SIR - Normally, when Mike Foster publicly parades his almost non-existent understanding of planning matters and procedures, I am just privately amused and thankful that he has no responsibility whatsoever for this activity.

However, when he attacks the leader of the council and the planners for matters over which they have no control it becomes pure political opportunism that cannot be ignored. In his statements (Worcester News, March 10) on affordable housing, it is clear that he totally misunderstood the briefing that his local colleagues, Roger Roger Berry et al, must have have given him on the subject. I presume they despair of the man as much as I do.

The arguable case that Labour councillors put to the last council meeting was not about 'planning' it was about 'funding'. In particular, they believe the council should fund affordable housing from its capital receipts. In a perfect world this idea has merit. However, in the real world, the council has no land on which to build any housing nor is it funded to subsidise the Housing Associations who are primarily responsible for the provision of social housing. Finally, here is an example of the Government's failure in this context, which even Mike Foster may understand. We have seen, in Worcester, the nonsense of a major housing association seeking to develop and profit from the part or full private sale of 64 houses so as to fund the provision of 36 social rent houses. This is hardly the most effective use of the limited amount of land that could be available for affordable homes.

BARRY MACKENZIE-WILLIAMS,

Councillor, Worcester.