I refer to 'Disappointed council worker' (Review August 17) and would empathise with the message. I am a little disappointed at HOOT although sympathising with their cause in hindering council workers from going about their work.

Protests need to be channelled against those most likely to influence decisions in the council – councillors, particularly council cabinet members. As such the timing of any protests should have been set at the time of Cabinet or council meetings, not when staff come to work in the morning.

Furthermore if HOOT is serious, they should mount a campaign with letters to Cabinet members and others influential in the community, also organise a petition from the small business community that is affected most by the charge – refer to 'A town in decline' from Mr Douglas McLean from the Forest Bookshop. Car parking charges have been recognised as the main factor in affecting town centre footfalls and Coleford or Cinderford are not Bath and Cheltenham with other attractions.

The insensitivity of the council establishment is all too clear given their dismissal of the massive petition from the Forest townspeople, and also parish councils affected, and prattle from ill-informed councillors like Gethyn J Davies in one of his letters that sounded like Marie Antoinette asking the people to eat cakes if they can't afford bread.

– Venk Shenoi, Blaisdon.