• CAMDEN is a borough of sharp contrasts and contradictions – take Gospel Oak.

The council are employing a firm of consultants at the cost of £25k to paint Queen’s Crescent road surface and associated activities.

Yet it leaves dangerous, broken pavements and pot holes unrepaired for years, next to a sheltered housing block.

It reimposes a high rent on a voluntary organisation which results in the severe reduction of the activities of the local food bank; even more needed with the ending of the £20 per week UC payment.

It employs unknown numbers of staff through employment agencies on what are, in effect, zero-hours contracts; some for over three years. Yet cabinet members vote themselves an additional £10k annual “allowance”.

Emails trying and get information and a explanations are ignored.

MICK FARRANT, NW5