Thank you for your article about our dispute with Brighton and Hove City Council about parking in the city (The Argus, June 29).
We would, however, like to address some inaccuracies in the council's comments.
You quoted a council spokeswoman as saying: "Obviously, it was never our intention for this company to go out of business".
But the council demonstrated its desire to close our company by publicising a winding-up petition in the London Gazette on Friday, June 17, 2005.
The council also stated: "GlowZone was entitled to two or three traders' permits but it never applied".
GlowZone has never been specifically informed it was entitled to more than two traders' permits - we have only been informed up to two traders'
permits are issued per company, although three still wouldn't have addressed the problem because we have eight vehicles operating in the city.
Where we have been issued with legitimate penalty notices, we have always paid them. This amounts to 44 tickets paid without dispute.
Prior to NCP taking over the contract for parking, we wrote to the council expressing our concerns and were offered a six-month amnesty.
Why would the council have offered this amnesty if it had not recognised there was a genuine problem to be addressed?
investigate a practical solution.
The only course of action our pleas provoked is the winding-up petition, jeopardising the livelihoods of 13 employees.
As the council has refused a review, there is nothing to stop a similar scenario from reoccurring.
We have written to Jenny Rowlands, the council's director of the environment, requesting a meeting to discuss a more effective solution to traders'
parking problems rather than the paltry measures the council currently offers.
solution for local businesses.
-Mike Gurney, Director, GlowZone Ltd, Beaconsfield Road, Brighton
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