IT IS not the job of a local authority to conduct a personalised feud, or vendetta, with local property-arrears. Nor should it be part of their task to ‘punish’ defaulters, by penalising them in any disproportionate way.

Mr Michael Boland was not aware beforehand of the letter of mine which you published in issue July 23, nor did he approach me subsequently.

I could declare an interest here however, by stating that I went to junior school in Penarth (St Joseph’s, High St) with Michael and his younger brother, Gerald (now deceased). In my case, this period came to an end in 1948, when I went to a secondary school in Cardiff, I have not had any contact with Michael since, but I spoke to Gerald at some length on several occasions in the 1980s and 90s and later. I found him most friendly and sociable.

Michael is probably not beyond legitimate criticism, but in the ‘late-in-the-day’ Vale Council could perhaps be seen as negligent, in not issuing their ‘enforcement notice’ several years earlier, when full reinstatement would have been easier, cheaper and more justifiable.

The dire physical state of the Normandy must be considered, as it is now, without point-scoring.

I note that here are reasonably modern pensioner flats built opposite and other examples of redevelopment in that exclusive road.

Michael O’Neill

Railway Terrace

Penarth