Sir,

So it begins, the inevitable alterations to the LDP which the more cynical of us knew would be coming.

However, even the most cynical have been a little surprised at the indecent haste with which the county council has begun to re-write the agreement for its own dubious purposes.

The changing of the words "no more than" to "about" clearly paves the way for an increase in the number of houses allowed to be built. How many houses is "about" 390? Could it be 392? Could it be 450? Who knows?

I'm afraid this sort of behaviour is symptomatic of the contempt with which our elected representatives treat the views of those who elected them.

The extraordinary decision of Councillor Sue White to abstain in the most important vote in decades concerning the future of our town must be one of the most self-serving, cowardly and contemptible actions by a local politician in history, especially since the LDP is going to have an enormous impact in her own ward.

At least with Wyesham's Hackett Pain, there was never any doubt as to which way her vote was going to go.

I urge readers of this esteemed publication to remember those names when they are sitting in gridlock because the road system cannot cope with the extra traffic about to be inflicted upon us.

Or when they have been driving around town for an hour attempting to find a parking space.

Remember them when they are standing up to their knees in water in their own living-room because the "once in a thousand year event" has happened for the second time in a decade.

Or when their kids are being educated in an overcrowded slum with no playing field or recreation yard instead of the decent schools Monmouth has now.

Above all, remember those names come election time. I will be sure to remind them nearer the time.

Chris Williams

(Monmouth)