ROME wasn t built in a day so it might be unfair to expect the deconstruction of the issues surround the relocation of taxis on Wisbech Horsefair to be anything other than part of the agenda to be addressed by Fenland District Council s new management tea

ROME wasn't built in a day so it might be unfair to expect the deconstruction of the issues surround the relocation of taxis on Wisbech Horsefair to be anything other than part of the agenda to be addressed by Fenland District Council's new management team.

However both Sandra Claxton, soon to be ratified as the new chief executive, and Councillor Alan Melton, settling in as the new leader, might find it reasonable to adjust their busy workloads to take a fresh look at the issue.

Wednesday's protest meeting of taxi drivers at the Horsefair, seeking public support for their campaign to retain a presence there, has struck a chord with the public who do not favour the total removal of all cabs.

There remains, of course, further consternation from the taxi driving fraternity over the measures - perceived by many drivers as draconian - over licence renewals in the wake of minor traffic infringements.

Whilst both issues may be regarded as demonstrating clarity of purpose on the part of those responsible for their enactment, clearly this is not being viewed as such at grassroots level.

That being so it does seem appropriate to us that a time for reconciliation is now needed. Surely it must remain a possibility that both sides can be brought together to seek a mutually satisfactory outcome?

That a by election is being dominated by the issue (hence the emergence of taxi drivers' leader Dave Patrick as a candidate is fine) but that should not be an excuse to delay a speedy resolution.