AMAZING that Brian Robinson can claim to have been the instigator of the free parking bays in Mitcheldean.

It was he who introduced the parking charges across the region. It was he who ignored my requests at the time to remove the village of Mitcheldean from the proposals.

It was he that ignored the scrutiny committee's recommendation to treat Mitcheldean differently.

It was also he that ignored two motions, one by me at full council, to make Mitcheldean free.

Two years after asking for this I eventually agreed the deal for the free bays. Does that sound like Brian's idea?

Many members of the pubic will have heard Brian Robinson speak in favour of the proposed solar panel farm in Mitcheldean.

He seems quite happy that over 500 people would look over a green hill covered in thousands of panels.

He now claims to have not been in favour but I was sat next to him when he said he was and spoke in favour.

Coming on the back of his recent election campaign where Norman Stephens, the previous county councillor who had so sadly passed away, was claimed by his party, even though Norman was an Independent. I find this all a bit rich.

I thank everyone who voted for me in the county council election. It's a shame that apathy means the Conservative party machine won the day with less than 15 per cent of the electorate voting for them.

Frankly how people can vote for someone who has made the claims he has I find amazing. Even more amazing is that he is responsible for the planning department at the Forest of Dean District Council and seems to be escaping without any blame for the mess that's in.

I put people first and truly represent my community, not a political party. It's a real shame we can't keep party politics out of local government but the party machine has won the day again.

– Ian Whitburn (Ind), Forest of Dean District Council, Mitcheldean and Drybrook.