I WAS pleased to see William Dixon Smith’s tribute to former Cllr Brian Watson (Letters, May 15). If anyone deserves praise for stalwart and principled service to this city, surely it is Brian.

Over the past 15 years, I have observed and participated in many council meetings. I have seen the governance system change, councillors come and go, and political colours alternate, but Brian was a constant, and a very fine one at that.

He could be relied on to ask the awkward probing questions that others were too weak, or too naive to ask, but he delivered them with a humorous edge.

Brian is a real character, warm, friendly, humorous, honest and intelligent. He is a rare gem in this disingenuous world, he worked hard, did his homework and stuck to his principles. It’s a travesty of justice that he was not re-elected, I for one will miss his free thinking intelligence.

I would like to thank Brian for his work in supporting Yearsley Pool, and for being a genuine, humane human being who cared about the City of York and its citizens.

Fiona Evans, Whenby Grove, Huntington, York.