Malcolm Wood, of Crowthers Hill, Dartmouth, writes:

I am a Dartmouth holiday home owner, living in the north west, who has found the district council’s new policy almost impossible to ­understand as it has been communicated so badly.

The culmination of the ­consultation period was marked by an article in the Chronicle, February 3, headed ‘Parking permits explained’. Good on the paper for taking on the council’s role.

My impression is that the council has had to field a great many calls in recent weeks from those trying very hard to seek clarification on the policy rationale behind the changes and the implementation.

In the early stages I telephoned Follaton House myself and the first customer relations executive said he would have to get back to me… and didn’t. (I left him my email address.) A couple of days later another adviser had to spend several minutes finding out where on the website the consultation document could be found.

The document itself only ­listed the measures in brief ­bullet points, so I was none the wiser as to whether I would still be able to obtain annual permits for my holiday guests. It turns out that existing permit holders are secure, but this was very far from clear at the outset.

I am aware of notices having been attached to car park ticket machines in some car parks and that a document was available to view at the council offices, but I really question whether this amounts to effective ­communication in 2017.

You will know only too well how contentious parking is in Dartmouth and in other parts of the South Hams. This should surely call for much greater clarity from the council on an important new initiative such as this, and I only hope that lessons will have been learnt from this really inadequate and poorly communicated exercise.