IN the days when people's cheques were verified manually in banks, there used to be doubt about what was going on when 'words and figures differ'.

Your interview with Councillor Diane Thomas (Advertiser, February 26) reminded me of this because the impression she wants to give of the Liberal Democrats in Redditch is so different from their actual behaviour.

Time after time we have given them the chance to oppose the minority Labour administration on issues of policy.

They have never once done so.

Only last week, when the council tax rise was set by Labour at 4.01 per cent (I am on record for some years as calling for inflation-only rises at borough level, and my Conservative Group abstained on this), I asked the Lib Dems to give us a view of their own, for once.

As usual, they just followed the Labour line.

Diane's contribution to the development of bus services, as the county's 'bus champion for Redditch', has been to preside over unprecedented cutbacks.

The Lib Dems have done precisely nothing with the balance of power since last May except to shore up a failing and rudderless Labour administration.

A vote for the Lib Dems in the local elections here is just an extra vote for Labour.

If they agitated less and thought a little more, they might perhaps contribute something useful to the borough.

But they have no ideas and no independence of judgment.

This is a case where actions really do speak louder than words.

Councillor GAVIN SMITHERS

Leader

Conservative Group

Redditch Council