In bloom

WHAT a wonderful achievement, gold again for the town in the South West in Bloom competition.

Our thanks must go to all those volunteers with Portishead in Bloom who give their time so freely to make this town look good all the year round.

This competition is not only about flowers but about community projects and many awards were given for a great number of these throughout the town.

Our High Street is one of the areas where the display of hanging baskets and tubs were outstanding and many hours were spent by the volunteers leading up to the judging clearing the High Street of litter and weeds.

If everyone did a little it would not be left to a few to put so much time into this job.

Can I make a plea to the shopkeepers and particularly to the banks in the High Street could you not take the responsibility of looking after your ‘patch’ and ensuring that litter is cleared daily?

CLLR MRS REYNA G KNIGHT

North Somerset Council Portishead Central Ward

Cabstand, Portishead

Council tax

I HAVE just been issued with a summons by North Somerset Council for non payment of council tax.

Firstly, I should point out that I have been paying my council tax by bank transfer since having my wallet stolen from my home in March.

I shall of course pay the remaining �500 demanded before the due date.

My point ‘is this’. The council waste colossal sums of council tax money on endless lash ups that end up being re-done, and then have the audacity to tell us that they have stopped having biscuits with their tea at meetings to save money.

To name just one of these lash ups.

We all know about the Cabstand, how much got wasted there? �800,000 wasn’t it?

Or maybe considerably more.

D TOWNEND

Old Street, Clevedon

Skatepark

MEDIA reports of a decision having been made on landlord’s consent for the skatepark in Portishead neglect to say that Portishead district councillors, north area committee members and some other key North Somerset Council (NSC) officers and members had not been formally asked for their opinion since the original planning refusal which was overturned at appeal.

With the exception of course of Cllr David Pasley, mentioned in the decision notice on the council website as having had a “recent discussion” with the writer of the posted report.

Cllr Pasley has been a long standing opposer of the Lake Grounds location where he lives, and while he is a member of the north area committee, he is not chair or vice-chair and cannot represent the views of this group. Interestingly Cllr Jolley is the chairman who has expressed support for the Lake Grounds.

Cllr Peter Bryant, executive member for parks and green spaces, had declared even before the application for consent was submitted: “I am not prepared to consider any evidence....

“I apologise for my blunt rebuff but see no point in wasting any further time on this issue”.

Cllr Bryant, is of course, entitled to a personal opinion but as he represents the residents of this county, surely we all deserve some fairness in this matter and whatever people’s views, any decision should be one made on all evidence and not one that has been pre-determined or pre-judged by any one individual.

Planning permission was granted at appeal because of the overwhelming documentation that supported the Lake Grounds site.

If a decision on landlord’s consent ignores this evidence then Portishead will have been treated unfairly and if anyone has good cause for a judicial review, it will be Portishead Skatepark Project.

ANNETTE HENNESSY

Albert Road, Portishead