IN RESPONSE to Mr Billington’s letter “Doing their Duty” (Oxford Mail, June 21), I cannot understand why he is perplexed over my previous letter Unneighbourly Cops (Mail, June 16).

Thames Valley Police issued a general invitation to local residents to attend a public exhibition on May 25.

However, a public exhibition cannot be considered public consultation.

A consultation would examine various issues like traffic management, parking policy and environmental impact issues. This is why I requested Gosford and Water Eaton Parish Council to organise such a meeting where all these issues could be discussed – and actions or remedies formulated. This is a fact Mr Billington, the council’s chairman, has conveniently forgotten – as well as the many photographs sent to the council of on-street parking.

The police, like many other public bodies have been charged with making savings, so why is the Chief Constable planning to spend £3m plus on an office block which will bring in some 150-180 people to the site?

HQ south is a very constrained site with poor access surrounded by schools and housing. Also, such a development is seen as a first phase of an extensive site development, spending approximately £15-20m over the next 10 years.

As Chief Constable, Sara Thornton cannot manage the site now to protect residents’ environment, surely she knows it’s an impossible management decision to propose such development.

Another 150-plus vehicles would destroy our local environment, put residents in danger and create catastrophic conditions on the local roads.

Residents have been extremely patient, waiting for the Chief Constable to put her house in order, but to no avail – and to suggest comments are delayed until planning application time, is an odd suggestion to make.

I remember a few years ago when the force moved about 250 staff to Langford Lane, Kidlington, to relieve the then serious on-street, long-term parking created by headquarters’ bad site management and staff visiting site.

A senior officer stated, once the move was completed, that there was no need for staff or visitors to use local roads for parking.

This statement has proved false, and residents are again experiencing the force’s antisocial behaviour of blight, danger and obstruction.

For the Chief Constable to propose imposing what could be up to 150 vehicles on the local roads, can only be interpreted as stupid. The parish council has a duty of care to residents, a fact it seems to forget, by putting politics before people.

The Prime Minister promulgates the idea of the Big Society, where local people can have their say on local matters concerning their safety and environment.

Now the council should stop sitting on the fence, engage and offer effective, safe solutions.

The Chief Constable should stop, listen, reappraise and, if necessary, consult Oxfordshire County Council – or other counties – to find a more suitable site for multi-million pound long-term development.

M MAKEPEACE, Oxford Road, Kidlington