THERE have been many letters and articles written about the West Way development plans and as far as I can see there are two main things that stand out.

The council and councillors do not appear to be interested in what the residents want or think and they (the councillors) have already decided what will happen at West Way and it is just a case of wearing the residents down until they give up on their protests and Doric are only in it for the money.

This is not just happening at Botley, the city council did exactly the same with Temple Cowley pool. It would appear councillors in general think they know best and members of the public are no more than an irritant.

This year is the centenary of the start of World War 1 in which millions of people made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and democracy and where is it today? Democracy only lasts one day, ‘election day’, once the voting ends those elected do whatever they like. Freedom does not exist, every time you go out you are being watched by CCTV, everything you do is restricted in one way or another and you are told what you can and cannot do.

Politicians are only there for their own little bit of glory and like telling others what to do. As we have seen with the expenses fiasco, their motto is: ‘Do as we say and not as we do’.

Is that what all those brave people died for? I don’t think so.

KEITH BROOKS

Gateley

Horspath

Oxford