A drop in the ocean for him, a fortune to some!

FURTHER to Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones’s statement in your paper as to the cost of £90,000 being spent, which could as easily be as much as £100,000, on the Westgate Towers traffic scheme as being just a drop in the ocean (£90k Towers Trial Is ‘Drop In The Ocean’, Kentish Gazette, September 6). It is clear Mr Vickery-Jones does not understand we have an economic crisis in this country. Your papers says Cllr Vickery-Jones is Canterbury City Council’s portfolio holder for transport. I have to ask is he competent to hold such a position after making such statement to your paper? This comment about £90,000 being a drop in the ocean, is a typical attitude of some of our councillors, suffering from a power complex. Could I remind this councillor, all residents and businesses have to live in the real world, working hard in very difficult times to pay their way and to pay our council taxes? Now they are being told the £90,000 that has been spent by them to date on what is poorly thought-out scheme, is a drop in the ocean. Could I ask Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones how he would feel if we had spent £90,000 of his hard-earned money and failed to deliver the goods to him telling him not to worry it was only a drop in the ocean, I am sure he would be feeling a little sick. I would also ask, please could Cllr Vickery-Jones explain to the residents and businesses within Canterbury City where this money was spent, ie, consultants, contractors, advisors and was this expenditure cleared by the councillors? If so, was it done with all the relevant information and consultation process being made available to them to ensure that value for money would be achieved? I am sure that any person with a practical mind would have seen the forthcoming chaos. I feel the present consultation process just launched is now trying to close the stable door after the horse has bolted while our money is now lost in the ocean. Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones made another statement within your paper as to the present consultation process under way. It is already lacking credibility. How can it be fair when it does not include such areas of Whitstable, Blean, Chestfield, Herne Bay, Broomfield, Herne and Strurry who pay council tax and must have a say as this problem effects them as well. Or has the councillor forgotten Canterbury City Councill took over these district councils more than 30 years ago who have since been a major contributor to the financial coffers of the city council. Colin Grundon, Stour Street, Canterbury MR Grundon’s solution for Westgate Towers in the Kentish Gazette (Engineer’s One-Way Solution For Westgate Towers Is Turned Down, Kentish Gazette, August 30) is a valiant effort at something probably impossible without demolition somewhere. I see some problems arising from St Peter’s Place being made one-way southwards: