COUN Morley has written a misleading letter to the Evening Press about the background to his decision not to vote at the Derwenthorpe planning committee meeting (February 6).

Whenever a planning application is under consideration it is in everyone's interest that the decision is made openly, fairly and in accordance with the rules.

If this does not happen it undermines the planning system, brings the council into disrepute and leaves individual councillors open to accusations of impropriety.

It is one of the rules of planning that councillors on the planning committee should not express an opinion for or against an application before the meeting where it is to be considered.

Members of the Labour Group felt Coun Morley had prejudiced his position on the Derwenthorpe application.

So, when we heard he intended to take part in the decision, we felt duty-bound to advise the Liberal Democrat Group Secretary of our concerns. However, it is up to individual councillors to decide for themselves whether they are able to take part in a planning decision.

Coun Morley appears to be struggling to explain his actions to his residents, but to claim he is a victim of "spurious allegations", "sabotage" or "silencing" is ludicrous. He must take responsibility for his own actions before and during the meeting.

Ruth Potter,

Labour Group Secretary,

Chaucer Street,

York.

Updated: 09:41 Monday, February 14, 2005