TOTTON planning committee is only an advisory body and New Forest District Council is the main planning committee that has the say on planning issues in our town.

Mainly they do agree with what is put forward from Totton at New Forest, but when it goes to appeal you get someone who does not know our town like the local councillors and it gets changed.

You will find that councillors locally do care and get just as upset over some planning decisions. Believe me we do care, some are good for Totton and some you wonder how they get through.

We are at present looking at ways to bring in good business and get the empty shops filled in Totton. We are working together regardless of what party you belong to.

You have some good councillors in Totton that work hard to improve our town and you are quite right in what you say ‘Don’t we have a say at what happens in Totton’. The answer to that is simple – not on a lot of things and I wish that could change.

We are working to improve the centre and surrounding areas and some things take longer than others because we have to go through New Forest or Hampshire County Council and that does take time, but we will keep pushing them to make sure we are not left to wait for longer than is needed.

NEVILLE PENMAN, Totton North Conservative.