As an Ealing resident I am appalled at the way in which the Dickens Yard planning committee was conducted.

Since when has it been necessary to parade uniformed police officers in their high visibility fluorescent jackets through the council chamber and Victoria Hall before a meeting of the planning committee?

The only things missing were the riot gear and dogs.

Splitting the meeting between the council chamber and the Victoria Hall blocked residents who wanted to observe this critical meeting about Ealing's future "in the flesh".

Was this done to "protect" members of the planning committee from the public?

Finally, why were such a large number of the paid employees of the developer and architect allowed to pre-book seats in the public gallery, thereby denying those seats to genuine local residents?

The stage management of this meeting was worthy of Soviet commissars.

D J K STIPNIEKS

Ealing