The letters page of the Gazette and Herald last week highlighted the fact that we are again approaching an opportunity for people to exercise their vote, at least for county elections but probably also for Westminster.

I suppose it's inevitable that the local Labour party see it necessary to stoop to trying to point score with cheap comments such as the attack by Sue Buxton (letters, January 13) on Katherine Callow and myself for missing the meeting of Kennet District Council before Christmas.

We both take our duty to the people who elected us very seriously but there are occasions when meetings are impossible to attend.

On this occasion we were sorry that no Lib Dem members were in the chamber but one of our three was off due to a recent stay in hospital, the other was serving the community in another way as a pharmacist and I absented myself from the meeting because of a family commitment.

The agenda did not contain anything openly controversial and we all made the judgement call that our absence would on that occasion be acceptable, not a dereliction of duty.

As to members' allowances we are currently exploring the legality of the way this has been introduced.

So come on Devizes Labour Party stop trying to score cheap points. What I do find worrying is the stated intention of some members to donate the increase to a 'worthy' causes some cynics might be forgiven for thinking this is a return to the days when votes could be bought!

G Brewer

Devizes