WHILE it is regrettable if some shop owners were unaware they required permission to place advertising signs on public pavements and, apparently, did not receive a warning prior to their removal, I must reject Cllr Bradney s claim that the removal of A-bo

WHILE it is regrettable if some shop owners were unaware they required permission to place advertising signs on public pavements and, apparently, did not receive a warning prior to their removal, I must reject Cllr Bradney's claim that the removal of A-boards in Ely is "political" and a "hijack". This is pure hyperbole.

Does he seriously expect opposition councillors to be intervening to prevent county council departments from doing their job and enforcing Government directives?

If he really believes it is so "political" then I suggest he takes it up with his friends in the Tory cabinet of the county council, as they must have sanctioned this county-wide initiative which doesn't just effect Ely.

As a councillor, he should really know better than to make ill-judged outbursts to the Press simply to try to score petty party political points.

Speaking of which, Cllr Powley's claim the previous week that I had not followed up on the issue of consultants really does take the biscuit!

When he wrote this he must have been aware that I had already tabled the same question to the council again on the matter, and that an extensively corrected and revised new answer was being drawn up on his behalf as the cabinet member responsible.

Though, I must admit, Cllr Powley's rather lame attempts at political point-scoring are always "amusing" and, personally, I regard it as a badge of honour to be the lucky target!

NIGEL BELL

Liberal Democrat county councillor

(Ely North & East)