SIR – I have been following the sad saga of the Ketch roundabout with interest and I was particularly intrigued with the three officers who were suspended on gardening leave.
As a former county councillor I just could not work out how this came about. It begged the question, was this supervised at the highest level? With this in mind I made an FOI request to ascertain what had happened. I was shocked to discover that neither John Hobbs nor Jon Fraser had any input whatsoever. It cannot be coincidental that in the same week that I received a response, the press (Tom Edwards) revealed that in future all top of the range schemes such as the Ketch would in future be signed off at the highest level.
The only conclusion that can be reached is that the three officers suspended were not properly supervised in the first place and left to take the blame. It beggars belief a scheme costing £7 to £8m was dealt with in this cavalier fashion. I suggest that the blame lies at the highest level in the highways department and should be dealt with accordingly.
CLIVE SMITH
Malvern


Overcrowded? The facts suggest not
SIR – Research has consistently shown that most people believe that more than 50% of England is built upon; and letters on this page (Martyn Wheeler, 20.11.15, wrote the latest) often attempt to claim that we are overcrowded.
In fact, when parks, gardens and other open spaces are taken into account, “developed” England is as little as 2.3% of the total, with urbanised Scotland at 1.9% of its total, Northern Ireland at 3.6% and Wales at 4.1%.
I express no opinion on this, but simply ask the question: do these proportions really represent overcrowding and no more room left? Incidentally, Sweden (to which Mr Wheeler refers, as had Peter Nielsen previously) consists of more than a few uninhabitable mountains, a topography which tends to support Peter Nielsen’s arguments rather than Martyn Wheeler’s counters.
DAVID BARLOW 
Worcester

Are elderly no longer of any importance?
SIR – Why have First Wyvern decided to essentially “cut off” older passengers in Malvern Link by altering the bus routes and removing the bus stop in Albert Park Road altogether? A very large number of old and infirm passengers have been abandoned by First Wyvern: they will now have to rely on lifts or taxis because walking any distance is impossible.
 Well done, First, for sending out the message that older passengers are not important to you anymore.
MICHELLE RICHARD
Malvern

Repeal EU treaties or there’s no point
SIR – There is an Arab saying: “The pregnant camel gave birth to a mouse.” This is an apt description for the PM’s so-called renegotiation demands — “so-called” because they in effect support the status quo. Both David Cameron and George Osborne have stated many times that they want to get back to when Europe was originally all about trade and not political union. The answer then is clear: repeal the Maastricht and Lisbon Treaties. Anything else is useless.
Even the minimal four areas for negotiation have started to unravel. The PM stated that EU migrants get 43 per cent of their income from benefits. So if this is the case a lot of migrants obtain low-paid jobs subsidised by the taxpayer. Then preventing migrants from claiming benefits for four years may discourage them from even applying for those jobs. But the 43 per cent figure is plucked out of thin air since the government has not released any figures. Moreover, such evidence as we do have suggests that the vast majority of foreign migrants claiming benefits have been here for more than four years.
Both the House of Commons and Lords EU renegotiation scrutiny committees have protested at the lack of government information and consultation. Did Worcestershire MPs know the contents of the PM’s letter to EU President Donald Tusk? Presumably not. Was the letter signed off by the Cabinet — or do we have a presidential system now?
FRANCIS LANKESTER
Worcester

Thank you all so much for your generosity
SIR – We would like to give a big thank you to all the people of Worcester for their generous donations to the British Legion Poppy Appeal.
My twin brother, John, and myself were collecting in the Worcester Crowngate shopping centre for two weeks. We would like to give a big thank you to the management for the loan of tables and chairs, the Guildhall for allowing me to park my car and also for allowing us to make cups of tea. I would also like to thank Martin Edgeworth for being our quartermaster, keeping us supplied with the collecting tins and stock.
The grand total collected from both of us was £8,480.24. This just shows what a wonderful city we all live in.
I would just like to end by saying a big thank you again.
BRIAN AND JOHN HEWLETT
Kempsey

I’m a dendrophile — and happy to be one!
Sir – For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed a happy condition, unaware that it had a name, of which I have just been acquainted: ‘dendrophilia’ — a love of trees.
JEAN HARRIS
Worcester