THOUGH the charitable motivation of those who are running the food banks is worthy enough, like Councillor Maria Edey, I find their arrival in the Forest worrying (Food banks are a backward step; Letters page, January 17).

Coun Edey hints at the root cause to be, "...costs higher than wages" but then spoils her argument by going on to accuse the council's car parking charges as being a major contributing factor in the rise of the number of those in our community who need food handouts!

I suspect, however, that those unfortunate souls who are forced to accept such charity can probably not afford to run a car, and if they still do - would not be parking in the council's pay-and-display car parks.

Surely if working people really cannot afford to live without charity handouts then perhaps it is time to increase the minimum wage?

Better still we should adopt the "living wage" principle as espoused by socially progressive groups such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

There is, however, another point where I agree with Coun Edey; our MP is unlikely to be part of the solution.

I don't expect Mr Harper will be the Forest (now reverted to West Glos) candidate in the 2015 general election; he will no doubt be rewarded for his loyalty to the Tory party at the expense of the people of the Forest and their environment, and granted a safe seat.

Mr Harper will never need the services of the food bank, that's for certain.

Sid Phelps

Forest of Dean Green Party