Perhaps Ms Capel should have declared her interest, being the spouse of Councillor Don Capel.

If you are finding it frustrating reading the local paper, I suggest you don't. Here's a reading list of some of my favourites: 1984 by George Orwell, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Lady Chatterley's Lover by D H Lawrence, Weaveworld by Clive Barker and I highly recommend Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.

Then there are newspapers of other places, like Hong Kong, Lebanon or Iraq. The uprisings at these places and others around the world should serve as a warning.

If people are not encouraged to question their government, then that is where we could be heading.

I think that an up front and open debate questioning our local council is preferable to rioting in the streets.

It gives council the opportunity to either ignore the concerns raised or look at them seriously and address them.

It's part of being a democracy, to make our government better by questioning their decisions.

Finally, I'd like to address the idea of balance.

"Accentuating the positives" is not balance. It is focusing on what makes you feel warm and fuzzy and ignoring everything else.

Interestingly you acted on your "frustrated" feeling by telling everyone else what to think. It is an insult to tell people how to think or what they "should" talk about.

Obviously, everyone has the freedom to think for themselves.

Hopefully I have given you something to think about, but I acknowledge your right to also completely ignore me.