I must correct Gloucestershire County Council's article which was published in the Review (page 32) on March 16. One can only wonder why they needed to personalise and attribute a lie to me in the process? Yes, I am deeply offended by GCC's attempts to capitalise from the youth education facility at the Wilderness Centre. However, I must ask how it benefits county councillors, like Brian Robinson (Mitcheldean) to stand by and allow council director, Andrew McCarthy and GCC leader, Mark Hawthorne, to denigrate my standing as a district councillor? 

Furthermore, there was no inference in the Review's report that the GCC had paid for the helicopter – but the question remains whether or not the County Council was responsible in any way for requesting a helicopter to circle around for a long period over the Wilderness Centre. The rhetoric of council director, Andrew McCartney's bland statement, "We will be working with the court bailiffs and the police to remove the squatters from the site," complements the attitude of his leader, Mark Hawthorne. I had politely corresponded with Mark about these young people, when I had informed him that they, along with my grandson, Thom, deserved more respect, similar to those who occupy the gipsy and traveller sites around Gloucestershire.

These young environmentalists have been admired by the people who have seen the gardening work and seed base they have established. They have a vision for saving our forest and are indeed inspirational and must not be demeaned and dehumanised by the County Council.  They are not disgusting and dishonourable. Thom, for example, has worked to help homeless people and has supported the safeguarding of the Forest of Dean – admirable causes in my opinion.

May I therefore suggest that representatives of Gloucestershire County Council  avoid throwing insults and that we endeavour in our correspondence to stick to the truth in future and to show respect and civility to our youth.

 Finally we should remember that it was GCC who took possession of the Wilderness Educational Centre in the first instance, simply  to sell it off to offset their Mickey Mouse economics. They now

cooperate with other authorities on phased privat­isation  plans that will eventually  take out approximate 200 acres of the Statutory Forest, which includes  the beautiful shoreline of Steam Mills lake  and important key wildlife sites. Few of these involved  councillors and officers appear to care  that their actions  set an almighty precedent to sell off the rest of the Royal Forest of Dean.

– Andrew Gardiner, Ruar­dean.