THE sudden and most unexpected collapse of the seafront flood prevention scheme, be it temporary or not, is a matter of vital importance to the future well-being of the town and is utterly inexcusable. If planning permission was all that stood between us

THE sudden and most unexpected collapse of the seafront flood prevention scheme, be it temporary or not, is a matter of vital importance to the future well-being of the town and is utterly inexcusable.If planning permission was all that stood between us and a full grant for the works I would have expected councillors and officers to have thought of it. I would expect the strategic planning member and several highly paid officers to think of it, and I would have expected the blasted consultants to think of it.I'm feeling quite guilty because I thought of it but considered it to be so blatantly obvious that to mention it would have been offensive. We need to know more before judgement, but if someone on North Somerset 'forgot' to get planning permission they should be moved on yesterday. If the funding authority, as has been suggested, suddenly changed the rules to save money we need to know that as well. In the meantime the council needs to get it into their heads that this scheme is about keeping Weston safe, and it would help if those councillors who think it would be nice to live off some of that money for pretty pavements and palm trees could just belt up for a bit.BRIAN AUSTINAlma Street, Weston