THE front page report saved me a job because I too was concerned and seeking information on the commercial "benefits" of the parking charges. Equally important; a well considered and beautifully argued contribution by Owen Adams about why many do not bother to vote. (Letters to the editor: "No mandate") The two are of course connected.

It seems from your report that local taxpayers are forking out £40k a year to subsidise the operational costs of car parking charges, despite paying £160k a year in parking charges. (Goodness knows how much the set up costs were) thereby taking £200k per year out of the local economy!

Long term of course it will be worse than that as the parking operations tax payers are subsidising are damaging our high street businesses which will therefore inevitably result in less business tax contribution and consequently more tax from for the rest of us to maintain the public sector status quo.

So what is the view of our "non-mandated" lead­ers on these economics of the mad house?

The council's deputy leader Brian Robinson is reported as stating "the council is satisfied with the way the car parks are being run." (For those of us old enough to remember, somewhat reminiscent of a former Prime Minister's "Crisis. What crisis?")

If a business manager gave such a response in the private sector, more than eyebrows would be raised.

In the light of this example of complacent leadership and bearing in mind Owen Adam's comments, it should be no surprise to any why so many people don't bother to vote.

– Tom Atkinson, Lydney.