wiggin is involved seems to many of us in his constituency nothing short of legal theft from the state.
Ros Bradbury
Rose Cottage, 
Bradnor Green
Kington 
 
Work ethics
I THINK it is jolly unfair to attack Bill Wiggin over the tax affairs of his other jobs.
You must understand that he is one of the rich and therefore his lavish lifestyle should not be judged as if he were an ordinary member of the public.
As an MP he needs to maintain at least two houses, one of which I believe is a bungalow.
Surely he has already demonstrated to everyone’s satisfaction that he is incapable of correctly filling in a mortgage application so it seems unjust to portray him as a diabolical businessman helping the rich and famous to avoid tax. 
I, for one, am glad that he has the work ethic to have so many high powered jobs, gaining an understanding of the real world that he will not obtain helping his constituents.
It would serve you right if Mr Wiggin refused to write any more of his interminable opinion pieces for your paper.
David Phelps
Pine Grove,
Knightwick

Equal society?
However they’re dressed up, and however legal they might be, some of Bill Wiggin’s extra-curricula activities as a tax advisor reduce the amount of money collected by HMRC. 
He is paid a big salary to be our MP and that’s what he should spend his time doing – representing his constituents, not running off-shore financial investment services to help the rich avoid tax.
Tax avoidance harms us all and worsens austerity – Herefordshire Council’s latest £17.5m budget cut is a clear example.
Tax avoidance is really “one rule for the very rich and another for the rest of us, the vast majority”. It makes our economy and society less fair. 
We all lose out because in equal societies everyone has a better quality of life - including the rich.
Mr Wiggin is advising people how to avoid paying taxes in our already low-tax economy. As a Brexiteer, does he think that it is ‘patriotic’ to help cut the amount of money government has to fund healthcare, social care and education?
We say it is morally unacceptable.
Felicity Norman, Diana Toynbee and Ellie Chowns
Herefordshire Green Party
 
No defence
The country is broke, the NHS is broke, defence is broke, public sector employees haven’t had a pay rise for seven years, except MPs of course. 
How is it therefore that Conservative MP Bill Wiggin an possibly think that financially benefitting from tax avoidance through his wide and intimate involvement with more than one off-shore financial company is morally defensible?
He has already been caught out once over the expenses claimed on a house he already owned in 2009. 
He clearly cannot be trusted. If he had an ounce of decency he would resign, or Mrs May should sack him or the North Herefordshire Conservative Association should deselect him.....NOW.
Simon Davey
Tillington Common,
Herefordshire

Here to help
I read the recent article entitled “Why won’t Police help?” with real dismay. 
For those that didn’t see it, it featured a local tradesman who had his tools stolen from his van. 
He was disappointed with the service he received from us, the police. 
I have since spoken to the victim myself to discuss the situation, and have been in touch with the investigator in the case to see what more we can do. 
We have identified a further opportunity to review CCTV and some additional lines of enquiry.
The policing teams that cover Herefordshire are dedicated to protecting their communities. 
I know they want to make sure that criminals targeting vehicles to steal the tools that people need for their livelihoods are identified and brought to justice. 
When we get this type of feedback we want to address it, and we would always encourage people to contact us directly if they are unhappy. 
I have written this letter not to update people in the investigation, but to show that we acknowledge the points raised, and take them seriously. 
We don’t always get it right, when that is the case we will act to address the issues. 
Amanda Blakeman
Deputy Chief Constable
West Mercia Police,
Hindlip, Worcester 

How much?
From what I can see, Hereford City Council are a parish council of councillors that hand out money to community groups, giving local attractions and events a leg up. 
I applaud this, as some of our best places are woefully underfunded. 
They also do some great work with charities (mostly the mayor).
But still, spending £75,000 on a simple cabinet is absurd! 
Do they know that the homeless sleep on the steps of their grand town hall? 
This only makes me question whether anything HCC provide is beneficial. 
On one hand they seem to be doing good, on the other they seem just as crooked as every other political body. 
Are they really, as they claim, ‘the voice of the people?’
Their Facebook page provides some insights. 
For once a council that actually respond to the public! 
The stuff they post actually seems to care about the city. It’s informative, and better than Herefordshire Council’s customary cold shoulder.
But it begs the question, is this just a smokescreen for another corrupt hall of power? I wonder.
Most interestingly, the only HCC meeting which is open to the public is the Planning Meetings. 
Has anyone ever attended these meetings?
It strikes me as a brilliant way for locals to pitch in about planning applications. 
I expect it’s more of the ‘tea and biscuits’ type of meeting we often hear about, so I urge locals to attend and ruffle some feathers. 
Let’s speak up and get this city sorted out!
Belinda Atwater
Barrs Court Road,
Hereford

Parking fees
As a tax payer I am interested, as others are, that our money is spent wisely by those who we employ. 
So I was keen to learn the cost to implement on street parking fees. 
I duly submitted a FOI request to the City Council, to clarify the cost of machines and total installed, cost for revised signage and residential permits where applicable. 
Also how many extra enforcement officers would be recruited to patrol residential districts.
The Town Clerk replied to me promptly – and stated the following: “The City Council did not support the installation of parking machines as we were concerned about the effects on passing trade especially for small businesses.”
So I therefore submitted a further FOI request to Herefordshire Council (re the questions raised) and the reply is as follows.
1, 16 machines have been installed in the City at a cost of £64,000 for supply and installation.
2, I am advised the total cost of developing/designing/consulting and constructing the on street parking scheme is £170,000. And £85,000 consultation and design for resident areas.
3, Cost of issue of permits, not determined yet?
4, No extra enforcement officers recruited.
Les Wilkinson
The Craft, 
Sutton St Nicholas

Mapping out
I was pleased to see that Mr Sant of Marden read The Walk for Sutton St Michael and Marden. 
It is always rewarding to awaken interest in one of the topics associated with my work. In this case, the vexed issue of the exact site of King Offa’s county palace. 
Sadly his conclusion that it may have been at the east end of Sutton Walls would, I can exclusively reveal, take him even further away from the place where Ethelbert was executed in the hall by Offa’s chum with a sword. Ramble On.
Garth Lawson,
Holmer, 
Hereford


Empty street
We were horrified to find that the normally fully utilised parking in Castle Street was practically empty and found that this was due to the waiting time having been reduced from two hours to half an hour. 
This gives nobody time to shop in Hereford and we, no doubt, will be one of the many who will no longer be shopping there
It is so sad to see Hereford going downhill so fast. 
Anthony Beach-Thomas
Old Gore, Ross-on-Wye.

Why the rush?
I’m sure bus drivers have a duty of care to their passengers. Or don’t they? 
On November 10, I boarded the 75 bus at Blackmarston Road near Belmont Road. 
I have a disabled person’s bus pass, but the driver pulled out before I was seated. I stumbled, but was able to use my stick to avoid falling.
Before I got off, I asked him to wait until passengers are seated before driving off. 
The driver said he had a timetable, and couldn’t waste time. 
I was flabbergasted that anyone driving a public service vehicle should take such an attitude.
I also mentioned to the driver that I’d sustained injuries earlier this year on a bus owned by a different company. 
His response was equally dismissive.
Dyana Rodriguez
Hunderton, Hereford

Listen up
Your correspondent (Care for ears) is wrong in his assumption that loss of the Suction Clinic at Hereford hospital is not a problem. 
The audiologist at that clinic informed me 25 years ago that syringing is too invasive a process in my case.
Suffering from nerve deafness since my early 40s, possibly a result of measles in childhood, I am fully aware of the outcome of the government's austerity policies. 
Specialist hearing aids were provided via the DWP'S Access to Work scheme in 2000; that service was also cut by 2007.
Austerity policies are a false economy and result in greater expenditure in the health service in the future.
Janette Ward
Barrs Orchard, 
Tarrington,
Hereford