May I reply to Mr. Griffiths’ letter ‘Need to have pride’ (Your Say, July 10)?

A great many of us in the Park District do have a sense of community and work very hard to encourage it.

However, we are disabled by the lack of planning rules which could limit the number of HMO (houses of multiple occupation) applications being approved.

There is a council which, it seems, does not have the money or power to take action against unscrupulous landlords (not all fall into this bracket).

Nearly half the properties in this area are HMOs, which is twice the number of any other area in Weymouth.

These properties are inhabited by a highly transient population, many of whom live here for only a month or so and therefore have no interest in the community around them.

May I reiterate the advice we give in our regular community newsletter.

Put rubbish out on the correct day.

If you have to put it out the previous evening either cover it with an old cloth or spray the bag with a kitchen cleaner.

The gulls are a real nuisance and attack the bags as soon as they are put out.

Finally, Mr Griffiths, please come and visit our community centre and meet the people who have been working tirelessly for the last 14 years to improve the area against all the odds.

Perhaps you could give us some advice on how to involve our transient population.

Genny Burchill, Ranelagh Road, Weymouth