The announcement at a public meeting that the permit parking scheme proposed for Clarendon Park was to be dropped was met with a large cheer from the vast majority of residents, and of relief from local businesses.

Nothing at that meeting, though, made us feel we had the backing of the councillors for Castle ward: we had beaten them and the council.

It comes as a complete surprise then that the Greens now want to take credit for the result (Mailbox, December 10), or for doing anything to protect local businesses.

Matt Follett attacks Ross Grant and talks a lot about fact, but the facts don't support him.

He claims the Greens took an active role in the process. Well, it could only have been to try to introduce the scheme, because they did nothing to help us locally to defend ourselves from the consequences of it. Apparently, an active role does not include talking to people or representing them.

He claims the Greens insisted that there was independent consultation but this was proposed by the Labour councillor committed to driving the plan through.

The consultation amounted to a propaganda exercise in favour of permit parking and, backed by the Greens, was part of the threat to the continued existence of local shops. He claims he insisted that the leaflet from the council (which had the voting slip on it) explained both the pros and cons of the scheme. It should have been obvious to him though that it did not do this.

Perhaps living outside the area he never saw it, but it did not explain the impact on local traders. If he was so involved how did he fail to have this amended?

Both Green councillors ignored many messages asking them to speak to us and hear our concerns. Many of us wondered what right they had to take away our livelihoods without even talking to us?

In contrast, it was a Conservative councillor who contacted businesses to see what the impact would be, who carried out a survey of businesses and then highlighted the fact that 60 per cent of us would be forced to close or relocate.

It was also Ross Grant who helped local businesses campaign against the scheme, and who complained about the farcical consultation undertaken by the council.

The facts fly in the face of the Greens' claim that they stood up for local business. The facts indicate that they are the ones playing cynical party politics. Instead of attacking the person who helped us, he should copy him. If he doesn't start working for local people he might not be gloating about his next set of election results.

Peter Murphy, Leicester.