COUNCILLOR Sanders' defence (Letters, October 28) of the borough council conservation's officer's attitude to the Bedford Square banners could have been more informative.

Which authority made the advertisement regulations? Are they statuary or by-law provisions? Do they define 'erect', implying permanent features, or 'display,' implying the temporary character of the banners?

As a separate issue who is required to judge whether or not the banners 'impact' on either or both listed buildings, the town hall and Court Gate? As the banners hang between them do not obstruct or detract from the appearance of either the term is surely inapplicable.

It is not clear from which authority the threat of enforcement comes, the conservation officer, a committee of council, or full council.

If the threat is not withdrawn the town council will be justified in accepting the cost of legal representation to defend on behalf of their officers and the townspeople the splendid way of advertising town hall and pannier market events. There should be no compromise.

G Kirkpatrick

Parkwood Road

Tavistock

HAD Councillor Sanders (Letters, October 28) read my letter as meticulously as I wrote it, he would have discerned that my criticism was not of West Devon's no doubt excellent and highly-qualified conservation officer, but of a lack of grip by elected members in constraining the ambitions (no matter how worthy) of specialised officials within politically acceptable bounds. Your lead story in the same issue suggests that we have a similar issue at the county council.

In the unseemly scramble to extort yet more cash from politically maligned motorists, we overlook the many benefits, not least the fact that the easy-clean tarmacadam surfaces that pedestrians take for granted owe their existence to motor cars. Without motor traffic and its disproportionate contribution to tax revenues, uneven surfaces and muddy feet would be the norm.

It was October 2006 when I last warned of the county council's ambition to plant Money Daleks in Tavistock's shopping streets: at that time, a 'residents' parking scheme' was offered as a carrot to bully us into accepting pay-parking – or at least to split the opposition. So far, county's attempts to levy this impost have failed, because of robust positions taken by elected members at town, borough and county councils.

As reported, our county councillor's reaction has – so far - fallen far short of declaring herself resolutely opposed to this greedy scheme: we urgently need her to do so. It has absolutely nothing to do with 'helping shopkeepers'; it has everything to do with screwing yet more revenue from that majority of us whom the money-hungry characterise as selfish enough actually to use the motor cars that we are so outrageously over-taxed for having the temerity to own.

This mean-minded scheme, besides disfiguring our streets with ugly slot-machines, will drive local convenience shoppers to the supermarkets. It also carries the risk of increasing the county council's dependence on parking income. I urge those who agree with me to make their feelings known to our county councillor, Mrs Debo Sellis, whose email address is debo.sellis@ devon.gov.uk. She ought to be in a position to scupper the Daleks, but she has first to be convinced that people feel strongly about it.

Roger W Mathew

Willowby

Down Road

Tavistock

THERE seems to be a lot of fuss about 'banners' on the town hall but does anyone speak out about the bird droppings on the benches outside the hall, rendering only one usable the last time I was in Tavistock at 1pm on a sunny day?

Maybe the benches could be placed further away from the front of the hall, this would, I hope, also stop the smokers from littering the ground behind and under the benches with cigarette butts.

P A Cutts

Little Tor

Gulworthy