Dear Editor,

Just like to add some further news regarding Linda Sparks letter [WSFP, November 28] concerning wasted money on cycle tracks, as the local authority have caused chaos in Bridgwater by placing some massive bicycle lanes in the centre of the town.

I popped over from Taunton to shop in the town to find my usual one hour parking area by the river opposite the 'old hospital', 'road closed', and where I usually park is now a very wide cycle road. Very few shoppers now about and as Linda stated no cycles seen when I visited.

The retail trade must be decimated in the town.

Yes Linda! Councillors of Somerset love wasting our money.

John Franklin

Taunton

Dear Editor,

In respect of the [Parsonage Farm] planning application, I cannot understand why the planning authorities do not offer to agree to it IF; those who wish to build all these houses are prepared to foot the bill for re-opening the direct road to Blue Anchor.

It would either stop the developers dead in their tracks or we would get our much needed road back in use. I, for one, am sick and tired of sharing the road with many of the dunderheads who seem so prevalent on it these days and hundreds more houses on the edge our town will not make matters any better.

Alan Bond

Watchet

Dear Editor,

This Budget did nothing fundamental to give our elderly people dignity or decent living standards.

We still have our two tier state pension which insultingly gives more to new pensioners and less to our existing pensioners, and we still have the unjust council tax that is based on property values, and not based on a persons income.

The continued requirement for pensioners to pay council tax from a state pension that is only around a quarter of male average earnings, is like a deliberate insult to the general public, particularly in a country that claim to have any civilised values.

Our petition, “Exempt all pensioners from council tax” (No. 736599), calls on Parliament to remedy this anomaly by passing legislation that relieves every pensioner in Britain of this burden.

At present, only those pensioners with the lowest incomes qualify for full council tax relief via a means test, schemes such as Council Tax Reduction or Support. For others, who may not be destitute but still have little flexibility in their budgets, there is no relief, so they are forced to pay council tax from a state pension that barely covers essentials. This is not merely a matter of fairness or compassion. There is a principled, public policy rationale:

If pensioner exemption were enacted, the shortfall could be made up by modest adjustments elsewhere, such as broadening the tax base, modestly raising bands on higher value properties, or reallocating national grant funding. Given the moral and social imperative to protect pensioners, these adjustments would be justifiable. We believe that this reform would command wide public support.

Younger voters may see their parents or grandparents struggling under invisible burdens. Recognising and enshrining an exemption for pensioners would send a message: once you reach retirement age, you should not be forced to pay a tax that disproportionately strains fixed incomes and constrains dignity.

We invite all readers to support our petition Exempt all pensioners from council tax (736599) on the Parliament petitions site. Please sign if you agree and share widely. Beyond the signature count, we encourage local and national media to hold MPs and candidates accountable: ask them whether they support such an exemption.

In the long run, our ideal would be wholesale reform of the property taxation system. But as an urgent, focused measure, full pensioner exemption is humane, politically manageable and memorable. It is time to relieve older people of an unjust tax burden and restore fairness to our local taxation.

We would appreciate your readers helping us to get signatures, there will be many pensioners in your region who will be glad to sign and share our petition, so please read, sign and share our petition to friends and family. Please go to this link petition.parliament.uk/petitions/736599

Sincerely,

Karen Burns, Angela Templeton, Michael Thompson, Dave Fabian and Denver Johnson.

Link-Age UK wide

Dear Editor,

To ensure a relaxing festive period for you and your pet, Cats Protection has gathered some tips to keep cats and kittens safe around Christmas trees and decorations

While extreme incidents are rare, simple steps will reduce the chance of incident or accident.

Try putting up your Christmas tree a few days early, without lights or decorations, to get your cat used to all the excitement and see if they are likely to climb it. If they do climb the tree, consider what decorations you put on it and avoid glass ornaments that could smash and injure your cat.

If your cat is a prolific climber, or young and still a bit clumsy, you may want to avoid the tangle risk of long string decorations such as lights or beads. And ensure your tree has a sturdy base to prevent injury from it toppling over.

If you opt for a real Christmas tree it is worth noting that some parts may be toxic if eaten.

Most cat owners will have a fun festive period with their four-legged friends but it is important to have a good understanding of your cat and adapt your decorations and celebrations to allow you all to enjoy a merry Christmas.

More tips can be found at www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/cats-at-christmas

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Warren-Cummings

Cats Protection