PRECEDENT IS SHAMEFUL

South Wales Evening Post - 8 August 2006

For years, Wales and its people have been striving for their own identity, with voice and independence in Europe. Wales has its official language and is able to manage its own affairs through the Assembly. Has no-one told the councillors of Swansea?

Along comes Tim Thorogood, who I believe is English, and in a cavalier fashion tells Swansea Council what he wants. Immediately the Welsh inferiority complex kicks in, master and man take over. With much doffing of cloth caps and tugging of forelock, the councillors give Mr Thorogood what he wants.

How shameful! A precedent has now been set. Soon Gower will be covered with three-bed stables and four-bed barns.

C E V Gardener, Mayals, Swansea

GARAGE ROW IS DISGRACE

South Wales Evening Post - 7 August 2006

Having followed your reporting of events, re the "Thorogood affair", and not hearing or reading anything to the contrary, I am beginning to think that my parents did me no favours by bringing me up to respect "honesty and integrity'' and all the other virtues they set so much store by.

Worse still I feel that by trying to bring my children and grandchildren up to respect these same values I am doing them a disservice, and frankly this sickens me.

This affair stinks, he obviously thinks he is above the rules, and honesty and integrity are the domain of suckers like us ratepayers who paid his wages.

Councillors went by bus to examine the interior of the garage only to find it closed. If it was so important to see the interior, why was a vote taken having failed in this respect? No wonder our council tax is so high - this was pure farce.

According to your reporter, (Post, July 26) the councillors who voted this planning application through, voted not on the merits of the case, but on the assumption of an official, that costs may or may not be incurred if an appeal was made.

The only ones to come out of this affair with any credibility are the people of Gower who brought up their concerns of double standards being applied to Thorogood re the planning rules.

I hope they will take their campaign further, and involve the right people who will be able to overturn this disgraceful decision.

E John, Llansamlet, Swansea

WE NEED INQUIRY

South Wales Evening Post - 7 August 2006

I feel compelled to write of my disgust at the retrospective planning permission allowed at the home of former chief executive Tim Thorogood and Neath and Port Talbot council complaints officer and JP Mrs Thorogood. They appear to have shown contempt and arrogance and look like they feel they are above the rules and regulations we all have to abide by.

Mr and Mrs Thorogood should hang their heads in shame, both being employed as public servants in positions of trust.

The people of Swansea should now demand an independent, public inquiry over the working practices of the planning department and the decision-making powers of the council's planning committee, which appears to be farcical.

Taxpayers have, once again, been let down by Swansea Council.

In your Opinion column (Post, July 26) you ask: "Will it now be end of the matter?" I sincerely hope not!

Mrs R Osborne, Waungron Road, Clydach