SIR – When we were first told the poplars at Stanborough Lakes were diseased and had to come down, there was supposed to be a consultation about the replanting. This got lost because the public were outraged that the trees were to be cut down without

SIR - When we were first told the poplars at Stanborough Lakes were diseased and had to come down, there was supposed to be a consultation about the replanting. This got lost because the public were outraged that the trees were to be cut down without proper consultation after a report two years previously had claimed that they were becoming unsafe. The public questioned the impartiality of this report, by Colin Last of ACF, because he was associated with Cleartrack, the company that was tendering for the contract to fell the trees.

Another report was commissioned. This time, the report was much more specific about which trees were damaged and should come down and recommended the pollarding regime.

In the mean time, it appeared that no decision had been made and the council finally decided on October 7 to cut down the trees, despite further submissions from the public.

We now have a barren wilderness in the south car park and a difficult situation in the north car park, with some diseased trees that have not yet been taken out, and others obscured by ivy. Nothing has yet been done to re-assure the public.

I would like to ask one thing. Please can we have a proper consultation about the replanting. We need to have members of the public co-opted onto the group that is making decisions about the replanting schemes. We need to have submissions from the public about what they want. We need to have clear announcements and documentation of the process at all stages. Let's have a model consultation to show that we can all work together, whatever party or persuasion we represent, to make the town a better place.

How about it?

Cllr Louise Lotz,

Fordwich Road, WGC.