I refer to Councillor Robinson's letter published last week and would like to make the following comments:

• All the figures used by UKIP were supplied by employees of the District Council.

• If in any given period expenditure exceeds income then a loss arises. This is precisely what happened with regard to Car Parking in the Forest of Dean in the year to 31st March 2013.

• The "income" figure of £140,000 quoted by Cllr Robinson includes VAT of 20%. As he should know VAT is directly payable to his chum the Chancellor of the Exchequer and is lost to the Forest of Dean. In any case the total amount collected is £137,313 (not £140,000) and the VAT lost is £22,885.50 leaving takings of £114,427.50

• Cllr Robinson makes no mention of the following costs:

1. Enforcement of parking charges

2. Cash collection

3. Additional costs at Council Offices of running the scam.

4. Capital costs with regard to installation of necessary machinery in the Car Parks

5. "Minor Contract Fees"

• In reply to a question at a Full Council meeting Cllr Robinson stated that in his opinion car park takings were the same as a negative expenditure. I can assure him that neither HM Revenue and Customs nor the Worldwide Accountancy Bodies agree with him.

• Budgeted cash takings from the Car Parking charges for the year ended 31st March were £16,472 below target net of VAT.

Unfortunately while Cllr Robinson desperately tries to defend his position on car parking charges it is the businesses in our town centres that are suffering. How many more businesses have to close before he admits the damage that is being done?

UKIP do have a potential solution to the problem of car parks, which although unlikely to be ideal, with some hard work (sorry about that) and a spirit of compromise may help to regenerate our towns and the Forest of Dean in general. So come on Brian, take off the blinkers, put aside party dogma and for once work for the benefit of the Forest of Dean as a whole.

Colin Guyton

UKIP County Councillor

Drybrook and Lydbrook