SIR – I think Councillor John Hall’s rant (Letters, February 10) in response to Emma Heal is nothing short of a disgrace.

His incredibly offensive and false innuendo that Mrs Heal can neither read nor write, or needs help to write letters to the T&A, shows his contempt not just for her, but, in my view, for the entire electorate.

He asks if she expects Liberal Democrat councillors to hang around on street corners waiting for something to do.

Personally, I can think of nothing worse – which is one reason why I resigned my membership of that party some time ago!

Finally, Coun Hall essentially dismisses surgeries as a waste of Councillors’ time and expresses his astonishment that a Conservative Councillor (ie, me) is holding three surgeries for local residents in Eccleshill this month.

Let me make it clear that I regard surgeries as an essential part of my job, and am prepared to put in the time and effort to attend them for the benefit of the people I represent, and, given the opportunity by the Council, would have held five or six this month instead of only three.

Councillor Colin McPhee (Conservative, Eccleshill), Moorcroft Avenue, Bradford