I WOULD like to reply to Mr Steve Metcalfe's criticism of me in last week's Citizen and ask him why is he so sour and unpleasant to people who do not share his beliefs or conform to his opinions?

I know my roots. In fact I came from a Socialist family and was a socialist before he was born, or even learned to spell the word.

I don't go on marches or agree with him on occasions but, until now, I have never criticised him personally.

As for the junket' I enjoyed, it was a twinning visit on which I paid for my own flights and hotels. It included listening to other people's ideas and visits to educational establishments inc-luding Vaxjo University, glass factories, the police academy, municipal buildings and regeneration projects.

We also spent a day seeing the devastation that storms caused to the area's forest in January this year, when millions of trees were uprooted and laid to waste. Many young damaged trees had to be felled and are still laid for miles on end by the side of the road very distressing for an area noted for its furniture.

He then condemns the gutter press', a phrase he uses on a regular basis to voice his disapproval of others who write letters.

I ask what does to try to create a better world or to make our area and environment better? I have never seen him with a black bin bag in his hand, litter picking like many of us do on a regular basis.

And what has he done personally to change the dire circumstances of any of the exploited' people he refers to in his diatribes? It would be interesting to know.

I regard myself as a hard working councillor for Scotforth. I always try to make myself available to residents who ask me for advice and I believe that if I acted in the highly critical manner Mr Metcalfe does no-one would even bother to contact me at all. I certainly would not blame them!

Cllr Sheila Denwood, Scotforth West.