Local industry needs assistance

Last month MP Clive Betts warned that hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs were at risk as the effects of the floods on local industry began to take hold. Now his words are coming true as Clarkson-Osborn International are reported to have issued redundancy notices to half its workforce.

This is a firm which had already suffered the effects of a changing market with a workforce slimmed to a shadow of its former gory when it employed hundreds. Now floods have driven home another nail in its coffin, coming on the heels of a fire and then a burglary which saw valuable items stolen.

We fear this is the start of a crippling downturn as companies which had battled against the economic tide are finally forced to take tough decisions, affecting thousands of lives. This, surely, is where Government help is most needed.

Force is as good as circumstances allow

A RISE in the number of complaints against South Yorkshire police must be kept in perspective and would-be critics should bear in mind the 410 objections are a tiny number compared to the scale of operations involving the force.

Last year, officers attended 527,939 incidents. While it must be accepted that one complaint is too many, it is understandable there are bound to be dissatisfied people in such a busy scenario.

And the significance is substantially reduced when you consider how few complaints were substantiated - just 41.

The force is not perfect. But are as good as circumstances allow.

Log on to nuisance

THE boss used to be everybody’s worst office enemy...but today’s villain lurks even closer. For workers are driven mad by that modern pest email, the endless tide of messages you don't even want to read. The answer is simple. Switch it off. If it's important, the message will still be there when you log on again...