I attended the shambolic consultation regarding the travellers site proposed for Mandeville Road Wyke Regis This meeting had no structure and no lead.

It was a mass of very angry people with very few representatives to express their views and concerns to.

There were some wall charts showing the area and siting of this site, and other proposed sites and information booklets replicating what was on the wall charts and with forms to complete with one’s views.

The councillors present, that I spoke to, had no voting rights at the meeting to decide this issue.

I assume this is because of the ‘Cabinet’ structure, whereby only those in the ‘Cabinet’ can vote. Again the lady from the county council could only advise us to fill in the forms.

Anyone not able to articulate themselves in writing will go unheard. This poor lady took the anger and flack from those present and appeared to be somewhat flummoxed at the discontent portrayed.

There should have been a very senior official there, or at least councillors who had voting rights. How can any of these councillors vote on such a controversial issue from pieces of paper?

The meeting was poorly advertised, was held in Chickerell instead of Wyke Regis where the access and facilities such as schools, doctors etc will be used, if this proposal goes ahead.

There is no public transport from Wyke to Chickerell, so anyone without transport was denied a voice.

We were told to keep our views to constructive ones and not put anything that could cause offence.

If this is democracy 2014 then in my opinion it stinks.

I understand wrongly or rightly that the siting of these camps are a European directive passed on to our Government who then pass them on to County Councils to implement.

Wyke Regis has a Conservative MP and Dorset is a Conservative-run council, so how is it that many came away feeling no one was fighting their corner and that the County Council are riding rough shod over Wyke Regis.

It is no wonder that UKIP, who were also at the meeting, with their petition and listening skills were doing well.

A copy of this email has been sent to Richard Drax MP.

Margaret Watts, Church Knap, Wyke Regis