SO Labour claim in your letters column that I am wrong to spend time consulting York residents (July 13).

Strange then that our survey of local residents views has proved to be so popular. We have had 2,400 responses so far - a 28 per cent return rate and higher than the turn-out in some wards at the local elections.

But more importantly, this proves that some local representatives are prepared to work hard, listen to residents and try to do something about the concerns raised.

If proof were needed of its popularity, it came when Labour itself issued a pale imitation of our survey in the Chapelfields estate. Better late than never!

No we don't spend four days a week talking to residents. However, all shadow executive members do contract to spend, on average, four occasions each week communicating with the people of York in one way or another.

That's one of the things that makes us different from Labour. There are many others.

Steve Galloway,

Liberal Democrat council group leader,

Stirrup Close,

Foxwood Lane,

York.

...YOUR correspondent Rory Palmer presumably is too busy with his studies at the university to attend York council meetings or even read the Evening Press.

Had he done so he would know that an annual register of councillors attendance at meetings is published.

The top four attendees at council and committee meetings over the past year have been as follows:

1 Coun Steve Galloway, Lib Dem, attended 107 out of 112 possible meetings (95.54 per cent)

2 Coun Reid, Lib Dem, 94 out of 102, 92.16 per cent

3 Coun Smallwood, Labour, 86 out of 101, 85.15 per cent

4 Coun Merrett, Labour, 83 out of 97, 85.57 per cent

Thank you, Mr Palmer, for inadvertently making the point that Liberal Democrat councillors work harder for the people they represent both inside the council chamber and through active campaigning in the local community.

Janet Greenwood

Secretary,

Liberal Democrat group,

Common Road, Dunnington, York.

...THE recent Liberal Democrat abandonment of their duties at a planning committee is by no means an isolated incident (July 10).

Twice in the last month Liberal Democrat leader Steve Galloway has abruptly got up and walked out of housing committees, leaving his own motions to fail as there was no Liberal Democrat left to second them.

The Liberal Democrats are neglecting their responsibilities to the people of York to pursue their own narrow interest.

They aren't up to being the opposition, let alone running the council.

Coun David Evans,

Chair of housing scrutiny board and chair of housing advisory panel,

Holgate Road, York.

Updated: 10:59 Tuesday, July 16, 2002