I OWE an apology to Martin Burd for not responding to his letter (Your Letters, June 21), which appeared on the day I went on holiday. I am now happy to give him the response he has requested.

MTAG's aims have not altered in any respect since we were formed. To reiterate, these are to: Sponsor independent candidates to contest seats on the town council; Dramatically reduce the council's budget; Focus the council's activities on its core responsibilities as a parish council; Examine ways of reducing the costs of the Belle Vue Terrace town hall.

We have made some limited progress, but remain frustrated in our efforts by not having control of the council, though we are the largest group. We have, with the help of others, reduced the precept by 14 per cent in real terms and reduced budgeted staffing levels from 26 to 12.

At our insistence, the council's committee structure was reduced to its core minimum, but due to our inability to control the vote, the environment and leisure committee has recently been reconvened with proposals to set up further working parties under its control, with the consequent increases in administration costs.

The Belle Vue working party set up to examine the costs of the town council offices and on which there was an MTAG majority, was disbanded because we did not control the vote, and has just been reconstituted only as a review panel of the Best Value working party.

We now, for the first time, have financial information, which is timely and relevant to achieving control of expenditure.

We are concerned that without control the council is starting to drift back to its old ways. It is essential that we obtain a majority in the council next May and ask all those interested in our principles and in standing for council under our umbrella to make contact with me as soon as possible so that we can get our team together.

I hope that this letter gives Mr Burd the response he requested.

KEITH PHILLIPS, Leader, MTAG Councillor's Group, Avenue Road.