LETTER: Response was in a personal capacity

Mark Twain said ‘get your facts first, and then you can distort them as you please”. I am amazed that anyone can distort the fact ‘I write this in a personal capacity’. Obviously some people are able to do just that!
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Apr 2015, 07:00 BST
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The letter from Diane Bassett (WSCT 9th April 2015) was interesting to say the least with writing in a similar vein to M. Smith (WSCT 12th March 2015).

Diane Bassett states that M. Smith’s question was ‘not well received by the Billingshurst Parish Council’s vice-chair’.

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My response to M. Smith’s letter was written in a personal capacity, as always, and was not critical of any question he posed, I merely pointed out a mistaken observation and I included reasons why I personally felt the precept increased by 1.75 pence a week (Band D property).

No councillor has the authority to speak for the council, as I am sure Diane Bassett is undoubtedly aware. I never used ‘vice-chair’ anywhere in my response to M. Smith. The only title I use in the newspaper would be that to which I am entitled – Mrs!

Diane Bassett then said M. Smith was ‘criticised for asking a question on shared services’ and that ‘residents deserved a better response from the BPC’. Distortion abounds - I am unaware of any parish council comment and ‘shared services’ was not a subject on which I commented in my personal response to M. Smith.

‘Purdah’ is a particularly sensitive time during an election period, so there will be no comment from me on Diane Bassett’s final paragraph. However if she writes to me personally with her full home address in Station Road, I would be more than happy to share my personal comments to any questions asked.

LESLEY WILDING (Mrs)

Carpenters, Billingshurst