YOUR correspondent, W J Ditcham, in last week's letters page makes reference to the numbers of cars parking on Howard Street with a disabled badge displayed and yet there are dedicated spaces available on the council's adjoining pay and display car park.

YOUR correspondent, W J Ditcham, in last week's letters page makes reference to the numbers of cars parking on Howard Street with a disabled badge displayed and yet there are dedicated spaces available on the council's adjoining pay and display car park.

To avoid any confusion the borough council would point out that the enforcement on the street is a county council highways function, although we suspect that all of these parkers are leaving their vehicles in accordance with the rules laid down for Blue Badge holders.

This Council is required to provide adequate safe parking for disabled users on each of it's car parks in line with the details set out by the Government, and this was completed last year although it was necessary to introduce charging at the same level for all users, even those displaying a Blue Badge, to fund the improvements that were carried out to provide wider spaces and improve access to and from the various sites.

PRESS OFFICE

Great Yarmouth Borough Council

I DON'T profess to be an expert on the the GYBC handover to EastPort and may be a bit naive but I have some concerns which may be elementary to some others which I would appreciate clarification on. Firstly when our council was applying for grants etc would they have had to submit a business plan stating benefits to residents and the borough which would have been how the 1,000 jobs would be gained and what the port activities would be?

I presume also there would have been some financial benefit for our borough coffers in return for our investment? Also would it have been acknowledged the council would turn over a potential profit making business to a majority owner which was an investment company not based in this country?

Would it have been realised that the first moves would be to offload experienced dockers, close a popular seafront road at Yarmouth and turn Gorleston pier conservation area into a scruffy desert by closing the car park indefinitely rather than reinstating the tarmac?

If the current lease includes repairing why hasn't the council asked EastPort to get repairing. If it wasn't why not? Who paid for the road works on South Quay? Who will pay for the third river crossing with the outer harbour link? Someone please enlighten me on these concerns?

Don't forget the car park petition is still available at most pubs and cafes on the seafront and the internet petition at "gorleston heritage is ongoing.

Finally, I would like to highlight a misunderstanding concerning the Pier car park petition in my letter in last week's Mercury. I stated: “One of these five who never replied whose ward includes the pier had verbally promised twice he would.” I did email twice as a reminder but received no reply, however I did miss a telephone call to tell me the petition had been signed at the Pavilion instead of online. For this reason I take some responsibility for the error and apologise to Cllr Gerry Cook for any annoyance this may have caused him and to thank him for being independent in his actions to support our campaign.

DENNIS DURRANT

Brett Avenue,

Gorleston

IN this month's magazine of Beautiful Britain is a feature celebrating “Britain's great and glorious seaside piers.” Photographs of Paignton, Brighton, Cromer, Eastbourne, Clevedon, Kingston, Southwold and many more, which were created by Victorian engineers and entrepreneurs to enhance seaside resorts and entertain the masses. No mention of Great Yarmouth or Gorleston - strange that!

Mr K WATLOW

Hopton on Sea

ON the bar of my local was a stack of cards from Brandon Lewis, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate, stating his “campaign for local jobs.” The cards were printed in Romford, Essex! With all the local printers attempting to make a living it's some “campaign”!

J BARKER

Amhurst Gardens

Belton

I AM writing to thank you for highlighting my adventure ie being stolen from Fritton on the day of my wedding. You may recall, I was participating in the Fritton scarecrow competition and at the time was having just a little difficulty in deciding whether to have a romance with Miss Busty Wench of New Road or Miss Fritton Woods, the showgirl at the Warren.

I appeared on TV the night before and but on competition day three young men in a black van stole me in broad daylight. However, nothing ever happens in our village without someone noticing and there were two excellent witnesses. My masters were able to report the van and some of its number to the police, together with descriptions of the theives.

The experience fair knocked the stuffing out of me. When I came to, I was in Reedham but it was nearly a week later before some kind soul found me and recognised me, probably from The Mercury's article and handed me to a lovely police lady from Gorleston. I think if I hadn't been so ill I would have proposed to her but when you are all squashed up in a black plastic bag you are in no fit state for romance.

I am now back home and have sent a message to Busty Wench who seems to have suffered a relapse at my disappearance and her owner has been obliged to deflate her somewhat. I am now going to see Miss Fritton Woods to explain myself.

SINBAD the Scarecrow

Fritton

I SHOULD like through your letters page to make allotment holders in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston aware of what happened at the society's AGM that was due to be held on August 21. Copies of the 2008 audited accounts were restricted to current committee members and not made available either before, or at the meeting, to all plot holders which is contrary to item 46(c) of the association rules. Because of this the meeting was called to a halt in protest at the lack of tabled paperwork. A new date for a re-scheduled AGM has yet to be agreed so I would ask all plot holders to look out for the new date and attend if at all possible.

A BARNES

Address withheld

LOCAL people have been very generous to the Salvation Army in previous appeals and we ask them to dig deep again to support our annual fundraising campaign, where 92p out of every �1 donated goes directly to help people in need.

Salvation Army members, friends and volunteers will be out in and around the Great Yarmouth area from September, 12 to 27, to raise vital funds to help homeless, older people, and the vulnerable and marginalised across the country.

This year's annual appeal is set against the backdrop of the nation in the midst of recession and it is at times like these that the most vulnerable in our society suffer. Please be as generous as you can make a real difference to people going through tough times.

Funds from the appeals directly support the Salvation Army work across all ages and backgrounds, as one of the largest providers of social services in the UK after the government.

Please watch out for an authorised collectors with their blue Belief in Action envelopes of sealed Salvation Army collecting tins who will only be asking for cash donations. If we do not meet you personally you may make a donation through our website at www.salvationarmy.org.uk/annualappeal.

Thank you in advance for your support.

GEORGINA and ROB SYMONS

Lieutenants

Great Yarmouth Salvation Army

TO the person who ran over my cat on Tuesday, September 8 at about 4pm on Lichfield Road, Southtown and left her dead in the road: I ask, do you have a heart? I cannot believe you left someone's beloved animal in the middle of the road like a piece of rubbish. My children are distraught at the death of their pet and even though they are only aged 3, 5 and 7 they also are shocked at your lack of compassion and also the fact that if it was an accident why did you not even look at my cat's name tag or take her to the vets as she was microchipped, instead of just driving off.

I would like to thank the staff at the Lichfield Arms who took Fizz to Haven Vets and also the staff at Haven Vets for all their kind attention.

V STEWARD

Lichfield Road,

Great Yarmouth