Sir,

The situation in North Wales with the closure of hospital facilities in Flint is typical of what is happening countrywide.

There was a consultation over two years with the overwhelming majority strongly supporting the retention of services in Flint.

All these consultations were ignored and the final proposal was exactly the same as the initial one.

The same thing happened here in Monmouthshire where the public and other bodies were consulted for four years over the Local Development Plan.

More than 99 per cent of the responses to this consultation pointed out the foolishness of building houses at the Wonastow Road site but they were ignored and the plan has been put forward with only very minor changes.

If consultation is not going to be listened to then why do organisations bother to go through the motions.

Are they just trying to kid us that they care or do they really believe they know better than the public?

Bob Hayward

(Monmouth)