SO this month the elected members of Poole Council will be asked to drop their opposition to the village green project and hand their traditional responsibilities over public open spaces, to the legal profession.

Areas of land which would be associated with this scheme, have recently been the subject of major construction.

At Sandbanks and the Branksome beaches, stone groynes and the widening of the beaches with pumped and dredged sand has improved facilities and slowed erosion. Also the building of lifeguard platforms has improved safety.

Around Hamworthy Park, flood walls against tide, storm and sea inundation have been built. Though in this case, despite local pleas, the barriers were not used to protect the park as well.

In the same coastal protection scheme, Poole Quay defences were raised to protect the town.

Similarly, Baiter/Whitecliff like Hamworthy Park is an area just above high tide leveland will be subject to the same dangers.

Village greens are protected from further development or use by the law. Any change or extension of use would have to be a matter for the High Court and maybe the European Court.

Erosion of this made-up land at Baiter could not be corrected and the construction and the building of sea defences to safeguard property would be a decision of the court’s, not the local authority.

The whim of the judge could well support the extension of feeding areas for wading birds above those of the people and property of the peripheral housing estates.

Such decisions would be backed by the village green law and ecological considerations.

It is important that councillors keep local government local, serve your electors and not surrender, more of what are your already diminishing powers, to the European Government and the courts.

MIKE PAULEY, Parkstone Road, Poole