SIR – I had the privilege to be invited to the Mayor of Keighley’s civic service at the Shared Church in Keighley at the weekend.

The service is an occasion held each year and invitees are local people who work with the council for the good of the town.

I did note that this year the attendance was pitiful. At an estimate, I would say that there were only 20 people in church.

Speaking to a “man in the know” at the end of the occasion, I was told that there were only four town councillors there – four out of 30.

If this was the case, I find it disgusting.

If town councillors cannot be bothered to turn out to support their own mayor, what chance do we have of them turning out to represent us?

I will certainly be voting very carefully the next time an election comes around.

I appreciate there will be legitimate reasons for some not to attend – illness, civic duties etc – but that cannot be the case for all 26 absentees, can it?

Paul Crabtree, New Stead Rise, East Morton, Keighley