Madam, In response to the letters last week from Cllr Bartrum and Mr Utting regarding my notice of motion asking Councillors to forego 10% of their allowance I would like to set matters straight.

I understand what they are saying as I raised all of these points first in my speech when proposing my motion.

My motion was well thought out and considered and I had before the meeting written a blog to explain this to everyone.

I hope that all your readers will read my blog and then consider the comments made against me and then form their own view.

My blog can be found at http://www.cllratkinson.wordpress.com">www.cllratkinson.wordpress.com If you do not have access to the internet then please telephone me on 07914211631 and I will deliver a hard copy.

This is a moral issue for which there was no debate at council. The issue of councillors' allowances was skirted over, as was the big issue of senior officers' salaries, replaced with name calling and inflammatory language. The debate, with the exception of Cllrs Hubbard and Cutter, focussed on Cllrs saying how wonderful they are and why I was wrong to propose such a motion. This motion would not have affected any intake of new councillors as was suggested, and I had already addressed this in my speech on the day. This was a motion calling for a pay cut for the existing councillors to decide on for the remainder of their four year term, not future intakes.

Mr Utting called me "naïve" on this issue. If this is me being naïve then I hope I never wise up as these issues need debating and action has to happen. We are not above any cuts that others have to endure.

Cllr Andrew Atkinson

Ross East Ward

07914 211 631