IF the Liberal Democrat members of the North Somerset Council Executive feel it appropriate to attempt to stifle free speech by making a concerted effort to negate

IF the Liberal Democrat members of the North Somerset Council Executive feel it appropriate to attempt to stifle free speech by making a concerted effort to negate what unpaid town councillors say on behalf of parishioners about their uncontrolled spending of four taxes, I do wish they would at least address the issues concerned. Instead, Councillor Bell said he found annoying my comment that North Somerset is not interested in holding its contractors to their contracts and accused me of persistent protesting. As the executive member for finance and resources, he obviously does not like references to uncontrolled spending. In the case of waste collection that I was referring to, he is in fact proud to receive a special service even when he is away from Weston.Not that I would moan, to use his word, about that as I am his ward councillor and work hard for all my parishioners. Councillor Mrs Deborah Yamanaka, executive member for environment and community and thus responsible for waste collection, seems to be as out-of-touch with Weston as ever when she refers to 'vague complaints'. When one drives from one's rural farmhouse to one's gated free underground parking, one obviously does not trip over any green boxes left on any footways but I can assure her that there are lots of them after any collection. Her comments on early rubbish collection after Bank Holidays has little to do with the case I mentioned. I was referring to the fact that the black bags were collected exactly 24 hours after the time indicated by North Somerset Council. This occurs with some frequency.Mr N Morton does not say who he knows who gave him his information about rubbish collections contracts. It is unlikely that he obtained it from the North Somerset Council website as that seems to be designed to frustrate the taxpayer's searches. The North Somerset Council Customer Care Charter says: "When you contact us by telephone we will answer within 15 seconds. We will provide an efficient and reliable service. We will tell you who you are speaking to." That is true, except in the case of Streets and Open Spaces where the reality is otherwise. Something the Liberal Democrats do not seem to wish to discuss is my thinking it appalling North Somerset allows their contractors to cause obstructions to be left on the footway on three different days in a single week. Perhaps they might have a look at the website to see what we are paying so dearly for them to do and then arrange for it to be done, instead of trying to score political points.DR MIKE KELLAWAY-MARRIOTT - Councillor, Central Ward* EDITOR'S NOTE: This correspondence is now closed.