LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Cannabis capital of the country

Reading the article creates the impression that this is a relatively new phenomenon.

In reality articles covering cannabis farms have appeared far too frequently over the past number of years and one might expect local politicians to be fully aware of this. Hundreds of photos covering the many issues have been sent to both this paper and the local authority.

The current situation is the result of years of the failure of officials and politicians to tackle the environmental and criminal issues head on. These areas have been abandoned, neglected and left to the whims of some who live in a way that is not acceptable to the decent people who live there.

This is not purely a local issue, governments have exploited northern towns simply because housing costs, hotel costs and rents are cheaper in the north. They have used these locations as dumping grounds and have been allowed to do so.

We know CCTV cameras have been erected that can only be used in fly-tipping cases. Even then the evidence is ignored and perpetrators are not prosecuted. If someone digs up the pavement to connect into the grid to syphon off the power they need to run a cannabis farm any evidence captured is apparently inadmissible.

The article in question refers to the “selective licensing scheme” in force, but fails to mention that the scheme has done nothing to improve the overall environment of the area. Even though it was intended and designed to do so.

Landlords rightly are blamed for not controlling the activities of their tenants, but just who are some of the landlords? They are not all bad; some do their best to provide low cost fit for purpose accommodation. Not nearly enough is done to root out the bad ones. In the end, in my opinion, it is local officials of various groups who have failed. They are responsible by their inability and inaction over a protracted period for what we witness today.

We now have a new proclamation to apply to our town — instead of being known as the CSE Capital, we have now become the Cannabis Capital as well.

What an indictment. It is surely necessary to call time on many who have been in charge for far too long and to let them know their time is gone.

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