IN response to the letter by '"Angelotti". I wish to document information regarding the John O' Gaunt Ward selection procedure and record some observations.

1.The Labour Party Executive met on Tuesday 22 August to finalise an open short-list. The process needed to completed rapidly because the Conservatives called an early by-election.

2.All members of the John O' Gaunt Labour Party received hand delivered notices of a special selection meeting to be held on the evening of Friday 25th August.

3.Eleven John O'Gaunt members attended the selection meeting. Emily Lomax chaired the meeting. Roger Sherlock was an observer from the Local Government Committee to assure all procedures of fairness were followed.

4.Four candidates including Sheila Kavanagh were interviewed; a fifth had withdrawn earlier. Each candidate had ten minutes to make a statement and ten minutes to answer questions. Applicants were asked similar questions.

5.Immediately following the last interview without discussion, a ballot was taken. Richard Newman-Thompson had a clear majority on the first ballot and was duly selected.

It is highly unlikely that 'Angelotti' was present at the meeting so would be unaware of the independence exhibited by members. The letter is no more than a personal view. What occurred was democratic politics. After the vote, people expressed their sympathies and personal support for Sheila Kavanagh, but they were there to choose the person best able to represent the ward and "carry on Paddy's good work". The position of candidate for council is not an inherited position. Sheila Kavanagh seconded the nomination of Richard Newman-Thompson following a secret ballot. I am sad that she has chosen to stand as an official Lancaster Independent, which is a pseudonym for Morecambe Bay Independent.

I can only conclude that she is standing as an MBI because she failed to win the Labour nomination in a secret ballot following an open selection process.

Cllr Joe Ravetz

John O' Gaunt Ward