Nick Watson The Politics Show West Midlands

Your e-mails...

The cut to funding for the canals and rivers (British Waterways and Environment Agency)is not just about boaters but includes walkers, cyclists, fishermen/women and families just out for a stroll along the canal.

All of these activities may have to be restricted if the cuts are continued. Wildlife habitat could also be lost. There is a great deal of flooding at the moment if funding is reduced this could be worse. We (the nation) have over the last ten years or more managed to improve our waterways, are we going to let that be a waste of money and time.

If maintenance is not continued then the costs of repair in the future will be greater. We must save our waterways for the future.
K Makemson, England

I would like to put forward a question regarding the replacement of schools with "Acadamies" which was featured on the West Midlands section of the Politics Show today. My question is: talking about getting sponsors for these schools is all very well and good, but what happens to both the school (Academy) and the children who attend if no sponsors come forward or suddenly decide to pull out for whatever reason? Are these schools then going to close down? If so, what happens to the education of the children concerned?
Diane Holland, Brierley Hill, West Midlands

Dartmouth High School is scheduled to become an Academy school. During the planning it was decided that a perfectly good sports facility will be demolished to make way for the new build. Part of that facility is a fantastic swimming pool that has been serving the young people of Great Barr and surrounding areas for over 30 years. The Sandwell area is already deprived of good swimming facilities, however despite this fact and government policies it is OK to remove yet another facility. In 5 - 10 years time when bodies are being pulled out of lakes and canals, who is going to take responsibly for lack of swimming lessons? Unfortunately it will be too late for some children.
Jan Callow & Helen Clinton, UK

Your telephone messages:

I don't agree with City Academies. I think that sponsors will have control and convert pupils from Christians to other faiths and vice versa. To me it is all to do with religion rather than education.
Mr Davis, Walsall

I believe that education means preparation for life. In real life young people should know how to live with people from different backgrounds and socio-economic groups but academies and trust schools will only be attended by pupils from well-off families. The schools controlled by private sponsors will be extremely divisive.
Tom, Redditch

It doesn't matter to me whether there are academies or schools responsible for education. Teaching people will always be indoctrination to a certain extent anyway.
Andrew, Wolverhampton

I am very concerned about the sponsors and their influence on children. Not every innovation is good and I think that we should stick to the education system we have.
Mary, Birmingham

I am against the City Academies. I don't understand why the head teacher of Harborne Hill School thinks that by putting his school into private sponsorship, this somehow will lead to innovation of curriculum. Why would we need to put his school and other schools into private hands? Why this school shouldn't be publicly funded and publicly accountable. Why should we have a situation when we continue to pay publicly for these schools but the sponsors will control them?
Bill Anderson, NUT Birmingham

And on the cuts to the canal budget your comments are:

All of my life I have had great pleasure walking along the canal system in Coventry. In all weather conditions it's a fantastic way of escaping the rush of the traffic along the roads. I remember the canals from the 1970's which were polluted and the towpaths were falling apart. What a crime it would be for the canals to return to this. What a resource far from cutting money from the canals more should be invested?
Philip Dolan, Hollbrooks, Coventry

The Politics Show

That is the Politics Show... Sunday 26 November 2006 at 12:00 GMT on BBC One.

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