SIR — I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for the generosity of those who voted for such a generous discount for those with blue badges when West Somerset Council starts charging the disabled for car parking.

As I say, I would like to, but I can’t.

My wife enjoys the concession and we always use the car parks, despite the fact that they are often further away from where we shop than we would be if we parked at the roadside.

We manage this because my wife also has a mobility scooter.

We seldom park for more than an hour, so the extra hour is of no use to us.

In future we will be parking at the roadside with all the attendant implications in respect of traffic congestion, which in Minehead is bad enough as it is.

Do our local politicians really think that we are stupid enough to be fooled by this utterly ludicrous idea?

Do they really think that we are going to pay for three hours’ parking just to get an extra hour for nowt?

If they do I suggest that they have no business running a local authority.

I have no doubt that the political complexion of the council has a great deal to do with this ill thought out decision and perhaps, for once, they might like to distance themselves from their political masters at Westminster by attacking this appalling government for a change instead of following the lead of Ian Duncan Smith in his despicable attacks on the sick and disabled.

The majority of us are heartily sick of subsidising tax breaks for multinational corporations like Google and the well- off individuals and politicians who support them, while at the same time this despicable government cuts support for local authorities to the bone.

It’s about time that local authorities started fighting back, but I won’t hold my breath.

Alan Bond ,

Helwell Green,