IF nothing else, the eternal tiresome saga of regeneration for Cinderford has simultaneously achiev­ed degeneration for the rest of the Forest with Lydney being no exception.

One of our area's leading businessman has told me he is at a loss to understand the situation.

Now, belatedly, and with what can only be described as a guilty conscience, the Forest of Dean District Council has formed a group to look at the situation in the other Forest towns.

The group will, of course, carry the usual FoDDC stipulated subtitle of 'promise loads, deliver little' (or actually nothing). The recent Lydney Clean Air initiative is an example – some £44,000 tipped into the Severn.

When I told the truth about the failings of the FoDDC regarding Lydney over four years ago the council conspired to suspend me for six months.

Nothing has changed. Thankfully in Lydney, under the excellent chairmanship of Cllr Brian Pearman, we have a Neighbourhood Development Plan committee that is starting to bear fruit. Why do we actually need the FoDDC anyway? Let's scrap this elephant in the room – the savings would be immense.

The distinguished journalist Richard Littlejohn recently wrote: "Britain's Town Halls are an organised conspiracy against the very people they are supposed to serve, run entirely for the benefit of staff who work for them." Is he right? Think about it.

Remarkably, the infamous FoDDC Cabinet must think that they are actually doing a good job because they are all, I believe, standing for the forthcoming May county council elections. Perverse really, yearning more responsibility when in the eyes of so many they cannot even remotely get close to getting their current responsibilities right. Car parking, waste management and economic ignorance of small business and planning are all lasting testaments to their failings. They get this week's star prize for allowing a housing estate to be built and occupied in Lydney without adequate footpaths and lighting to gain safe access. You couldn't make it up!

– Cllr Alan Preest, Lydney North.