IT is a pity that Michael Foster MP chooses to totally misrepresent the city council regarding anti-flood measures in Hylton Road.

These are the facts. The council has not reached any decision about either a temporary or permanent barrier.

The council has been pressing the Environment Agency and Government to provide Worcester with flood defences.

Discussion had centred on a permanent earth bank. It has been frustrating because the EA has failed to communicate properly with the city council.

Mr Foster knows this because a letter complaining about this problem was copied to him.

Mr Foster focuses only on the barrier being an "eyesore." Actually, this is a minor point in a number of serious questions which the council has a duty to ask.

For example, how can a barrier be protected from vandalism with 24-hour security? Who will supply and pay for the skilled staff to erect and take down a barrier? If the barrier is breached, will the result be catastrophic? Would Hylton Road residents have to be evacuated even with the barrier in place?

The city council has a duty to ask serious questions, has asked them, and has not received satisfactory replies yet.

Indeed, we would be worthy of criticism if we did not ask these serious and necessary questions. The EA has gone ahead and bought the barrier anyway. This "take it or leave it" attitude has put the council in a difficult position.

As a councillor for part of the riverside, I represent residents who have repeatedly suffered from flooding. I could never simply accept a proposal for flood protection measures without discovering if they are both suitable and there is finance to use them properly.

Otherwise I would potentially be holding out false hopes to those residents.

Michael Foster has introduced partisan politics into a situation where there is no need for it.

The controversy and confusion he is stirring up can only damage efforts to alleviate flooding in Worcester.

I'm sure that he thinks he is very clever in trying to show the city council as somehow uncaring about Worcester people. But it is not right.

Hitherto, everyone has worked together to help sufferers from flooding without trying to gain a political advantage.

Let us hope that this is an aberration and we can return to that co-operative situation.

COUN FRANCIS LANKESTER,

Worcester.