Council spending

over summer, as the reserve can be easily accessed for day use. Unfortunately, the word is out amongst the freedom campers that this is a delightful, quiet and cheap place to stay.

Because the numbers of campers can’t be properly monitored, we have nearly lost this reserve through overuse. Now is the chance to maintain it with the respect it deserves.

If anyone is interested in volunteering to maintain the Edward Baigent Reserve and Faulkner’s Bush, there is an open working bee on the second Saturday of each month grant permanent residence to a Czech man in prison with a shocking and long criminal record. Thirdly, the failure at the recent socalled ‘‘Justice Summit’’ by the justice minister to recognise the plight of victims of crime, and where instead he rather portrayed the criminals as being the ‘‘victims’’. Time now for these ministers to get their feet back on the ground, as many voters are shaking their heads in wonder, and you can’t blame them!

Neville Male

Stoke, October 31 The story ‘‘Councillors divided over report card’’ (October 27) reports that Nelson City Council has racked up much less debt than expected over the last 12 months. Council simply failed to carry out the infrastructure work that was planned. There has been an overspend on consultants.

Council is good at providing entertainment, art and sculpture, at cost to the ratepayers. Much of the money from rates is not being spent on infrastructure work but instead on non-essentials.

Despite very significant tax increases over the last 10 years, NCC has not managed to fulfil its actual purpose as a local body. A change of leadership is required. Dan McGuire

Nelson, November 1