I AM delighted to hear that Forest of Dean district councillors voted to protect the badgers on their 15 acres from culling. And the badgers didn't have to protest to get their support!

Whey then don't they do the decent thing and put an end to another on-going cull – that of the local independent shop-keeper?

Several shops have already closed, and more will follow unless the parking charges are dropped completely. In a few years the parking charges will become completely irrelevant, since no-one will want to pay to visit dying towns full of empty shops.

'People Power' brought down the Berlin wall; in the 'Arab Spring' it freed many countries from tyranny – how much simpler is it going to be for us to change the minds of a few council officials, who based their decisions on a highly-flawed consultation process?

Come on, Foresters, voice your protests and save your towns!

– Sheila Taylor, Lydney.