YOUR correspondent Richard Glover is upset that he has to travel two miles to reach his nearest neighbourhood office, but he does live on the extreme edge of Harlow.

While it is not possible to put a neighbourhood office on the doorstep of every home in Harlow, our residents are better off in this respect than people in surrounding districts.

Mr Glover's neighbourhood office is in Garden Terrace Road, Old Harlow, next door to the Aneurin Bevan Centre.

The centre offers retired residents a place to meet, chat, socialise and take part in organised groups and activities covering a range of interests.

If Mr Glover cares to call in there, I am sure he will find a warm welcome from the many satisfied users of the centre.

Harlow Council used to have arrangements to collect poll tax payments through Post Office counters, but these proved to be both costly and problematic and were not continued when the council tax was introduced.

We had a duty to pursue poll tax payments that were due to us, through the courts if necessary.

If people had paid on time, these costs could have been avoided.

DERMOT BYRNE,

General Manager,

Harlow Council.

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