THOSE attending a public meeting held at Bells Hotel on Monday night of last week were rightly affronted at the proposal by the district council that Forest TICs should be closed to save money. As tourism engenders in excess of £100m revenue for the Forest this would appear the height of folly. Businessmen present suggested that alternative budget savings could be made in all council departments and several of them offered to advise council members on how this could be done.
If the example of the Community Scrutiny Committee on January 22 is followed their advice is unlikely to be heeded.
Much of the agenda concerned the wild boar and, unusually, members of the public were allowed to speak. Following a wide-ranging discussion, and instead of the instant action proposed, the chairman, Cllr Terry Hale (Con) announced that a 'Task Force' was required to gather further information and that he would lead it.
Committee volunteers agreed to join him and again, unusually, two members of the public were also invited to join.
Another speaker from the public gallery, Forest pig-farmer Roger Hughes, was not, at which he, quite rightly, protested. As he has 50 years' experience of pigs his expertise would seem to be useful, but this is the Forest of Dean District Council and expertise, in any field, appears unwelcome. As it is, the 'Task Force' will merely postpone any decision, perhaps critically.
The common sense approach would be to accept any (free) help offered. But this is local government where common sense appears in short apply. – Dr Daphne Pearson, Redbrook.