IN my first three months as a councillor I have learnt that it isn't all fun and games but that part of the cost of public office is that one's views can easily be distorted by omission.

Among several glaring omissions in Paul Stammer's report of my speech on affordable housing was that there has been considerable time and commitment invested by interested parties to ensure the success of the development that is now going ahead at the Castle Croft site.

This bridge building has been taking place over the last few weeks between the Warndon Neighbourhood Office, Worcestershire Housing Association, Warndon Parish Council, Lyppard Grange Community Centre and existing Warndon Villages residents associations.

Neither was there a mention of Labour Councillor Roger Berry's speech which followed Coun Bannister's and was effectively a rebuke to him, giving a much more balanced view of the bridge building work that is going on from Coun Berry's perspective as a member of the board of Worcestershire Housing Association.

What I definitely did not say was that it is too late for the newcomers to fit into Warndon Villages. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on to make sure new residents feel welcome.

However, the fact remains that had affordable housing been developed alongside private housing as the city council now proposes, then a mixed community would have developed naturally and bridge building would not be necessary.

COUN MARTIN CLARKE,

Worcester.