Sir, The Penrith New Squares goose that, we were assured, was to lay the golden egg for Penrith appears to be rather a sick bird.

Sir, I note that Penrith and the Border MP Rory Stewart is advocating a town council for Penrith. Most of the residents of the town I talk to would prefer the elimination of Eden District Council and its problems, not the addition of yet another layer of ineffective and expensive bureaucracy.

Sir, A meeting of Nenthead community shop directors on 9th May was presented with updated monthly financial statements showing an improvement in profitability, very encouraging since proposed moves to reduce costs had not yet fed into the figures. The prospects for the shop are at odds with views expressed at a recent ward meeting, but this may simply be down to the timing of the two meetings.

Sir, I don’t think the charging for parking at Sainsbury’s in Penrith is the issue — it is finding it and getting there!

Sir, What a privilege to see so much good work done to make Penrith such a happy place on May Day at the carnival. The Penrith Lions are to be congratulated for all their hard work on yet another memorable occasion and this year, for once, in the sun.

Sir, The failure to open phase one of the New Squares development as promised (Herald, 27th April) is a serious blow to Penrith. Whatever the background to this ill conceived venture, its lack of success will damage the town.

Sir, Not satisfied with spending upwards of £100,000 on an ill-researched, and therefore possibly ill-justified, traffic lights project at Eden Bridge, Lazonby, Cumbria County Council is now pronouncing false claims to the public in defence of the project.

Sir, Your page (Herald, 27th April) detailing the retirement arrangements of Cumbria County Council’s chief executive and the shameful events following police commissioner Richard Rhodes’s extravagance in treating himself and his wife to a chauffeur-driven car for a couple of junkets (at the taxpayers’ expense) could perhaps have been entitled “Snouts in the trough?”

Sir, Cumbria police have scored a spectacular own goal, and the spotlight has fallen on the feckless commissioner who has repaid the misspent £700 and apologised.

Sir, There have been recent moves to preserve the identity of the pre-1974 counties. May I remind your readers that on 31st March, 1999, there was a tea party in the Westmorland Hall at Kendal Leisure Centre to celebrate the fact that, 25 years on, Westmorland was still a place. More than 120 people participated.