MADAM - Thank you for your report of proceedings recently at Stroud District Council regarding the Conservative Group boycotting the debate on a Labour/Green motion that was supporting the imposition of a Financial Transaction Tax.

As a group we reluctantly decided to stage this dignified protest to demonstrate our utter frustration at the cynical way some Labour and Green councillors are prepared to waste council money promoting their own national, partisan, political campaigns.

The Financial Transaction Tax, as an idea, deserves consideration, but only with international agreement.

Whilst district councillors may have some influence, I doubt it would stretch this far.

However, in reality, raising money through the tax had nothing to do with the rationale behind this motion.

It seems that some members of the Labour and Green groups have no interest in, or consideration for, the communities they are supposed to represent let alone the country’s finances.

In their desperation to secure power they happily ignore the welfare of Stroud people and waste the opportunity their position provides to promote the interests of those that elected them in favour of inappropriate and misplaced political posturing.

I urge those responsible to use their time at council to promote issues within their control at a District level in the interests of Stroud people and save their campaigning for the doorstep.

Haydn Jones

Conservative councillor

Severn ward