JOHN ROADKNIGHT, of Buckwell Road, Kingsbridge, writes:

From personal experience I know how much Cllr Rufus Gilbert’s family has depended on the volunteer sector and I am therefore pleased that ‘interim arrangements’ have been found so that Tim Hore can continue his vital role as a first responder.

With so many volunteers expressing their dismay and outrage over this affair, and volunteers being the mainstay of one of his party’s flagship initiatives, I am sorry that he feels uncomfortable at being criticised over his handling of this issue, which should never have arisen in the first place.

Whether Cllr Gilbert likes it or not, he is both the Conservative county councillor representing Salcombe as well as a serving South Hams ­district councillor, and I am sure many readers will find it surprising that, after many months, it has taken headlines in this paper, as well as on the BBC Spotlight programme, to get these ‘interim arrangements’ in place – but not before a shameful three parking ­tickets were issued.

I think many people will wonder why Cllr Gilbert could not have ensured that these ‘interim arrangements’ were in place before Devon County Council officially took over responsibility for street ­parking.

David Hampden-Smith quite brilliantly sums up this whole sorry saga in his previous ­letter, Gazette, August 21. Let us all hope it does not take many more months for a permanent solution to be found.