PC Thompson’s letter to the editor questioned the judgement of the county overview and scrutiny board because it wishes to interview the Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff; in order that they may account for the relatively small amount of funding they receive to help them perform their duties.

I am a member of the board and I wish to make it clear that this issue was raised by the chairman Cllr. Richard Udall and did not receive my support.

Richard and I don’t disagree about everything and I recognise his right to have an opinion but I do not support his campaign to remove public support for the Lord Lieutenant.

I was the mayor of Worcester in 2009/10 when we had the honour of receiving the soldiers of the Queens Own Hussars and then the Second Battalion of the Mercian Regiment, who marched through the city on return from active service abroad.

It was the Lord Lieutenant who took the salute and he made the award of the Queen Elizabeth II medal to the families of those who died in military service since 1945.

He did this as the Queen’s representative in the county, just as his predecessors have acted since the times of Henry VIII.

There are many important issues which impact on the health, wealth and wellbeing of people throughout the county.

I contend that these are areas for scrutiny, rather than carrying out an examination which will be seen as a thinly veiled attack on our democratic monarchy.

County councillor AC Roberts