ANTHONY Reeve makes a valid point in the Review (Dec 2) concerning the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and fox hunting.

UKIP has not specific viewpoint on fox hunting which would mean engagement with the public through the democratic process. In the Forest of Dean that would mean empowering local people by giving them the right to call a referendum on the issue, if say, 500 persons so desire through a petition mechanism.

On a solely local issue this would undoubtedly have enormous benefit to our community. Take, for example, the continuing car-parking fiasco (UKIP incidentally do not support charging for car-parking at either local or national level, indeed in areas where needs arise would increase the provision of free-parking), the abject failure of the five councillor cabinet at Coleford to grasp the fundamental significance of a nigh-on 700 Forest wide petition and for the most past the wishes of their 42 councillor colleagues beggers belief.

Be it contempt, arrogance, misguidance

ignorance, flawed consultation, political naivety, an inability to admit mistakes, who knows? But the cabinet five are in cuckoo land – and that's without mentioning the circa £40k already wasted and a proposed car-parking business plan that looks as if it was written after consultation with the Greeks, or the same bloke who told me Lydney was being regenerated!

So then, what an ideal opportunity to "empower the people" when the council tax bills are despatched in the New Year, seek the views of the electorate of the Forest by attaching a form asking for a simple 'yes' or 'no' to car-parking charges.

To ensure costs incurred are negligible tear-off portion responses would be deposited in electoral ballot boxes made available in parishes and towns throughout the district (council premises, post offices, banks) over a 14 day time limited period.

Simple, allowing the electorate to vote on controversial issues when elected politicians lose the plot!

(Only trouble is it would mean sending out council bills every month!)

– Alan Preest, UKIP, Bream.