AS I attend more District Council meetings as a member of the public than many elected members do, I have been asked (sometimes sarcastically), why I have not stood for office myself. The answer is that I know my limitations: I would never be elected as I am too controversial and my views too radical to be acceptable to any political party.

If I were given access to the corridors of Coleford power I would:

(a) Scale-down the proposed £400,000 spend on Council offices refurbishment which has already begun against a background of public unease.

(b) Veto all discussion on waste disposal. This is a pointless and expensive exercise as decisions will be taken at County level.

(c) Stop the current examination of the position of the Forest wild boar. The Forestry Commission will decide what to do, if anything, and can themselves take expert advice and view presentations as the District Council is doing, but cut out the middleman.

(d) Never again discuss which way the Cabinet should sit facing at meetings. This is only too reminiscent of the satirical Gulliver's Travels in which opposing parties argue about whether an egg should be cracked open at the large or small end.

(e) Place an embargo on any councillor who begins his comments by saying that a previous speaker has already said what he was going to say and then proceeds to repeat it anyway. This would cut down the length of meetings by some 50 per cent.

Once these were out of the way then time would be available for positive action. As tourism is the acknowledged economic powerhouse of the Forest, I would focus Council's efforts on improving access to the area via a new Severn crossing, preferably from Newnham to Arlingham. This has historical justification, as there was a ford there in Roman times and a ferry (still in use after World War II).

The bridge does not have to be motorway style: a single-track road controlled at either end by traffic lights would suffice and it could be built by private investment and a modest toll charged. I forecast that within a few years the initial funding would be repaid and the bridge be in profit.

A new crossing would open up both the Forest and the 'flat lands' on the eastern riverbank, improving access to Berkley and Sharpness and the villages in between. A couple of months ago when both Severn bridges were closed due to adverse weather conditions. Visitors from out of the area were astounded to learn that almost a 100-mile diversion was required to get them across the river and back down to the other side of the bridge.

Our MP, our County Council and our District Council are all Conservative. Why are they not demanding that David Cameron makes this part of his plan when in government?

As I said, it's all too radical. You can see why I wouldn't be elected. – Daphne Pearson (Dr), Redbrook.