THE letters about Palmyra Square and St Werburgh's School, which were printed side by side in last week's Warrington GUARDIAN, tell the same story. Warrington Borough Council has made two dreadful decisions and has ignored the views and reasoned arguments of the people who are affected by them. However readers should know that the views of ordinary councillors have also been ignored.

The people campaigning to keep St Werburgh's School open were not allowed to present their case to the School's Organisation Committee. Their arguments are overwhelming and are made even stronger by the latest Ofsted report on St James's School. The meeting was held in secret and councillors were not permitted to speak about it afterwards.

The Civic Society and SOS Palmyra were not consulted over the latest plan for Palmyra Square. Neither were councillors; after English Heritage rejected the previous proposals in May, two meetings of the Town Centre Development Panel scheduled for June 1 and July 10 were cancelled. When the panel eventually met on July 25, plans for the square had already been finalised and submitted and the panel was presented with a fait accompli. This meant that any modifications suggested by the Civic Society and SOS Palmyra could not be considered.

Please do not tar all councillors with the same brush. We voted against the latest plan for Palmyra Square and we are opposed to the closure of St Werburgh's School but the ruling Labour group does not want to listen to our views either. Labour have been too long in power and have become arrogant. Lib Dems are the only opposition on Warrington Borough Council. If the people of Warrington want to see a change in the way the Borough Council treats their concerns, they know what to do - vote Lib Dem.

BARBARA MAWER and BRIAN AXCELL

Lib Dem Borough Councillors

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