'Carnival brought our city alive'

SIR - A big congratulations to all those who took part in this year’s Carnival.

What a lovely day it turned out to be.

Seeing so many people enjoying themselves, not to mention the hard work it takes to make the floats look fantastic, as they all did.

What a lovely tribute to the late Mr Mike Layland, from the Worcester and Foresters Regimental Association.

How proud those men were, standing up to show off their standards, uniforms and medals.

I take my hat off to all, well done lads, Mike would have been so proud.

This event must continue as it made Worcester come alive.

M A Jones

Worcester

'Councillors persuaded'

SIR- I refer to the item by a Mr Wogan in your letters page 30th June regarding the proposed football stadium at Perdiswell.

Irrespective of the unfounded criticism of the chairman of the planning committee, Mr Wogan is quite correct that the Conservative members of the planning committee did indeed recommend refusal.  However they must have been persuaded by the articulated address to the committee by the two Green Councillors, St Stephen City Councillor Neil Laurenson and Matt Jenkins St Stephen County Councillor.

Councillor Gareth Jones

St Stephen Ward

'Shameful ‘faffing’'

SIR - The city council’s prevarication over the locating of the new football ground at Perdiswell has been shameful.

Perdiswell is the only feasible site for this development, which would also create a sports hub for the city with its proximity to the Leisure Centre there.

The general faffing about concerning this issue has been pathetic.

One can only assume the city councillors think that as Worcester has a high sporting profile anyway - County cricket, national Basketball, Premiership Rugby and national Hunt racing - that football can be dismissed.

The beautiful game happens to be this country’s main national sport and Worcester must be the only sizeable town not to have at least semi-professional club within its boundaries.

I do wonder if the city council’s stringing along of Worcester City FC has been a tactic to allow the club’s financial position to deteriorate to the point where the club will fold - just surmising.

Worcester City FC has a proud history and the local politicians seem content to allow the club to die.

Sport mainly concerns balls - pity the councillors don’t have any.

Philip Apperley

Worcester

'Councillor got it wrong'

SIR - I have to respond to the letter from Councillor Gareth Jones (6th July) regarding the planning committee decision on Perdiswell.

I’d like to point out the planning committee found that the plan was in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (Regional Planning Policy Framework does not exist and hasn’t existed for the last 5 years).

There was no objection to the plans, and no refusal based on the content of NPPF.

The refusal was based solely on the SWDP criteria for development of green space.

His use of the words ‘demonstrably special’ whilst providing no evidence whatsoever that demonstrates its special features is nonsense at best.

To suggest that just because the planning committee sought to apply conditions and a S106 agreement (both standard matters for a complex planning application) suggests that the officers have concerns is simply scaremongering and misleading of the highest order.

It is embarrassing when a local politician, who was present at the hearing - at one point persisting in attempting to shout an intervention several times even when he was warned not to by the Chairman - has to resort to making a contribution within which he cannot even quote the correct reasons for refusal.

Mr Krister Halvorsen

Worcester

'Fire safety concerns'

SIR - Following the tragic, Grenfell tower block fires, a few weeks ago, other high rise flats in our big cities are under severe investigation.

Lo and behold, they have failed fire safety rules.

I have nine close friends, living in the flats on the bull ring, at the moment.

We’ve heard nothing, for God’s sake.

Let’s hope these homes are safe, from such disaster.

I hope my letter drives home, that the council can’t say this was never brought to their notice, we know the old saying, better safe than sorry, but sorry will never be good enough!

Mr L Presley

Bransford