To answer the Mayor's criticism of my letter, may I start with a few statistics. The poorest counties in England in order of merit are: 1. Cornwall, 2. Suffolk, 3. Norfolk and 4th Cumbria. The poorest area in Wales is in the North and in Scotland in the Highlands. All these rely heavily on the holiday trade.

Cumbria had the Industrial North, Suffolk & Norfolk enjoy close proximity to London and the Home Counties although more of these areas use the South Coast.

Where he gets his thousands extra for the area from the silly schemes envisaged, I cannot imagine. The cost for all the schemes will be in excess of three and a half million pounds, but will double by the time they are in any position to start. At 84, I doubt if I shall be around, so I am not expecting to foot the bill. How he thinks the people of Liskeard will find the cash, I do not know and I doubt if he does either. We cannot expect the rest of Caradon District to assist.

The main point in my previous letter was purposely missed in his reply. There is not one good pavement in the town, and Mr Holmes I am aware that this is the duty of Cornwall County Council, but now the parish council has so little to discuss, they should be examining these and pushing the County Council into action.

As the Secretary of the South East Cornwall Trades Council, I tried without success to get something done in the 70's and advised them to use Macadam, because it was cheaper, far less likely to damage pavements by vehicles mounting them, smoother surface and less likely to frost. Test the pavements as I have done, and you will also agree that something needs to be done. Already nearly a dozen slabs in the new scheme have been damaged and the road has needed repairs carried out. Get some sense into your head, oppose instead of agreeing with all these stupid ideas.

See to the necessary work, before adding extra burdens to the town. I repeat, Liskeard has never been a holiday resort and will never be. Where the hell do you think the accommodation for all these extra holiday makers will be found any way.

HEDLEY CORBIDGE

Liskeard.