Madam, Last week's letter from Patrick Hughes is only accurate in one respect, that a co-option meeting was convened by Ross Town Council in 2005.
At this meeting several Conservative Councillors withdrew because they were acquainted with one of the candidates who was a well known supporter of the Conservatives and it was agreed that I, as immediate past Mayor, should chair the meeting.
Subsequently at the co-option meeting, at which Mr Hughes was a candidate, Mr Paul Trueman was selected to serve on the council. Although political allegiances were not declared by the candidates it perhaps should be noted that a committee which, because of withdrawals, was predominately made up of Liberal Councillors, voted for a candidate who stood as a Liberal at the election the following year.
Nigel T Gibbs, Ross