SIR, I am writing in response to the letter that was printed last week from Earlston Community Development Trust (ECDT). I was extremely dismayed at the way they have responded to a previous letter and the fact they they have made a direct attack on the author of it.

Unfortunately this is not the first time that this group have taken to being defensive whenever they perceive anything negative about this project of a play park in Earlston. During the planning process a committee member of ECDT placed on social media, derogatory comments aimed at those against the project.

The main problem has always been a lack of communication. Unfortunately this is still going on.

Apart from an article in the local paper, ECDT have not gone to any lengths to attempt to persuade the residents of Earlston that their project is a perfect fit for the location they are proposing. If anything, I would say they are doing the complete opposite. There are many roads open to them, to get their message across, but the longer there is no communication from them, the harder it will be.

As they have mentioned, the residents of Earlston have asked a number of questions. That was well over a month ago. In an attempt to get the public on their side, they should have made a point of answering those questions as soon as possible.

They have, after all, had a few years of trying to turn this project into fruition, and therefore be able to answer these fairly easily. But again their reasonings for not doing so merely come across as a stalling tactic. That also throws up questions as to why? So they could be used in their own q&a sheets perhaps?

As I’m sure ECDT are now aware, had they engaged with the population of Earlston from the outset then their project could and probably would have been up and running by now.

They would also have realised that their proposed location was not universally popular, but a solution could have been worked towards. And this is still a distinct possibility, however, it is now down to ECDT to be the bigger person and realise that compromises have to be made, instead of using bully style tactics or throwing the dummy out of the pram, which will turn people against them.

Instead, you have a group that have been slightly underhanded in their dealing with the residents of Earlston, not been open and honest with what they are trying to fulfil, and now appear to be just going through the motions of what the Lottery have requested they do, instead of realising that they should have done this themselves.

A condition of Lottery funding is for there to be social cohesion in Earlston. However, with comments such as those made last week, how can they ever hope for that to happen?

I am, etc.

(Name and address supplied) Earlston