DEAR EDITOR -- Your correspondent, James Shuttleworth, asked in your pages of April 3, who was deceiving whom over the developments in Droitwich.

He asks why neither Droitwich Spa Town Council nor Wychavon District Council revealed Tesco's interest in the Kidderminster Road site.

Quite simply because at first, councillors did not know and when, after a standard search by the district planners this came to light, we were not free to say outright.

I did try to explain to the public meeting why the Parish Poll was pointless but was shouted down.

It was only when our MP used parliamentary privilege to ask Tesco to come clean that the matter came into the public domain.

Councillors are severely restricted on what they can say prior to a planning application being determined.

Recently one councillor promised the people in her ward to "fight to the bitter end against a planning application".

She was "reported", presumably by another councillor, for then speaking and voting on that application.

If you think this is crazy and against all principles of representative Local Government then tell the Government, they made the rule.

Protest groups are free to do and say what they like, however, misleading or ill formed they might be.

They are under no obligation to declare their personal interest, financial or otherwise.

The leading light of "Action for Droitwich" was the owner of the Kidderminster Road land before it went into receivership.

He must have known everything about the site as he would have been party to the negotiations.

Perhaps Mr Shuttleworth should ask him why he kept quiet.

Why have Kwik Save only just revealed their thoughts about the Waitrose proposal? Good question. They are telling people it will hit trade by reducing the parking space.

Why then have they distributed all councillors with drawings of their suggestions for this development, which shows a very considerable reduction in parking spaces?

Please ask them, as an elected representative I can't, and have no wish, to debate planning matters personally with developers.

Wilkinson's are coming to Droitwich because the precinct's private owners can let to whom they like as long as it does not create a change of use.

Droitwich town councillors, from both political parties, work hard without any financial gain on behalf of the town. They deserve better than the snide harassment and innuendo, which has been directed towards them on your letters page in recent months.

Pam Davey, Droitwich Spa Town Council leader (Con,Droit.South).