I AM in agreement with some of the sentiments expressed by the writer of the letter regarding the Fylde Borough Council meeting of December 3.

Attending this meeting against medical advice, as I had bronchitis and was walking with the aid of crutches following an accident three days previously, I was taking a back seat.

With my well known track record, I was unlikely to let the Ashton Garden item pass without noting some objection to the sale of the land!

I was expecting other, more experienced councillors to bring up an amendment to at least delay the outcome until the present legal investigation is completed. (Details of this can be found elsewhere, quite easily).

In a nutshell we were caught on the hop! Like the others I waited for the public to be excluded as the Ashton Gardens item was "exempt" but the item was passed amongst the others on the same page.

This was apparently quite correct procedurally but utterly unexpected by those of us willing to speak up.

When it was realised what had happened there were objections raised but they were ignored as being too late. I did vote against the last item, No 61, the fixing of the Common Seal, which signifies acceptance of the meeting etc., and this I have had placed on record by putting this in writing and forwarding it to the Chief Executive.

All is not however a 100 per cent fait accompli. Personally, I am still of the firm conviction that green land given to the people of this town should remain commercially undeveloped and I will continue to do so. No part of Ashton Gardens should be sold for commercial development because ASHTON GARDENS BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE.

Mrs Barbara Pagett,

Conservative Councillor,

Evesham Road,

Fairhaven,

Lytham St Annes.