Sir,

I do wonder about some Monmouthshire County Council officers - are they really interested in helping Monmouth or are they just showing that they are there - to justify their existence, perhaps?

The officious orders issued for the clearance of pavements, especially in the pedestrianised Church Street, seem to indicate the latter. These officers should take a walk around the town and look at pavements such as those opposite Drybridge House where there is a jungle of lamp standards and sign posts, often in the middle of the pavements, for people to walk into. Do these contravene the guidelines?

Is Monmouthshire County Council trying to finish the work of the supermarkets and obliterate the small traders of Monmouth? The Council worked very hard to facilitate Waitrose, even to the extent of selling them the public car park, which was built on the Village Green.

'Look after the multi-nationals and to hell with the locals' perhaps?

(Name and address supplied)