Purchase made as trade is decreasing

Your article on the shopping precinct purchase (Gazette, September 14) is a bold attempt to convince the public that it was a wise purchase.

Let us consider the reality. Retail highstreet shopping in the UK has seen a sustained reduction in trading of 22%.

Worldwide shopping habits are changing, with an ever-increasing percentage of sales being completed online.

The rateable value of the Whitefriars Shopping Centre has been substantially reduced in an attempt to attract traders.

Was this a good time to borrow in your name, as a ratepayer, and invest in retail property?

We have recently seen a property sale of public land for far less than its value, now the purchase of Whitefriars has been questioned.

We are talking large amounts of public money and ratepayers need to be aware and form their own opinion. David Hirst City councillor for Greenhill raise awareness of the problem does cause me to question whether anything has actually happened in the past 12 months to reduce levels of pollution in our city.

Promises to improve the engine idling signage at St Dunstans and take action at Kingsmead, where coaches leave their engines running unnecessarily for long periods of time, have apparently not materialised. Why?

In the meantime we witness the relentless removal of trees and hedges to facilitate a tidal wave of concrete and glass as developers seek to maximise return on their investment by erecting a series of edifices, the sole purpose of which is to generate income from every available cubic metre of space – with no room for social housing.

In this context it was a real joy to turn to another page in last week’s paper to read the item on the Crepe Myrtle which has now flowered after five years of TLC from Aidan Potts and his team at the city council, who are to be heartily congratulated on their perseverance and eventual achievement.

Mr Potts is quoted in the article as saying it put a smile on his face, and in that simple phrase he has encapsulated the spiritual benefits to the community at large of trees and hedges in urban settings – not just in parks but along streets and roadsides as part of our dayto-day activities. Thank you Aidan and team. Something for our city planners to ponder on, I hope. David Kemsley Cowdrey Place, Canterbury

Edd Withers writes in defence of the Pride decoration on Kent Police cars, in response to Harry Bell’s column. See letter opposite