I HAVE been heartened by the level of support I've received following your report of Cllr Bell's cruel attempt to publicly humiliate me at last week's

I HAVE been heartened by the level of support I've received following your report of Cllr Bell's cruel attempt to publicly humiliate me at last week's town council meeting.I bow to no-one in my pride in Weston-super-Mare and would welcome the opportunity to promote the town as mayor and support the tremendous amount of voluntary work that goes on here. I grieve for the neglect Weston has suffered under successive district councils since 1976 and the selling off of assets such as Knightstone, Tropicana and the airfield - with no discernible benefit to Westonians.His attack was all the richer for the fact that Cllr Bell would scrap the mayoralty if he had his way and pettily refused to wear his robe on ceremonial occasions such as the annual Remembrance Day service and parade.Cllr Bell accuses me of negativity on major issues. Disagreeing with him and expressing an alternative view is not negativity. It is debate. I believe that local ratepayers expect their councillors to question proposals where considerable sums of their money are concerned so that all aspects are considered. I also believe that the council should be run on sound financial principles - in the same way I try to run my own personal finances.Cllr Bell expressed several falsehoods in his list of projects I am alleged to be against:Barcode: Yes, I expressed grave concern about the escalating costs of this facility but voted for its survival at last week's meeting - only 30 minutes before Cllr Bell's accusations.Christmas lights: Many will know that I started and then developed the illuminations in Worle High Street. I have been on the lights sub-committee for several years and was chairman for three years.Flower Power: A few years ago I obtained council funding to 'beautify' parts of Weston and held meetings with Sanders GardenWorld to look at possible sites. I believe a suggestion I subsequently made that Weston might enter the Britain in Bloom competition may have kicked off the whole Flower Power movement.Grant to Uphill Village Society: At the budget meeting a few weeks ago, members of Cllr Bell's group and some Labour members proposed scrapping the £10,000 grant. They were defeated when I and the rest of the Conservative group voted against them.Cllr Bell's only interest in the town council is as a platform for his wider ambitions to be Weston's MP. It would seem that the unkind way he has gone about expressing his opposition to me has done him no favours in this respect. I am told that he has scored a massive own goal.CLLR JOHN LEY-MORGAN - Broadoak and Uphill Ward, Weston Town Council