The strange case of the suspect letters

3.08.56pm GMT Sun 12th Nov 2006

Do they really think we would allow our children to deliver dangerous letters?

Stoney Middleton villagers were confident that they would get their democratic right to be heard on the issue of the proposal to close their village school. More than 9000 letters were hand delivered to County Hall in Matlock on Monday 30th October, to ensure that councillors had a chance to read them before Wednesday's council meeting. But it emerged on Thursday 2nd November that the letters had not been distributed or opened, for "security reasons". As Councillor Charles explained: "We live in an age where we cannot guarantee someone might do something daft and put something in a letter."

Mrs Beth Ely, a local lay preacher in the Wesleyan Reform Church, who collected and delivered the letters, said "Have we come to this, that councillors are afraid to read our letters?"

The council's zeal for safety has extended to highway matters as well; officers spent Friday 3rd November removing the huge number of "Save our School" signs that supporters had displayed throughout the village. These signs have now been replaced on private property.

On Monday, 6th November, however, it now appears that it is possible for the letters to be opened after all and they were opened on Tuesday 7th November and distributed to the councillors for whom they were intended. There will not, however, now be a chance for councillors to discuss the issues raised in the letters. The next full council meeting does not take place until after a formal decision is made by DCC whether or not to close the school.