With reference to PG Horsnall's rather sneering letter last week, I wonder how he would like to be categorised as a "doer" or a "destroyer".

Unfortunately, it is impossible if you are a "doer" not to make waves and come in for a lot of stick.

I could categorise people as the "doers" and the "apathetic" but that would be unfair there are a number of people out there who simply do not have the time, the ability or the confidence to do anything.

Coun Richard Allen is not only a doer, but probably deserves a bravery award.

He had the courage of his convictions and spoke out in public that takes some doing. He twice proposed, (seconded by Coun Mel Curtis) that the council looked into a financial matter that needed clarification. The council voted against doing so I was at that meeting.

Whether Coun Richard Allen is right or wrong, is to me, totally immaterial. Public matters should be transparent and all information freely available. Anything less than this is quite simply unacceptable. Who is proved right or wrong is for the future, but presumably no one will have anything to fear if all the correct procedures have been followed.

Every council needs a Richard Allen I congratulate him for having the courage to publicly air his concerns.

Resignations, you might like to note PG Horsnall, are called for if anyone is proved to have deviated from the rules if we called for resignations every time someone brought matters to the public attention, it would lead to a culture of secrecy and deceit.

Democracy only survives where there is openness and clarity.

V Compton

Marlborough