I WOULD like to thank all the members of the public and the speakers for attending the west area planning meeting of North Somerset Council on the proposed sea wall defences on December

I WOULD like to thank all the members of the public and the speakers for attending the west area planning meeting of North Somerset Council on the proposed sea wall defences on December 14. What a pity I can't say the same to some of the councillors.So for those of you stuck in front of your televisions or just not interested in what goes on in your town I would briefly like to tell you some facts.The pantomime season started early in Weston, but all the leading characters were on parade. Firstly, only 21 of the 23 councillors attended. Baron Windrush opened the meeting and allowed four residents to speak against the proposal. Strange then that no-one came forward to speak for the proposal - hard to find I would think. The assembled cast then began their well-orchestrated lines. One of the dames asked for more information, another told stories of faraway places being flooded, and over all this 'they're behind you' sat the Wicked Uncle, and his brother at the back not saying a word.The young prince Charming then suggested a deferment for some six months to look at the possibility of a marina-type sea breakwater. Funny then that the only councillors supporting this all have wards that abut onto the seafront. This, of course, was defeated.The cast then went through the motions of considering the proposal for a splash wall. An outsider, the chairman of planning for North Somerset Council, was then allowed to speak, and he revealed that his office would have approved the proposal no matter what. Why was he allowed to speak when he does not serve on this committee? Surely he should, if he had so wished, spoken during the public debate? Hardly democracy.As a named vote was taken I feel members of the public should know how the vote went and who voted for it.The proposal was for a 'Splash wall along the seafront, 1.1 metres rising to 1.5 metres, the current wall raised, and to improve all assets on the front'. This was carried with a vote of 11 for, six against, and three abstentions.The Wicked Uncle, one of the dames, and Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. The six against, as I pointed out earlier, all have wards on the seafront.So who you may ask, voted for it? I suggest that you ask your ward councillor how he or she voted if you can't get an answer, ring North Somerset and it will have to tell you. There were 11 in all. This splash wall has no economic benefit to the town, and we are not sure that it will even work, so why have they supported it? At this stage the assembled audience (more than 40) went out into the cold winter to admit that we had lost this fight but we have not lost the battle. With an audience of more than 500 complaining, and more than 40 attending the meeting it should have been held in The Playhouse, the home of pantomime in Weston. DAVID J EVANSThe New Approach PartyTavistock Road, Worle