IT'S always extremely sad when a former colleague, having harboured a grudge for years, gets as score-settlingly personal in public as did Frank Poole (You Say, October 31).

Frank has taken pots before at ex-colleagues, including me, and all that he has exhibited, I'm afraid, is quite a talent for simply getting his facts wrong.

This time, though, I am delighted to plead guilty to a passionate belief in communication with the electorate about local Labour policies, democratically decided - as an aside, compare this with the current Tory administration which tries to keep things as secret as possible.

Frank's "arrogance" was to be elected on a Labour manifesto and then repeatedly speak in council against it - without even warning his colleagues. It must have been because he knew best!

Incidentally, the last time that we stood together in election, I had a higher vote than him and a bigger majority - in fact, the largest of both across the whole city. I only mention this because of all the correspondence recently about electoral mandate and representation.

However, the real problem is that 13 years ago, the Labour Group elected me as its nominee to chair Environmental Health - not Frank. Ever since, he's been chuntering on to anybody who will listen that he "wuz robbed".

As I said, it's rather sad and painful business. Come on, Frank - it's time to give it a rest.

COUNCILLOR DAVID BARLOW,

St Barnabas Ward,

Worcester.