The article in your paper last week about proposals for improving play facilities at the Lake Grounds in Portishead was another example of the way some town councillors in Portishead simply want to raise their profile by exaggeration and scaremongering wh

The article in your paper last week about proposals for improving play facilities at the Lake Grounds in Portishead was another example of the way some town councillors in Portishead simply want to raise their profile by exaggeration and scaremongering while at the same time making no positive proposals.In contrast I and my colleagues have been engaging positively with officers at North Somerset Council to achieve real improvements in play facilities in our growing town. As a result £40,000 has been earmarked by North Somerset Council for improvements at the Lake Grounds and we made provision within this years town council budget for funds to be used to complement this. At the meeting of the town council's recreation and works committee referred to in your article a recommendation to provide £30,000 from the approved budget to provide new equipment in the present play area was agreed and will go to next week's full town council for approval.The proposals before us at present consist of extending the fenced area to provide a larger dog-free play space, improving drainage, providing paths and ramps to make the area accessible to everyone, moving the flat swings to the upper area, and repositioning the toddler swings. Hardly a vast expansion of play facilities. New equipment for younger and older children will require additional funds and will be the subject of consultation with a wide range of residents.Your article states that the Lake Grounds should be a place of quiet and tranquillity. The fact is that the Lake Grounds is Portishead's main recreation space with bowls, tennis, cricket, football, boating, running, table tennis, swimming, golf, and informal games already happening.It is difficult to see how any reasonable person could argue with plans to provide extra play space and some new equipment to bring our facilities up to the same standard as Nailsea and Clevedon.Jon Gething - West Hill , Portishead