I read the letter from Littleham councillor John Humphreys with a sense of incredulity and disbelief (Journal, October 13) and would like to put the record straight.

Exmouth Town Council set up a working group, with a councillor from each of the five wards in Exmouth, to make a submission on behalf of their wards to the Local Development Framework Panel (LDF) at East Devon District Council. Cllr Humphreys was the nominated member for Littleham. Unfortunately, he did not attend any of the meetings; therefore, Littleham was not represented at all.

He now alleges that the Liberal Democrats ‘chose to force through a motion in the town council that implicitly meant that the Maer Valley might have to suffer a major housing development, but we will continue the battle to defend it’.

I must correct this allegation. The Liberal Democrats are in a minority on both the town and district councils and are, therefore, not in a position to force anything through.

They did, however, attend the LDF working group meetings and represented their wards.

I would further add that it was left to the only Exmouth councillor on EDDC’s LDF Panel, Liberal Democrat Steve Wragg, to defend the Maer Valley at the recent meeting when Exmouth’s submission was heard.

Unfortunately for Littleham, Councillor Humphreys has, in our opinion, joined ‘the battle’ when it is almost over. This is fighting rhetoric with a most hollow sound indeed.

Cllr Steve Gazzard

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group,

Exmouth Town Council.