Madam, Democracy - 'a form of government in which the people have a voice in the exercise of power, typically through elected representatives.' (Oxford English Dictionary).
What the Lib Dems and Cllr Bartrum (Gazette letters) have failed to explain is that whilst attempting to accuse the Conservatives of wasting public money by calling an election, the alternative co-option would be un-democratic.
The present make up of the Town Council is six Liberals, five Conservatives and a Liberal Mayor with a casting vote. This would always mean that the Lib Dem candidate would be chosen, as they themselves have admitted would happen, so there would be little point in a candidate from any other party seeking the co-option despite the fact that they might be the best person for the job.
This of course could apply to whichever group held a majority but as it was the failure of a Liberal Democrat Councillor to attend meetings that caused the vacancy, surely an election is the only free and fair way to ensure that the best candidate is chosen by the people.
Councillor Jennifer Hyde, Bridstow