HISTORY tells us that whilst Rome was burning Nero kept playing the fiddle. This scenario has a similarity to the on going demise of our town.

Whilst the area is dying the elected council continue to pursue policies that will ensure the demise of the area.

The Echo on Wednesday 17th January headlined the withdrawal of the Ivy Restaurant from the former New Look unit in the town centre following directors having stayed overnight and seen with their own eyes the extent of anti social behaviour in the centre of the town. No surprise there.

In the same edition the MP for Poole Sir Robert Syms quite correctly indicated that the council has an anti car agenda on the back of the plan to close off access for the motorist to Poole Park.

How very true this is despite the denials from the council members who appear to have portfolios under their control to support this statement.

Always good for a quote is Cllr Andy Hadley who in his two spells of being in charge of implementing transport policy has caused more disruption and pollution thanks to the mainly unwanted and unused transport initiatives of shutting roads with planters and promoting miles of cycle lanes which are deserted most of the time.

He looks to have a supporting cheerleader in the form of Cllr Millie Earl who is promoting a town wide 20mph limit despite having no idea of the cost or consequences of such a proposal. She might consider looking at how that policy went down in Wales.

If these two councillors continue to be able to have such a say in the future of transport in the area I fear for the future. Added to this is the plan to sell off the car park at Beach Road in Canford Cliffs another master stroke of policy madness.

It is true that during the winter months the beach is not as busy as in the summer period but as this area is famed for the beach facility and will always attract visitors perhaps the councillors could indicate just where people are going to park.

The headline in the Echo for Thursday, January 18 sums it up well. “They’ve given up on Bournemouth”

Alan Burden

Catalina Drive,

Poole