Sunday was a cold mid-winter's day on the Main Beach Mount Maunganui, a few locals and school holidaymakers were out to enjoy some fresh air. There were no significant traffic or parking issues as you might find on a busy summer's weekend and which can justify monitoring, yet among those going about their business and regardless of the abundance of free parking spaces was a rather pompous Tauranga City Traffic Warden looking to spoil the day for some.

I am of no doubt that council managers will find all number of mindless reasons to justify his presence but from a local's perspective, and others present, we were somewhat aggrieved that we were, assumed, paying a council staff member double-time to police parking and justify his presence with unreasonable ticketing when clearly there was little justification.

People come to the beach as it costs little and is a pleasant place to be enjoyed. His presence along with the senseless greed to collect additional revenue for the council's coffers is an activity most unwelcomed at this time of the year and notably when so many are finding the current economic climate difficult.

Michael O'Neill, Mount Maunganui.

Editor's note: Tauranga City Council was approached for reply, but declined in this instance.