I WRITE in response to Mr Bebbington’s letter (Warrington Guardian, August 16).

Having grown up and worked in south Warrington, I completely empathise with the fact that it appears money raised from parking charges in the south is given to areas of Warrington where some car parks are free.

I also empathise that residential parking in the south is very difficult as visitors park in residential roads for free.

However this is not unique to the south and happens all over Warrington.

Permit parking for residents is much needed in many areas and I would be willing, as a now Latchford resident, to contribute to this if it facilitated parking outside my home.

However not everybody is able to afford such a payment, particularly in less affluent areas.

Many such areas have lower council tax rates usually because they are unparished.

I wonder if residents in parished areas of the town realises how lucky they are to have a parish council?

Mr Bebbington, in his letter last week, seems to suggest that people in less affluent areas (without parish councils) do not take pride in their neighbourhoods?

Perhaps lacking the support of a collective body with funds i.e. a parish council, to enable concerns to be fully addressed or acted upon is a significant influencing factor.

Parish council money, from local taxes, can provide support for local amenities both practically and aesthetically e.g. hanging baskets.

More importantly, a parish council can support residents to fight cases against proposed planning for building developments and roads, this is a significant force in light of Warrington’s very worrying PDO.

When one finds oneself without the weight of a parish council, one can feel helpless and at the mercy of WBC.

I would willingly pay an extra increment of council tax if it provided the reassurance of a parish council and knowledge of a collective voice against the PDO.

We can all complain of how WBC spends our taxes and distributes incomes, but true social fairness, where all (individuals and areas) have what they need to fully function and flourish, seems difficult for councils, government and society to comprehend or realise.

MELANIE WOOD Latchford