YOU report (LET, January 29), that Councillor Kath Reade accused me of identifying her as the person who was trying to get herself appointed as the next chairman of the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale NHS Trust.

Your reporter, who witnessed the whole of the board meeting, will know exactly what I said.

Firstly, I said that the decision to appoint Coun Reade to deputise for a non-existent chairman (in other words a temporary expedient) twice in successive meetings was not a spontaneous one but obviously pre-arranged.

I and most others present at this and the December board meeting at Nelson knew beforehand exactly who was going to chair the meetings. This at a time when the public were being assured that all such business was open and transparent and not agreed other than in the public arena.

Secondly, I am aware of moves to support a Labour party nominee (male or female, not identified by me in any way) to replace Brian Foster and I said so.

I am also aware that this attempt was unlikely to succeed, so the later tactic was to delay the appointment of the obvious best candidate, Brian Foster, quite deliberately. If Coun Reade chooses to identify herself as the person most likely to be chosen in a 'spot the culprit' competition - that's her affair.

So let's make my predictions clear, once and for all.

I expect Brian Foster to be reinstated as chairman of this troubled trust.

I expect Cath Reade and other trust board directors to support him in restoring some credibility to this organisation, which badly needs public support, to accept some of the not-so-palatable decisions they will need to take in the near future.

Coun Reade has done nothing wrong, in my opinion, when she has contributed to debates at those board meetings she has managed to attend.

I am sure Brian Foster will be able to sleep easy knowing of her support for him. Perhaps he would be wise, nevertheless, to sleep with one eye open - just in case!

HARRY HORNE (Mr), Brunshaw Road, Burnley.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.