Dear Editor,

Unfortunately Somerset county council has became renowned for making some strange decisions, one that stands out as one of the most peculiar was to remove the cannons set in Minehead harbour that have been part of Minehead history over the last century.

With a simple question why?

Fortunately the company the company given this task was a local firm C J Lynch who knowing there historical significance did not cut them at ground level but dug them out, as they are still probably intact in a council yard somewhere can they please be returned to there rightful historic position at the harbour.

Dawn Worbern, via email

Dear Editor,

What is wrong with Minehead Town Council? I note that Cllr Palmer is serving a fourth term as our mayor.

Is this a measure of the calibre of the other sitting councillors? Or is he is trying to give Kim Jong Un a run for his money? The minutes on the their website document that Cllr Kravis was also nominated, it is a cause for concern that the word "majority" is missing in the minutes, this was included in reference to the election of the deputy mayor, who may I add only joined the Council late last year. I am unsure how local politics works, but does the mayor have the luxury of voting for himself?

At best this shows a lack of transparency, poor decision making and a town council stuck in their ways. With the historical scandals Minehead Town Council has faced, a change would have been a positive step forward.

I will be emailing Minehead Town Council asking for further Information and clarification regarding this matter.

Kind regards,

Robin Bancks

Minehead

Dear Editor,

Your publication regularly reports the policies carried out by Somerset Council and subsequently printing letters from your readers questioning these decisions.

Here are a few examples that the council need to answer for.

Where are the electric scooters? Exulting how these will be good for the community. Of the rental, available for only three days a week, been rented for the ridiculous price of a thousand pounds a week.

Andrew Brown

Minehead

Dear Editor,

I don't understand why we need white tailed eagles on Exmoor and I personally don't know anybody who thinks it a good idea. I am also not sure whether the general public has been consulted about this?

Why can't we be happy to just have a few of these eagles visit us from the Isle of Wight?

When the eagle was a common sight on Exmoor the local wild life was not in the precarious position it is today. Maybe fish are plentiful but rabbits are certainly not. We might spare a thought for these animals.It can't be much fun for a fish to be plucked from the sea, carried in talons to a suitable place to be eaten alive. I am not sure how an eagle would kill a rabbit but there must be some suffering involved. Nature at its worst.!Small birds aren't that plentiful either?

As for this bird being a tourist attraction. Do we really need more tourists in this area.The A39 from Minehead to Taunton is becoming increasingly busy, the volume of traffic has increased massively in past few years. Hinkley C and Butlins contributing to this.15,000 workers at Hinkley at any one time all needing recreation.

Am I correct in thinking that it is men who make these decisions about top predators.

First the pine marten and now the eagles.

Will it be wolves next to control the deer?

Meg Sunningdale

Blue Anchor

Dear Editor,

The letter from Ms J Shaw concerning net zero, (’Evidence rather than opinion’) warrants a response.

I am nowhere near an expert on electrical generation, so as most people do, take a view on what the experts tell me. As someone who has for decades believed that the sea, with two tides every day, should have been pursued by our governments, perhaps someone could inform us why we have to rely on unreliable, intermittent power from wind turbines.

Whilst hydrokinetic power would have been very expensive, the current expert assessment of Ed Miliband's net zero is £46.7-billion for the next 30 years - and some evaluations are as much as £7.6-trillion. The truth is - we just do not know!

Ms Shaw jumps on the bandwagon of Reform UK opposing net zero. Well, if this means we have to plaster eyesore turbines throughout our beautiful landscapes, wait for them to generate electricity during anti-cyclones, or alternatively switch them off in stormy weather to prevent them burning out - while still having to pay millions of pounds in "constraint payments" - compensation for wind farm owners - then the Farage camp seems to know best.

Furthermore, the truth is, no-one from the political 'experts' can provide a unit cost; from creation, transportation, securing to the seabed, maintenance, service life, etc, etc, etc. There is nothing worse than an Oxbridge politician who considers he or she knows best.

Moreover, if 'King of the North', Andy Burnham prevails in the Makerfield byelection and eventually becomes Labour leader, he would obviously steer the party well to the left of Starmer. Miliband has ambitions of being his Chancellor.

It is also ironic that whatever Britain does, the world is consuming coal at record levels. Thus, are we fighting a losing cause?

So, Ms Shaw can disagree, but there is always someone on the make, whether they be oligarchs, independent power producers, or international energy companies. It's just we that foot the bill.

Regards,

Jim Sokol, via email