Residents in South Portslade are being threatened with losing all the rose trees surrounding the woodland area in Vale Park, with its wild flowers and habitat for small animals.

The bottle bank in the park was withdrawn last year. Why?

Because a group of youngsters without parental supervision have put fear into local people by their behaviour.

The bottle bank was withdrawn because this group broke into it, took bottles and broke them, spreading the glass in the children's playground.

Brighton and Hove City Council's response, in co-operation with Sussex Police, is to cut back the park facility because the local community cannot police itself.

Apparently, a greater "transparency" in Vale Park will reassure us. Supposedly, cutting down these glorious bushes, nurtured by council staff with great care, will lead to less offending. This is an abject response.

Where are the parents of these young people? Where is the community police presence? Yes, we know they can't do it all but at least they can confront the parents. Where is the youth service?

I will tell you. It is just as under-resourced in 2002 as it was locally in 1972, when I was a youth officer with the then Brighton Borough Council - about 16th bottom in LEA spending in the country.

And where are the local South Portslade ward councillors - Councillor Steve Collier excepted, who seems to be doing all the work in the local constituency? We deserve better than this.

-David Anthony, St Andrew's Road, Portslade