I FIND it astonishing that something positive that Cllr Pearson was attempting to promote was taken out of context by Liberal Democrat Cllr Mermagen (Councillor accused of patronising poles, The News, February 18).

Clearly Cllr Pearson was trying to reach out and engage with our community.

I sincerely believe it is important to recognise that there was no intent to cause offence by patronising anyone.

What I did find offensive and disrespectful was that it was Cllr Mermagen who first raised his voice in an intimidating manner in front other people and councillors, not Cllr Pearson.

Furthermore, one of his Liberal Democrat colleagues showed his disapproval by moving his head from left to right before Cllr Pearson made the socalled controversial comment.

This gives me the impression that whatever Cllr Pearson commented on, he would have been ridiculed by the Liberal Democrats for what I see as nothing other than political reasons.

In my years as a councillor I have attended thousands of meetings. In that time I have listened and contributed to debates, respecting opinions, however different, from colleagues of all political parties.

It seems the Liberal Democrats think it appropriate to distort other people’s comments in an attempt to discredit opinions different to their own. Regretfully, they also use social media to do this. Clearly they are neither Liberal or Democrats.

  • DAVE BULMER Chard