-----Original Message----- From: Dorothy Thornhill Sent: 13 October 2009 16:27 To: m.vandy Cc: editor@watfordobserver.co.uk Subject: RE: Parking on the Cassiobury Estate.

dear Mr Vandy I am sorry that you feel the way you do . It is easier for me to reply in the body of your e mail in captials.

_____ From: m.vandy Sent: 13 October 2009 14:29 To: Dorothy Thornhill Cc: editor@watfordobserver.co.uk Subject: Parking on the Cassiobury Estate.

Madam Mayor, No doubt along with many others, I am writing to you to express my condemnation of you and your fellow Council Members at the way in which you have presided over the transformation of the Cassiobury Estate into a Public Car Park, endangering the safety of children and creating misery to the residents. AS I HAVE EXPLAINED IN MY RECENT LETTER THE COLLEGE BEING UNABLE TO PROVIDE CAR PARKING DURING THE BUILDING AND CONTRUCTION PHSES WAS NORT KNOWN TO US UNTIL THE SUMMER WHEN NO ONE COULD DO ANYTHING IF YOU HAVE A GRIPE ABOUT THIS PLEASE TAKE IT UP WITH THE COLLEGE WHO WILL EXPLAIN WHY THIS WAS THE CASE.

I have read your defence as to how you were helpless to stop the development of The College, how you were helpless in ensuring that adequate parking be provided. YOUR USE OF A PEJORITIVE ADJECTIVE IS INTERSETING THE FACT THAT COUNCILS MUST ABIDE BY NATIONAL PLANNING RULES SEEMS TO CAUSE YOU PROBLEMS ? I WISH WE HAD MORE AUTONOMY BUT WE HAVE NOT IT IS THE SAME FOR ALL COUNCILS Similarly, I recall how helpless you have been to control the random infilling of land which has been a feature over recent years, AGAIN YOU ARE AN INTELLIGENT MAN WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE FACT THAT GARDENS ARE DESIGNATED AS BROWN FIELD FOR THE PURPOSES OF REDEVELPOMENT THEREFORE THE PRESUMPTION IS IN FAVOUR OF DEVELPOMENT ON INFILL SITES THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH PERHAPS YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS UP WITH OUR MP AS IT WAS UBNDER THIS GOVERNMNT THAT THE DESIGANTION WAS CHANGED THUS ROBBING COUNCILS OF THE ABILITY TO RESISIT BACK GARDEN DEVELPOMENT and moreover, how you are unable to put local feelings and concerns ahead of those applying for alcohol licences in residential neighbourhoods. AGAIN MR VANDY HAVE YOU BEEN FOLLOWING THE 24 HOUR LICENCING DEBATE AGAIN THIS ACT GIVES A PRESUMPTION IN FAVOUR OF FRREE TRADE AND GRANTING A LICENCE . SADLY RESIDETNS DO FEEL AND BELIVE WE HAVE POWERS THAT WE HAVE NOT LIKE YOU I WISH WE HAD COLLEGAUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF ALL POLITICAL STRIPES SUFFER FROM EXCACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS AMD RULES AND WE ALL HAVE TO ABIDE BY THEM . WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT BELIVES IN FREE TRADE AND COMPETITON AND A LICENSING TRADE THAT HAS RECEIVED PERMISSIOIN TO TRADE 24/7 You may recall that some months ago, we had a lenthy exchange of correspondence on how the Council was wasting time and money on needless Equalities Monitoring for certain Council Services.Whilst you personally agreed that I was right, once again you said you could do nothing about it as it was a requirement imposed by Central Government . AS I RECALL YOU HAD A PARTICULAR AXE TO GRIND ABOUT ON ASPECT OF MONITORING I THINGK THAT MONITORING TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR RESIDETNS ACCESS OUR SERVICES IS A GOOD THING.

It seems that whenever we complain, we are always told that the Council is helpless and is dictated to in all matters by Central Government.

This rather begs the question, why have a Council at all, if all they can do is hide behind Central Government and fail to represent the electorate? Given the response to date, I would argue that the Council is hopeless rather than helpless! GREAT BRITIAN HAS THE MOST CENTRALISED GOVERNMENT IN EUROPE AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOU THAT POWER SHOULD BE DEVLPOVED TO LOCALLY ELECTED DECISON MAKERS .I AM NOT GETTING YOU MR VANDY WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY SAYING ABOUT THE LAW OF THE LAND SHOULD WE BE DISREGRDING IT? I WOULD LIKE YOUR VIEWS ON WHAT YOU THINK A COUNCIL SHOULD DO REARDI Your response to date has been pathetic. The Consultation Document which was promised is at least 3 months behind schedule and you seem more concerned about the Redevelopment of the Pond and ejecting the Market Traders into the street rather than addressing real concerns which affect people's daily lives. I would suggest that your time would be better spent working out how to help those who voted for you, and give value for money to those who pay the highest level of Council Tax in the country!

May I remind you that you and your fellow Councillors are elected to represent the people who elected them. The same applies to Central Government and, no doubt, at the forthcoming election the people will make their displeasure known. Hopefully this will be the case with forthcoming Local Elections. If you will not represent us, then we will vote for someone who will.

Yours faithfully, M.J. Vandy, Watford