I REFER to the letter (February 11), signed on behalf of Woodhill Tenants and Residents Association, regarding the decision to stop Councillor Yvonne Creswell speaking at a recent meeting of the planning control committee.

As readers will be aware, this situation arose following a disgraceful outburst at a previous meeting of the committee when councillors Creswell and Denise Bigg conducted themselves in a manner inappropriate to elected members after a planning decision was not what they wanted.

I fully accept that councillors Creswell and Bigg have the right to represent their constituents, but they must behave in an appropriate manner when doing so.

Following the outburst I consulted the Conservative leader and whip who agreed to request that the councillors be asked to apologise to the committee. As no apology was received I then informed the leader and whip that I intended to take the matter to the Standards Board for England.

Following an investigation the Standards Board did agree that if what had been reported was true then the councillors concerned had potentially brought the council into disrepute, but felt it was not serious enough for them to investigate. So to say that the Standards Boards "threw it out is not correct.

As no apology had been forthcoming from the councillors in question the chairman of the planning control committee felt that he had no choice but to act in the way he did and to stop them from speaking until they apologised for their previous actions.

I trust that this now sets the record straight.

COUNCILLOR DOT CASSIDY,

chief whip, Labour Group.