OH, can't we tell that not only is Christmas on its way, but so are the local elections. We are suddenly bombarded with election literature, which we could well do without.

I realise everyone is touting for votes, but I wish it could be done with professionalism, honesty and, above all, truth. I have just received the Liberal Democrats latest edition of the St Nicholas Focus and it isn't worth the paper it is written on.

It says nothing about what Councillors Bew and Short have done for St Nicholas ward and slates the current Herefordshire Council administration and the Independent group of councillors.

There are a few points I would like to raise: It is a documented fact that the Independent group formed the current administration with the Conservatives because, as the Lib-Dems state, the Conservatives offered them the best deal.

It is only right and proper that the Independent councillors do what is right to best represent the people that elected them.

The Independent councillors have to be part of a group to be able to join in the process of proportional representation. It is not true they vote en masse and, if people attended council meetings, they would know it is not true.

The council has never had plans to sell off the Town Hall as the Lib-Dems would like people to believe. Hereford City Council wanted the county council to give them the Town Hall which, in effect, would be tantamount to stripping the county's assets. Had they given it away, how long before the town councils of Ross, Ledbury, Leominster and the like wanted the same and where would the county be then?

They go on to slate the Tory/ Independent council for the horrendous traffic issues at Belmont roundabout. I fully agree it is appalling but they fail to mention it was predominately Lib-Dem councillors on the central planning committee that voted for Asda. Without Asda the road works wouldn't be there.

The only thing the Lib-Dems say is they want to 'Axe the Tax', referring to Council Tax. This is all well and good but to do that you need a Lib-Dem government, local councillors will never be able to change it.

The last Lib-Dem led council in Herefordshire gave us 14.59% Council Tax and let's not forget they wasted all that money on reversing the traffic flow - how long did that last?

In the past three and a half years the Lib-Dems have been a very ineffectual opposition, opposing everything but offering no alternatives.

I urge everyone at election time to think about what your local councillors have actually done for you in the last four years and, above all, remember they get paid an allowance of about £6,000 a year to best represent you.

It is about time we had people who become councillors for the right reasons not just for what they can get. 100% allowance claimed should mean 100% commitment, sadly not the case with many of the councillors we have.

Julie Woodward, St Nicholas Community Association, Bedford Street, Whitecross.